Complete Works for Guitar

This recording of Robert de Visée might come as a surprise to certain uninformed listeners. In fact, the manner of playing the guitar at the end of the 1 7th century presents the peculiarity of remaining closely linked to that of the instrument with five courses of strings. By virtue of the "batteries", rapid ascending or descending strumming movements with the right hand, described by Mersenne in 1636, this guitar was able to provide simple but effective harmonic and rhythmic accompaniments, due to the rather harsh sonorities of the strings struck in this way.

In the compositions for solo guitar, like those by Robert de Visée, the batteries are abundantly used to provide the harmonic pattern, while the melody and the counterpoint are plucked in the manner of the lute or the theorbo. From this combination of sounds result, in the first place, the differences of timbre and intensity which pose a problem of the balance of sonorities for the performer, similar to that of the orchestra. In this regard, Robert de Visée, usually so parsimonious with information, is the only composer who insistently indicates at which places in his pieces, and by what means, the batteries should be "rendered more delicate " and the "tune more distinct ", which clearly shows that after more than three quarters of a century of the playing of the guitar in Europe, this subtlety, so much part of the nature of the instrument, is still not in current use among performers.

Another aspect of the practice of the period is transmitted to us by the prudent Médard who, after exhorting us "not to hasten the measure lest your playing become a blur", continues, "which even many masters cannot resist!…" If we add to this the avouched playing with the nails more brilliant than that with the fleshy part of the fingertips, we will better understand the censures of many authors against the "steely" sound of the guitar which, they say, can become a veritable cauldron...
On the whole, all these facts give us a glimpse of an early manner of playing which was much less sweet than is generally imagined today.

As to the instrument, if there is unanimous agreement on de Visée tuning(*), we have no direct information on his manner of stringing the guitar. After years of research, I have chosen to string the instrument entirely with pure gut strings, a single "chanterelle" (highest string), and the bass of the fourth course on the side of the thumb. Thus, by means of certain technical devices, especially that of stifling the sound of some strings, it becomes possible to select one or another of the strings of this fourth course, thereby avoiding a number of unpleasant harmonic and/or contrapuntal inversions, which would otherwise be heard.

Very few 17th century guitars have survived in a condition which would allow them to be played with the subtlety demanded by Robert de Visée's music. I have, therefore, with this in mind, chosen for this recording, two particularly satisfactory instruments by Charles Besnainou (Paris, 1980 and 1983). The length of their vibrating string is 680 mm. which represents a good average, taking into consideration the practice of French instrument makers, particularly the Voboam, of the second half of the 17th century.
Rafael Andia