Blavet Sonates pour flûte et basse continue, Œuvre II Claire Guimond, flûte baroque / baroque flute John Toll - clavecin / harpsichord Johnathon Manson - viole de gambe / viola da gamba ACD2 2204 Most of the composers of the Baroque period first gained fame during their life-time as virtuoso interpreters: one need only think of Vivaldi the violinist, or Bach, at the keyboards of his organ or harpsichord, enriching the repertoires of their instruments. Though his production was substantially smaller, Michel Blavet, perhaps the most distinguished French flautist of his century, did exemplary justice to the possibilities of the instrument perfected by the Hotteterre family midway through the reign of Louis XIV. Known at the time as the flute allemande - for reasons that remain obscure to this day - the Baroque flute, with its conical bore, comprising three, then four adjustable segments, as well as a key to facilitate attaining D sharp in the lower register, pushed aside the recorder in the first decades of the eighteenth century. Musicians and audiences preferred its refinement, its subtle expressiveness, and its potential for modulating volume by breathing. Composers were quick to exploit these attributes - and to conceal the slight inequalities in intensity resulting from the cross-fingerings necessary to produce half-tones. … François Filiatrault, 1999 Translated by Fred A. Reed Michel Blavet (1700-1768) Sonates mêlées de pièces pour la flûte traversière avec la basse, Œuvre II, 1732 Premiere sonata, en sol majeur / First Sonata in G Major   1. Adagio     2:13   2. Allegro     2:56   3. Première aria L'Henriette     (rondeau) - Seconde aria -     Première aria da capo     4:50   4. Presto     3:15 Seconde sonate, en ré mineur / Second Sonata in D minor   5. La Vibray (andante)     2:41   6. Allemanda (allegro)     2:46   7. Gavotte Les caquets (moderato)     2:16   8. Sarabanda (largo)     1:49   9. Allegro     3:49 Troisième sonate, La Dhérouville, en mi mineur / Third Sonata, La Dherouville, in E minor 10. Adagio     2:09 11. Allemanda (andante)     2:56 12. Rondeau L'Insinuante (gratioso)     2:44 13. Le Mondorge, tambourins I et II     (presto)     1:41 14. Giga (allegro)     1:59 Quatrième sonate, La Lumagne, en sol mineur / Fourth Sonata, La Lumagne, in G minor 15. Adagio     2:08 16. Allemanda (allegro)     2:37 17. Ciciliana     2:39 18. Presto     2:49 19. Le Lutin (allegro)     1:55 Cinquième sonate, en ré majeur / Fifth Sonata in D Major 20. La Chauvet (largo)     2:09 21. Allegro     2:51 22. Rondo Le Marc-Antoine     2:12 23. Les regrets (tendrement)     3:22 24. Fuga (allegro)     1:32 25. Gavotta La Dedale     3:03 Sixième sonate, en la mineur / Sixth sonata in A minor 26. La Boucot (adagio)     2:13 27. Allemanda (allegro)     2:48 28. Les tendres badinages     (allegretto)     2:48 29. L'Invincible     1:44 30. Presto     2:31 ATMA Classique is distributed in Australia by Rockian Trading PO Box 44, Briar Hill, Vic, 3088, Australia Telephone +61 (0)3 9432 4149 ~ Facsimile +61 (0)3 9444 6879