LE ROUX Pieces de Clavecin vol. 1. Lyrebird Editions

Gaspard Le Roux was a musician working in late seventeenth- and early eighteenth-century Paris. Little is known of his life, other than a few brief mentions in the cheque books of public notaries. His birth date is unknown, and while the belief that he died in 1707 is widely accepted, new research by editor Jon Baxendale has established this to be incorrect. The Pieces de clavessin contains seven suites that are demonstrative, providing examples of both Italian and French styles of writing. They are among the most charming of the Grand siècle and deserve a place alongside the works of François Couperin and Jean-Philippe Rameau. They are also unusual. Trying to maximise the appeal of his publication, Le Roux included the earliest printed duo for two harpsichords and provided five examples of how the other pieces in the book might be similarly arranged. Additionally, Le Roux transcribed the pièces for unspecified trio instruments with basso continuo. Volume 1 contains the harpsichord pieces and the duo. Its substantial preface discusses the current state of research on this most enigmatic of composers and goes in search of the real Gaspard Le Roux. A bibliographical section discusses not only the 1705 Paris imprint but also a bootleg copy made by Estienne Roger and a manuscript copied by J G Walther. David Ledbetter has provided a detailed section on performance practice. In Volume 2, Baxendale picks up where Le Roux left off. Starting with his five examples, the remaining 42 pieces have been arranged for duo performance. Volume 3 contains the trios with photocopiable parts for ensemble musicians