Jacquet de La Guerre: Complete Harpsichord Works

Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre, called "The wonder of our age", is one of the most remarkable female composers of all time. She was born in Paris in 1665, daughter of an organist and harpsichord maker. A prodigy girl, her personality caught everyone by surprise when her father introduced her to the Court when she was just 5 years old, she played and sang for Louis XIV who was very impressed and became her strong supporter and benefactor.

Jacquet de la Guerre dedicated her suites for the harpsichord to Louis XIV, the Sun King. Her style, a mixture of French taste and Italian brilliance, shows elements of lute music, like the "brisé o luthé" writing, imitating the sound of the lute. The Suites are composed of dance movements, of which the preludes are unmeasured, leaving ample room for freedom of expression and improvisation. She lived a long, successful and fruitful life, performing, teaching and composing instrumental music as well as vocal cantatas and even operas. She died in 1729.

Italian harpsichordist Francesca Lanfranco studied with Bob van Asperen, Kenneth Gilbert and Christian Jaccottet. She enjoys an active career as soloist and chamber music partner.