Corrette: Premier Livre de Pièces de Clavecin

Michel Corrette (1707-1795) was born in a musical family, his father was organist, his grandfather dancing master. He was a famous composer, teacher and organist, his long lifetime seeing the cultural change from the Baroque to the Classical era.

The album contains suites of dances and character pieces in the French manner, following the model established by François Couperin and Jean-Philippe Rameau. Typical movements include allemandes, courantes, sarabandes, and gigues, alongside more descriptive works with evocative titles. These pieces reflect the French fondness for portraying moods, personalities, or even humorous caricatures through music. At the same time, Corrette demonstrates a flair for lively rhythms and bright textures that hint at the Italianate energy fashionable in Paris during the 1730s.

Unlike Couperin, who sought refinement and subtle elegance, Corrette often favoured a more direct and accessible style. His Premier Livre was intended not only for professional musicians but also for skilled amateurs, aligning with his lifelong mission to make music approachable. Historically, the collection occupies an interesting position: it came at a moment when the harpsichord was at the height of its prestige in France but just before the emerging galant style began to dominate keyboard writing. As such, Corrette's first book of harpsichord pieces serves as both a continuation of the French clavecin tradition and an early sign of stylistic transition. Today, it stands as a testament to Corrette's versatility and his role in bridging established Baroque forms with the new musical aesthetics of the mid-18th century.

Agustín Álvarez, trained in the Caracas Conservatory and the Royal Superior Music Conservatory of Madrid, studied harpsichord and basso continuo with Tony Millán. He has received lessons from great maestros such as Christophe Rousset, Elisabeth Joyé, Jacques Ogg, Guido Morini, Luc Beauséjour, Béatrice Martin, Enrico Baiano and Nicolau de Figueiredo.

He has recorded for Brilliant Classics 11 suites for solo harpsichord by Nicolás Lebègue which received excellent reviews: "impeccable interpretation, exquisite harpsichordist" (Ritmo magazine), "of the highest interpretations, very elegant, technically impeccable, with great knowledge of style" (Scherzo magazine).