Cuatro Piezas de Clarines

I have been given the privilege and opportunity of playing and reviewing the sample set of the great Stahluth/Jann organ in Luxembourg. This is my first "demo" recording, to be used a "musical illustration" in my review, which I hope will be both enjoyable for listening and helpful in contemplating purchase of the set.

This upload is designed to show the various "big" reeds in dialogue with each other.

Jean-Baptiste Lully (28 November 1632 – 22 March 1687) was an Italian-born French composer, instrumentalist, and dancer who spent most of his life working in the court of Louis XIV of France. He is considered a master of the French baroque style. Lully disavowed any Italian influence in French music of the period. He became a French subject in 1661.

Lully was born on November 28, 1632 in Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany, to a family of millers. His general education and his musical training during his youth in Florence remain uncertain, but he used to say that a Franciscan friar gave him his first music lessons and taught him guitar.

His career is too extensive to discuss here, but his fame was great, and was given a conspicuous place on Titon du Tillet's Parnasse François ("the French Mount Parnassus"). In the engraving, he stands to the left, on the lowest level, his right arm extended and holding a scroll of paper with which to beat time.

Lully was called "the prince of French musicians."

I confess that I do not know much about these works, but they listed as part of his output. Regardless, they are an excellent way of demonstrating the various reed stops - of which this organ has MANY!

In the First Comment I give the timings of the individual "movements," as well as the specific reeds that you are hearing.

I found the third piece to be exceptionally beautifully. It's almost like a "bagpipe lament," made all the more poignant be the major tonality.

The score is attached below, as well as a portrait of Lully.

MORE COMING SOON!