Chacone

These three works are taken from "Three Seventeenth-Century Transcripts", edited and arranged by Arthur Veal, and published by Novello in 1983.

Arthur Veal (1905-1989) was a student of Edward C. Bairstow and G. D. Cunningham. He was an organist and teacher in Bedford, and later music advisor to the Nottingham Education Committee.

The notes are taken almost directly from the foreword in the score.

"Chacone"

This work appears in a collection of pieces for harpsichord entitled "Pièces de Clavecin" dates 1705.

The "chacone" was originally a Spanish dance in slow triple time related to the "saraband" and a favored form amongst early Baroque composers. This early example consists of a refrain and couplets during the course of which increasingly exciting variations maintain the listener's interest and test the composer's skill.

Little is known of Gaspard La Roux (c. 1670 - c. 1706). In 1692 he is mentioned in printed documents as "Monsieur La Roux, Music Master'. Since there is no dedication to the
"Pièces" it is likely that he worked as a free-lance musician, especially as only three copies are in existence. In 1695 in a tax list his name appears amongst the most eminent musicians in Paris in those days. His life was comparatively short. His style was individual, yet strongly French in his love of subtle harmonies and his evident sensitivity to key color.

I found "Chacone" to be the most "appealing" of the three. I loosely followed Veal's registrations, as in doing so, it gave me a chance to use other sounds instead of the "usual registrations" that I might otherwise have used.

Since these works are still copyright, I have not included the score, but if you are interested in having it, please feel free to let me know. :-)

A photo of a painting of Gaspard La Roux was taken from a CD, and is attached below.