GASPARD LE ROUX: Complete Harpsichord Music [CD de audio] Pieter-Jan Belder and Gaspard Le Roux

Gaspard le Roux (c.1660 c.1707) is one of the most enigmatic composers of late 17th-century France, as nothing is known about him except a mention on a roll of tax paper and his legacy of his Harpsichord pièces, which are recorded in full for the first time. Le Roux could be located approximately between DAnglebert and Couperin. His preludes are written in the unmeasured style, which means that the performer has to invent the rhythms himself, thus creating the required improvisational character of the music. The special and basic notation of the music also leaves the choice of instrument open: the suites can be played both in solo formation and in duo formation, that is, for one or two harpsichords, both possibilities are presented in this recording. Another excellent recording by Dutch keyboardist Pieter Jan Belder (a notable exponent in this Musicweb repertoire) and Siebe Henstra, playing two magnificent new harpsichords from the PieterJan Belders collection, built by Titus Crijnen after Ruckers and Blanchet.