SYMPHONIES D'ALCIONE - MARIN MARAIS - Fred G. Pisecki, organ music

CONTENTS: 01 Intro 00:00 Excerpts from the opera “Tragédie en musique” by Marin Marais (1656–1728), arranged for organ by Henk Verhoef. 02 Ouverture 00:25 03 Air des faunes et driades 06:46 04 Marche en Rondeau 08:01 05 Bourrée 09:23 06 Prélude 10:39 07 Marche et airs des Matelots 12:07 08 Ritournelle 14:54 09 Chaconne 16:18 Recorded with the sampleset of the organ in Friesach (Carinthia, Austria), made by Piotr Grabowski (Poland). Performed by Fred G. Pisecki. 10 Fireworks in the Park of Versailles (F) 26:26 TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 27:03 --------------------------------------------------- This last great tragédie lyrique in a prologue and five acts from the reign of Louis XIV (1638-1715) is nothing less than an unprecedented stroke of genius in Baroque ceremonial self-presentation, a universal spectacle. Composed by Marin Marais (1656-1728) and premiered in 1706 at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris, this opera, based on the timeless Greek myth of Alcyone and Ceyx from Ovid’s *Metamorphoses*, saw six revivals or new productions by 1771 alone. Just as in Italy, opera - the “tragédie lyrique” - was primarily a sung play in France. But unlike in Italy, dance also played an important role in France. At various points, the action on stage was interrupted by a minuet, a bourrée, an air, or even a suite of different dances. A monumental chaconne always concluded the opera. And when this piece - such as “Alcione” by Marin Marais - became a success, a playable score for instrumental ensembles or for a solo instrument was published to make the music accessible to music lovers. The arrangements of the symphonies (instrumental pieces) from "Alcione" are a selection of eight pieces from the opera’s total of approximately 30 instrumental pieces. They were arranged for organ by Henk Verhoef, organist at the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam (Netherlands), and are presented here as a suite.