Caroline Nicolas, Kevin Payne - Pièces en solitude (2026) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist

01. Pièces de Viole, Livre III: Suite No. 7 in G Major: No. 92, Prelude
02. Pièces de Viole, Livre III: Suite No. 7 in G Major: No. 94, Allemande & No. 95, Double
03. Pièces de Viole, Livre III: Suite No. 7 in G Major: No. 99, Sarabande Grave
04. Pièces de Viole, Livre III: Suite No. 7 in G Major: No. 105, La musette
05. Pièces de Viole, Livre III: Le Badinage in F-Sharp Minor: No. 87
06. Pièces de Viole, Livre III: Suite No. 1 in D Minor: I. Prelude
07. Pièces de viole, Livre III: Suite No. 4 in D Major: No. 55, Plainte
08. Pièces de viole, Livre III: Suite No. 1 in A Minor: No. 11, Prelude
09. Pièces de viole, Livre III: Suite No. 1 in A Minor: No. 1, Fantaisie
10. Pieces de Viole, Livre III: Suite No. 1 in A Minor: II. Allemande
11. Pièces de viole, Livre III: Suite No. 1 in A Minor: No. 3, Courante
12. Pièces de viole, Livre III: Suite No. 1 in A Minor: No. 8, Minuet & No. 9, Autre
13. Pièces de viole, Livre III: Chaconne in D Minor, Tounus 49
14. Pièces de Viole, Livre III: Suite No. 1 in D Minor: I. Allemande (La borde)
15. Pièces de Viole, Livre III: Suite No. 1 in D Minor: II. La Forqueray
16. Pièces de Viole, Livre III: Suite No. 1 in D Minor: III. La Cottin
17. Pièces de Viole, Livre III: Suite No. 1 in D Minor: IV. La Bellemont
18. Pièces de Viole, Livre III: Suite No. 1 in D Minor: V. La Portugaise
19. Pièces de Viole, Livre III: Suite No. 1 in D Minor: VI. La Couperin
20. Pièces de Viole, Livre III: Suite No. 3 in D Major: No. 63, Les Voix humaines

New York City-based viola da gambist Caroline Nicolas is one to watch – a captivating performer and “one of the finest gambists working today” (Gotham Early Music Scene). With her star rapidly in the ascendent, Caroline has performed with ensembles including The English Concert, Kammerorchester Basel and Philharmonia Baroque, and collaborated with the likes of Jordi Savall, William Christie and Kristian Bezuidenhout. For her solo debut recording, Caroline brings out the big guns of the viola da gamba repertoire from France’s defining era of the instrument – the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Pièces de viole were integral to the French instrumental baroque, and Caroline’s programme leads with selections by the master of the genre, Marin Marais.

For contrast, Caroline juxtaposes the first Suite by the iconoclastic Antoine Forqueray, and in between offers a pair of amuse bouche, an intricate Chaconne by Marais’ tutor, Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe, and a Prelude by the pedagogue Le Sieur de Machy. In keeping with French viol music’s nuance and relative restraint, Caroline is accompanied solely by theorbo, its complementary timbre reflecting the repertoire’s aesthetic.