CD of Accademia Amsterdam, co-production Folia
Contents: "Music for Baroque Dances at the Court and Theatre"
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This is simply a sparkling gem of a release. The French noble style of dance was at its peak at the end of the 17th Century and through the first half of the 18th. [...] The music is divided in groups, mostly according to context — such as whether it was for the theater or the ballroom. A shorter section at the end has a few dances with Spanish and Italian flavor, and the last two are English country dances from the Playford collection.
I love this music, and it's performed in a way that feels very authentic — one can imagine an elegant French ballroom or a theater. Most of it is very lively (naturally), though there are some slower dances. Great party music!
The notes give quite a bit of information about the period in general and then a few words about each dance, including source notes, which might be of particular interest to performers.
American Record Guide March/April 2013