El Gran Teatro del Mundo is bringing back to life, for the first time in modern times, what is known as the «partitions réduites».
At the beginning of July, after more than 5 years of intense work and concerts all around Europe performing this repertoire, we are scheduled to record an album which will mark the completion of this process of research, experimentation and artistic creation.
Alban Moreau, a reputed sound engineer with a lengthy career specializing in the recording of old music, will collaborate with us on this project.
->DESCRIPTIVE VIDEO IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH BELOW<- →VÍDEO DE PRESENTACIÓN EN ESPAÑOL E INGLÉS MÁS ABAJO<-
The «partitions réduites»
Up until the popularization of commercial recordings in the 20th century, reductions were the primary means by which people could listen and perform contemporary music in private and at a time of their choosing. The «partitions réduites» represent this phenomenon in the context of the cultural flourishment of France in the times of Louis XIV, back when Jean-Baptiste Lully dominated the music scene and the great operas and ballets created for Versailles and Paris were the models for the entire western world.
«La vida es sueño - Life is a dream»
We have chosen the title of this play by the writer of the Spanish Golden Age, Calderón de la Barca, as the name for our programme, which we premiered in its first version in 2017 and we have perfected over the years. Night-time, dreams and the Great Beyond have an enormous importance in the Baroque period, and particularly in the French «tragédie lyrique». The night is witness to all those things which shouldn’t be seen in the light of day. Sleep, on the other hand, is the time in which verisimilitude is defied by the appearance of supernatural events. It is also the moment chosen by the gods to communicate the darkest of their secrets. Great composers like Marais, Charpentier, Campra and Lully, depicted these situations with colourful music of an extraordinary originality and variety, creating a musical language of their own, which was developed over the years.
Your contribution will be put towards the financing of the following aspects of the recording:
- The sound engineer’s fee for the recording and later editing of the album
- The renting of a recording hall
- The renting of a rehearsal room
- Travel fees
- Accommodation fees for the sound engineer and those musicians who do not reside in Basel
- The renting of the harpsichord
- The wages of the musicians
Contact us! ensemblegtm@gmail.com