The critics are highly enthusiastic about the young, successful guitarist Raphaël Feuillâtre. "One of the most exciting concert guitarists of his generation," is how Guitar Salon International judges him, while Classical Guitar calls him "a fantastically versatile and sensitive performer." Feuillâtre celebrated his international breakthrough in 2018 as winner of the prestigious international competition of the "Guitar Foundation of America". With his debut on Deutsche Grammophon, he aims to share his love of Baroque music. The guitarist has recorded works by J.S Bach and his French contemporaries Forqueray, Rameau, Royer and Duphly. Once mostly written for harpsichord solo, they have been translated here into the colorful sound world of the guitar. The album's title, Visages baroques (Faces of the Baroque), "refers to the very different qualities that each work acquires through its arrangement, but it also refers to the many facets of the guitar that are revealed here through the choice of music," Feuillâtre says. Two great works by Bach are featured: Concerto in D Major BWV 972, itself a transcription for harpsichord of a violin concerto by Vivaldi, and Partita No. 1 BWV 825, along with six French pieces. This music is framed by two other short pieces by Bach, the Prelude in C major and the Gavotte en rondeau from his Partita for solo violin in E major. Not to be underestimated, the entire repertoire is expanded by the transcriptions for guitar, some previously unpublished.

Tracklist

Johann Sebastian Bach

I.Prélude (Version for Guitar)

From Prelude and Fugue in C major, BWV 846

Joseph-Nicolas-Pancrace Royer / Arr. Raphaël Feuillâtre

L’aimable (Arr. Feuillâtre for Guitar)

From Pièces de clavecin

Johann Sebastian Bach / Antonio Vivaldi / Arr. Judicaël Perroy

Concerto in D Major, BWV 972 (Arr. Perroy for Guitar)
I. Allegro
II. Larghetto
III. Allegro

Jean-Philippe Rameau / Arr. Michel Gizard

L'entretien des muses (Arr. Gizard for Guitar)

From Suite in D Major, RCT 3

Jean-Philippe Rameau / Arr. Michel Gizard

Les cyclopes (Arr. Gizard for Guitar)

From Suite in D Major, RCT 3

Johann Sebastian Bach / Arr. Gerhard Reichenbach

Partita in B Flat Major, BWV 825 (Arr. Reichenbach for Guitar)
I. Prelude
II. Allemande
III. Courante
IV. Sarabande
V. Menuett I
VI. Menuett II
VII. Gigue

Antoine Forqueray / Arr. Antoine Fougeray

La Bellmont (Arr. Fougeray for Guitar)

From Suite No. 1 in D Minor

Jaques Duphly / Arr. Antoine Fougeray

La Forqueray (Arr. Fougeray for Guitar)

From Pièces de clavecin, Livre 3

Jaques Duphly / Arr. Antoine Fougeray

Médée (Arr. Fougeray for Guitar)

From Pièces de clavecin, Livre 3

Johann Sebastian Bach

III. Gavotte en rondeau (Version for Guitar)

From Partita No. 3 in E major, BWV 1006