F. Edgar Gilbert began studying classical guitar at the age of eight. In 1975, he was a finalist in the National Guitar Competition, sponsored by the National Arts and Letters, Washington, D.C. Playing transcriptions of Renaissance and Baroque music led Mr. Gilbert into research about lutes and their repertoires. He has appeared in multimedia broadcasts and performances in Europe and the United States.
F. Edgar Gilbert specializes in the performance of lute music from the English school of the Renaissance and the French school of the Transitional and Baroque epochs.
His works include the CD, The Loss of the Golden Rose Lute and the CD Rosamund.
His compositions include New Lessons for the Lute and Sequential Works for the Lute in Tablature published by Overasselt, Holland
About These CDs
His repertoire encompasses the apex of lute literature, featuring works by Dowland, Holborne, Daniel, Cutting and Bacheler. In suite form, Mr. Gilbert interprets the music of the Gautiers, Mouto, the Gallts, Bittner, the Reusners, Bethune, Hurel, Grenerin and others.
To complement his approach, Mr. Gilbert plays the theorbo and angelique, arch lutes seldom heard today.
Mr. Gilbert's original compositions have been performed by other lutenists. His two books, New Lessons for the Lute and Sequential Works for the Lute in Tablature, have been released by van Teeseling Music Publishers, Nijmegen, Holland.
His discography, released on the Eroica label, includes Rosamund, a collection of Elizabethan works representing the Golden Age, and The Loss of the Golden Rose Lute, which offers a glimpse of suites by eclectic French lutenists' from the reign of the Sun King (Louis XIV).
Lamentably, the contribution to the Baroque made by the 17th century lutenist composers of the French School has not been fully realized, quantified or understood.
Born in Villette in the region of Dauphine in 1575, Ennemond Cautier was to distinguish himself as a pre-eminent lutenist at the French court from 1600 until 1630, when he was sent to the English court to perform before King Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria.
In the same year, his cousin Jacques Gautier, lutenist to the English court and instructor to the Queen, was released from the Tower after serving a three-year sentence for slander against the King. Upon his return to France in 1631, Ennemond, styled 'le vieux' by this time, retired to Neves in Dauphine, declining to return to royal service. His compositions were never published in his lifetime. It was thought that he guarded his works closely, imparting a piece or two to his other cousin, Denis, but not surprisingly a number of his works turned up in private manuscripts when Gautier died in Neves on 11 December, 1651.
Jacques de Gallot ('le vieux de Paris') was born about 1625 and studied with Ennemond Gautier. His father was probably Antoine Gallot, lutenist to the Polish court until his death in 1647. Jacques' brother Alexandre was known to their contemporaries as 'le vieux Gallot d'Angers'. His son Pierre was also a lutenist.
After spending some years outside his native France, Jacques de Gallot returned to Paris to give salon concerts and lessons. In 1684 he published his "Pieces de Luth Composees sur differens Modes...", dedicated to vice admiral Victor Marie Comte d'Estrees. In his introduction to the work he offers a brief method for the lute, as well as an advertisement suggesting the adaptation of his pieces for ensemble. Rene Milleran, interpreter to Louis XIV, names the Gallots as being among the most accomplished lutenists of their time. Jacques de Gallot died in Paris sometime after 1690.
Little is know about the life of Christian de Bethune. He appears to have been in attendance at the Swedish court around 1670. Also known as 'le cadet, he may have been related to the lutenist Michel de Bethune.
Denis Gautier ('de Paris') held no court appointments, unlike his cousins Ennemond and Jacques. He appears to have been associated with Charles Racquette, organist at Notre Dame, dedicating a "Pavanne" in Racquette's honor in his first book, "Pieces de Luth..." (1669).
The second work, Livre de Tablature..." was published after Denis' death in January of 1672 by his widow and a pupil, Montarcis. The association extended to the Gautiers' lutenist contemporaries, referring to their concordia as 'les lutheriens.'
The circle of formidable players, which included Rene Mesangeau, Francois Dufaut, Charles Fleury Blancrocher, Henri L'Enclos, Claude Emond, Dupres la Tour (d'Angleterre'), the duButs, Pinels, Bechons and others, formed the core of the French lute school, which emanated throughout Europe during the 17th century.
The life of the lutenist composer Claude Emond remains a mystery. His compositions frequent numerous 17th-century manuscripts across Europe. Milleran mentions him as one of the principal masters in Paris.
A contemporary of Jacques de Gallot, Charles Mouton was born around 1626. His birth date and his service in his youth at the court of Savoy in Turin are unsubstantiated. However, we do know that he apprenticed on the lute under Denis Gautier.
Again, it is necessary to rely on extant manuscripts to form an overview of Mouton's compositions. His printed works, all titled 'Pieces de Luth sur differens modes"... were published beginning in 1692 and numbered possibly four volumes, of which only the first two have been found to date. Living in the rue St. Antoine in Paris, Charles Mouton instructed notable pupils, including Rene Milleran and the accomplished lutenist Philipp Franz Le Sage de Richee. The painting of Charles Mouton by Francois de Troy hangs in the Louvre and presumably was the model used by Edelinck to execute the engraving given to Mouton in appreciation for teaching his daughter the lute. Charles Mouton's legacy is perhaps one for all 'les lutheriens', bringing to a close a century of unprecedented wealth of repertoire for the lute.
Francois Couperin came from a family of organists. His father Charles held the position at St. Gervais in Paris from 1661 until his death in 1679. Francois was eleven years old when he began his apprenticeship with Jacques Thomelin and eventually was appointed organist of St. Gervais in 1685.
In 1689, he married Marie-Anne Ansault. Couperin's title, 'sieur de Crouilly', acquired from his wife's family, appears on the title page of his only publication for the organ, "Pieces d'Orgue" (1690).
In 1693, Francois Couperin joined the ranks of Thomelin, Niver and Lebeg license and published the first of four books for solo harpsichord. It may be noted that several of his harpshicord works impart an initiate's knowledge of of the lute and are perfectly suited to the instrument's register. Furthermore, Couperin's colleague Niver was himself a notable lutenist. In 1717 Couperin was offered the post of King's harpsichordist. By the year 1722 he had released the "Concerts royaux" followed by "Les gouts reunis ou nouveau concerts" in 1724. Two years later, Francois' work "Les nations" was completed. By this time he had recruited his cousin Nicolas Couperin to assist him with his duties at St. Gervais. Francois Couperin's death on 11 September, 1733, left the position of church organist open for Nicolas to inherit.
Notes by F. Edgar Gilbert.
Reviews:
Listening to the delicate and vibrant sound Gilbert brings forth one is quickly charmed. - The Washington Post.
Der junge Lauten-Meister F. Gilbert. - Die Neue Presse
Machte Gilbert mit Eleganz und Fingerspitzengefuhl unmittelbar klar. - Franfurter Allgemeine
Renaissance anglaise et Baroque française. Son répertoire englobe l'ensemble des oeuvres pour luth avec notamment Dowland, Holborne, Daniel, Cutting et Bacheler. Il a interprèté les suites des Gautiers, Gallots, Reusners, Mouton, Bittner, Béthune, Hurel, Grenerin, et autres. F. Gilbert a développé un goût certain pour les formes rares de luth tels que le théorbe et angélique. Ayant plus d'une corde à son arc, F. Gilbert est également compositeur d'oeuvres ayant été jouées par d'autres luthistes. Ses deux livres ont été publiès par l'éditeur hollandais van Teeseling Music, Overasselt. F. Gilbert a commencé par étudier la guitare classique dès l'age de huit ans. En 1975, il fut finaliste du Concours National de Guitare sponsorisé par 'the National Arts and Letters' de Washington, D.C. A la suite de nombreuses transcriptions d'oeuvres Renaissance et Baroque, il developpa sa connaissance du luth et participa à de nombreux concerts radio-télévisés en Europe et aux Etats Unis. Parmi ses oeuvres discographiques, on peut particulièrement noter Rosamund, une collection d'Elizabethains de l'Age d'Or, ainsi que The Loss of the Golden Rose Lute qui permet d'avoir un aperçu des Suites Françaises des luthistes de Louis XIV. CDs par Eroica Classical Recordings. - Traduction: Eric Mestreau
F. Edgar Gilbert hat sich auf die Musik der englischen Renaissance und des französischen Barock spezialisiert. Sein Repertoire umfaßt den gesamten Bereich von Lautenliteratur und beinhaltet Werke von Dowland, Holborne, Daniel, Cutting and Bacheler. Gilbert interpretiert die suiten der Gautiers, Gallots und Reusners und die von Mouton, Bittner, Béthune, Hurel, Grenerin und anderen auf der Theorbe und Angélique, zwei heutzutage selten gespielten Arten von Theorbenlauten. Herrn Gilberts eigene Kompositionen sind von anderen Lautenisten übernommem worden. Seine zwei Bücher "New Lessons for the Lute " und "Sequential Works for the Lute in Tablature" wurden in Holland von van Teeseling Music Publishers, Overasselt , herausgegeben. F. Edgar Gilbert begann im Alter von acht Jahren mit dem Studium der klassischen Gitarre. 1975 erreichte er das Finale im nationalen Gitarrenwettbewerb, der von den National Arts and Letters in Washington, DC ausgeschrieben war. Das Spielen von Transkriptionen aus der Renaissance und dem Barock veranlaßte Gilbert zur eigenen Forschung über Lautenbau und Repertoire. Er trat mehrfach in den Medien auf und gab Konzerte in Europa und den Vereinigten Staaten. - Übersetzung: Claudia Löhnerv
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