PANCRACE ROYER (c.1705-1755): Première Livre de pièces pour clavecin.

Description: This is the only book of harpsichord pieces Royer published (although he appears to have left enough in manuscript to make up two more) and Rousset has already recorded it once: for L'Oiseau Lyre way back in 1991 (out of print). For whatever reason - perhaps the gorgeous, intricately chinoiserie-decorated Goujon-Swanen harpsichord he plays here - he has provided us with another reading of this post-baroque, pre-classical music which could be said to capture the tastes of the court of Louis XV. Seven of the fourteen pieces are rondeaux and four are based on arias from Royer's own operas. Christophe Rousset (harpsichord).