Claude Balbastre (1724-1799)
- Sonata (I, Si bemol majeur) en quatuor des 'Sonates en quatuor
pour le clavecin ou le forte-piano avec accompagnement de deux violons,
une basse et deux cors ad libitum... Oeuvre III' (1779)
Performers: France Clidat (1932-2012, piano); Orchestre de Chambre;
Jean-Louis Petit (conductor)
Further info: Sonates En Quatuor
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French organist and composer. He received his earliest musical education
from his father Bénigne Balbastre (?-1737) and under Claude Rameau, the
brother of Jean-Philippe Rameau, in Dijon. Moving to Paris in 1750 he
continued his studies with Pierre Février, and with the help of Rameau
was introduced to the most important musical circles. He obtained a
position as organist at Saint Reh, later adding additional posts at
Nôtre Dame and the Chapelle Royale, where he became the tutor of Marie
Antoinette in 1776. In 1759 he published his 'Premier livre pièces de
clavecin' and began performing frequently as a soloist at the Concerts
spirituels. Charles Burney entered a long account of the performance
there in his 'Present State of Music in France and Italy': "He performed
in all styles in accompanying the choir. When the Magnificat was sung,
he played likewise between each verse several minuets, fugues,
imitations, and every species of music, even to hunting pieces and jigs,
without surprising or offending the congregation, as far as I was able
to discover." Burney also visited Balbastre at home and described the
instruments he saw there, "...including a large organ and a fine Rucker
harpsichord which he has had painted inside and out with as much
delicacy as the finest coach or snuff-box I ever saw at Paris. … On the
outside is the birth of Venus; and on the inside of the cover the story
of Rameau’s most famous opera, 'Castor and Pollux'; earth, hell and
elysium are there represented; in elysium, sitting on a bank, with a
lyre in his hand, is that celebrated composer himself [i.e. Rameau]; …
The tone of this instrument is more delicate than powerful; one of the
unisons is of buff, but very sweet and agreeable; the touch is very
light, owing to the quilling, which in France is always weak." His
playing also earned the praise of an anonymous reviewer in the Mercure
de France (May 1755): "M. Balbatre played an organ concerto of his own
composition, that surprised and charmed the entire assemblage; his
brilliant playing made this instrument sound in an authoritative manner
and made the impression that he alone has the right to lead all others.
One cannot praise too highly … the singular talent of M. Balbatre."
Thereafter he appeared frequently at the Concert Spirituel until 1782.
As organist of the Panthémont, he taught the daughters of prominent
French and foreign dignitaries, including Thomas Jefferson. With the
fall of the royalty, he lived in poverty for the rest of his life. One
of his last performances was his own arrangement of the Marseillaise,
played on the organ of the deconsecrated Notre Dame. As a composer, his
output include 14 organ concertos (of which only one survives), four
noëls variés, six sonates en quatuors, and numerous variations and
smaller pieces for keyboard. He also wrote church music, of which
nothing survives. His style is more homophonic than some of his
contemporaries.
