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Music
Listen to music of the time
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Tour: Music Room 7: Europe & the World
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‘Totus Amore languens’ by Alessandro Scarlatti (1660–1725). Performed by Il Seminario Musicale, with Véronique Gens and Gérard Lesne. From the album: ‘Alessandro Scarlatti Motets’, Virgin Veritas. Licensed courtesy of Warner Music UK Ltd.
Chalice
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Catholic Mass in 17th-century Italy was usually celebrated with choral settings of the liturgy. Alessandro Scarlatti was the principal composer at the Naples court from 1684. His sacred music, such as this motet, published in 1702, employed a similar dramatic style to that used in opera, treating the vocal line like a solo instrument. Here, Gérard Lesne sings the opening movement of the motet, accompanied by Il Seminario Musicale.
‘Totus Amore languens’ by Alessandro Scarlatti (1660–1725)
Performed by Il Seminario Musicale, with Véronique Gens and Gérard Lesne. From the album: ‘Alessandro Scarlatti Motets’, Virgin Veritas, 2002Duration 2.59
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Tour: Music Room 5: The Rise of France
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‘Chaconne et Coeur. C’est Médor qu’une Reine si belle’ by Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632–1687) and Philippe Quinault (1635–1688). Performed by Les Talens Lyriques, directed by Christophe Rousset. From the album: ‘Lully – Roland’, Ambroisie. Courtesy of Naïve Records and Les Talens Lyriques.
Libretto to 'Roland, Tragedy in Music'
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First performed at Versailles in January 1685, Roland was a tragédie en musique – a French form of opera. It was written by the composer Jean-Baptiste Lully and the librettist Philippe Quinault. A moralising tale, the plot warns against neglecting gloire (glory) for the sake of love. This excerpt is performed by Les Talens Lyriques and conducted by Christophe Rousset. It brings together danced instrumental interludes, chorus and solo singing to create a spectacular finale to the third act.
‘Chaconne et Coeur. C’est Médor qu’une Reine si belle’ by Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632–1687) and Philippe Quinault (1635–1688)
Performed by Les Talens Lyriques, directed by Christophe Rousset. From the album: ‘Lully – Roland’, Ambroisie, 2004Duration 6.36
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Tour: Music Room 5: The Rise of France
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‘Prelude in C’ by Louis Couperin (c.1626–1661). Played by Bob van Asperen. From the album: ‘Passacaille de Mr Couperin’, AE-10114, AEOLUS. Courtesy of AEOLUS Music, Germany.
Harpsichord
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Louis Couperin’s harpsichord compositions were probably composed after 1650 but none were published in his lifetime. He wrote suites of four movements, each consisting of three dances with a prelude. This prelude was more free form, in which Couperin explored daring harmonies and arresting rhythms. Here the prelude to the Suite in C is performed by Bob van Asperen on the Vaudry harpsichord, recorded in 2006.
‘Prelude, Suite in C’, Louis Couperin (c.1626–1661)
Played by Bob van Asperen. From the album: ‘Passacaille de Mr Couperin’, Aeolus Music, 2008Duration 3.34
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Tour: Music Room 3 & 2: City & Commerce
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‘Minuet IV’ by Pedro António Avondano (1714–1782). Performed by L'Avventura London, directed by Žak Ozmo. From the album: ‘18th-century Portuguese Love Songs’, Hyperion Records. Courtesy of Hyperion Records Ltd, London.
Tile panel with musicians and dancers
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The type of instruments depicted in this tile panel are similar to those that would have played the 18th- century chamber music of Pedro António Avondano. He composed music for ballets performed in operas, as well as minuets. These were in three-four time and were written for social dances and balls. Here, his fourth minuet is played by L’Avventura London, directed by Žak Ozmo.
‘Minuet IV’, Pedro António Avondano (1714–1782)
Performed by L'Avventura London, directed by Žak Ozmo. From the album: ‘18th-century Portuguese Love Songs’, Hyperion Records, 2012Duration 2.53
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Tour: Music Room 1: Luxury, Liberty & Power
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‘Sonata no. 11 in B flat, op. 22: Allegro con brio’ by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827). Played by Zvi Meniker. From the album: ‘Beethoven: The Complete Piano Sonatas on Period Instruments’, Claves Records. Permission to use this track kindly provided by Claves Records.
'Square' piano
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At around the same time as this piano was made in Madrid, Beethoven wrote his eleventh piano sonata. Beethoven’s piece heralds a move away from the sonatas of Haydn and Mozart towards greater experimentation with form, expression and the dynamic possibilities offered by this new instrument. The sonata was previously a musical form performed by aristocratic amateurs in salons. But as it evolved in to an increasingly technically-difficult form, it was more easily tackled by professional performers. Here, the opening movement of the sonata is performed by Zvi Meniker on a period instrument.
‘Sonata no. 11 in B flat, op. 22: Allegro con brio’ by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
Played by Zvi Meniker. From the album: ‘Beethoven: The Complete Piano Sonatas on Period Instruments’, Claves Records, 1997Duration 8.23
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