Jean-Baptiste Barrière (1707 – 1747) was a French
cellist and composer. He was born in Bordeaux and died
in Paris, at 40 years of age. He first studied the
viol, and published a set of viol sonatas. In due
course however he became a skilled cellist during a
period when the cello was gaining popularity over the
viol in France, and later came to completely replace
it, as indeed had already happened in Italy some 40
years prior. He became one of the best known virtuoso
cellists of his time.
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Jean-Baptiste Barrière (1707 – 1747) was a French
cellist and composer. He was born in Bordeaux and died
in Paris, at 40 years of age. He first studied the
viol, and published a set of viol sonatas. In due
course however he became a skilled cellist during a
period when the cello was gaining popularity over the
viol in France, and later came to completely replace
it, as indeed had already happened in Italy some 40
years prior. He became one of the best known virtuoso
cellists of his time.
In 1731 he went to Paris, and entered the Académie
Royale de Musique (also known as the Opera), with an
annual salary of 445 livres. He was accorded special
privileges by King Louis XV at Fontainebleau, on 22
October 1733 for six years, to compose and publish
several sonatas and other instrumental works. One of
his most famous pupils was the Count of Guergorlay,
Seigneur of Trousily. After his first book Livre I -
Sonates pour violoncelle et basse continue was a
success, in November 1733, he published a second
edition of it in 1740. His second book, Livre II, was
published around 1735.
He went to Italy in 1736 to study with the well-known
Italian cellist Francesco Alborea, known as
Franciscello, who during that time seems to have also
been employed in Vienna from 1726 until 1739. He
undertook a further long tour in Italy in April 1737
and returned to Paris in summer of 1738, to appear at
the renowned Concert Spirituel on 15 August and 8
September where he impressed his audience with "grand
precision", according to the local press. In 1739, a
new 12-year privilege was granted to him at Versailles,
and registered on 5 January 1740. In that year he
published his Livre III, and other works followed suit
the following year. He died at a relatively young age
of 40 years, at the pinnacle of his creativity.
Whilst not well known to the general public today,
Barrière was so renowned a few years after his death
that Pierre-Louis Daquin de Chateau-Lyon did not
hesitate to describe him as: the famous Barrière,
deceased only recently, possessed all that one can
desire...few could perform as well as he.
His works are best known for their sensitivity and fine
tonality, their emotional resonance and deep sonority.
Several of his works are quite demanding in terms of
technical performance, especially in terms of left and
right hand coordination, and with complicated
fingerings and frequent complex bowing techniques. Much
subtlety is required to achieve virtuosity in the
performance of several of his pieces, for while he
assimilated elements of Italian style, there is also a
rich French flavour in his musical discourse and its
subtlety.
Source: Wikipedia
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Baptiste_Barri%C3%A
8re).
Although originally composed for Cello & Basso
Continuo, I created this Interpretation of the Aria
from the Sonata in A Major (No. 2 Mvt. 3) for French
Horn & Strings (2 Violins, Viola & Cello).
PARTITION