The discovery of Rebel’s (1666-1747) Dance Symphonies, a genre mixing dance and pantomime in which the narration is delivered by the dancer alone, was a defining moment in the passion of harpsichordist duo Loris Barrucand and Clément Geoffroy. Rebel, the author of a single Lyric Tragedy, Ulysse (1703), and Elémens (1737) a suite of symphonies famed for its initial Chaos, was first and foremost a composer of symphonies that were made to be danced. Among them is Les Caractères de la Danse (1715), an uninterrupted succession of fourteen dances that enjoyed a dazzling success. Remaining faithful to his time, Rebel intended for them to be played “like a piece on the harpsichord”. So why not two? The mastery of four virtuoso hands brings the two historic harpsichords of the Château de Versailles alive, playing them as a duet for the first time. The ten-year partnership of the two performers brings all the flamboyance of Boismortier’s Ballet de Village to Ruckers’ (1628) and Blanchet’s (1746) harpsichords, while distilling the lightness of Belle Danse and the rebellious Characters of Ulysse.
