Nicolas Derosier: Two Intermediate Pieces for Baroque Guitar

NICOLAS DEROSIER:
TWO INTERMEDIATE PIECES FOR
BAROQUE GUITAR
by Craig H. Russell
The guitar is a difficult instrument to master,
but an even harder instrument to begin.'
(Amsterdam, 1690?/1694) and Nouveaux principes pour la
guittare [sicJ, avecune table universelle de tous les accords qui
se trouvent dans la Basse-Continue sur cet Instrument (Paris,
1699).1 His guitar works are found in the Douze ouvertures
pour la guitare, opus 5 (The Hague, 1688) and in the antholo­
gized section of the "Recueil des pieces de guitarre," Ms. 5.615
What frustration and despair I have felt-and on more than
one occasion-as I have rummaged around in my filing cabinet
trying toferret outa decent intermediate-level piece that willre­ in the Bibliotheque du Conservatoir Royal de Musique in
ignite some poor,depressed student's interest who has just been Bmssels.2 The "Sarabande" and "Gigue" that I have arranged
lulled to sleep by yet another tune marked andante or adagio. for this issue of Soundboard are found on page 84 of the "Re­
There the student sits before me: he has struggled along with a cueiI des pieces de guitarre." Derosier composed not only for
couple ofSanz tunes, muddled through a lethargic etude or two, the baroque guitar, but ventured into the realm of chamber
and is now interminably mired in a Carcassi study after bogging music as well: Roben Strizich-in citing a list of original
down in line two (noteven within sight of thedouble-bar). lean Derosier works-includes a "Psalm 150" for violin and basso
see the despondency in his eyes and ean almost hear the continuo that is insened in the &sai de critique ou I'on tache de
internaliZed screaming question, "Will I will everbe competent montrer en quoi consiste la ~sie des Hebreux (Amsterdam.
enough to play this instrument?"
1688) and a "Suitedu royd'Angleterre"for two violins orflutes
Well, one antidote to the"beginner's blues"is this unpreten­ and basso continuo (Amsterdam, 1689).3
tious but charming gigue by Nicolas Derosier, one of the many
neglected baroque guitarists that I have discussing in past
California Polytechnic State University
editions of Soundboard. The gigue is brief, tuneful, and easily
memorized. It fortuitously has no bar chords or fmger-erunch­
ing passages. Students of even modest abilities can usually
1. With respect to Derosier'sLes principes de laguitarre, Robert
learn the piece quickly, and everyone involved is refreshed and Strizich mentions only an edition published in Amsterdam in 1694.
rejuvenated to hearsomething that is briskenough that itcannot James Tyler, on the other hand, places the publication date ~ne
be mistaken for a funeral dirge. The accompanying sarabande edition in 1690 and another edition in 1696. See Robert StnZlch,
makes a pleasant companion piece, and can offer the opportu­ "Nicolas Derosier" in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and
nity to teach beginning students something about baroque orna­ Musicians, vol. 5 (London: Macmillan. 1980). p. 383; and James
mentation. The peculiar little sign that appears above the Tyler,TheEarLyGuitar:AHistoryandHandbooIc,Earl~Musi~Series,
No.4 (London: Oxford University Press. 1980). Forni Publishers of
bottom staff of the "Sarabande" indicates the location of the Italy offer a facsimile edition of Derosier's Les principes de La
petite reprise: the guitarist is to repeat this short phrase at the
guitarre.
. '
.
conclusion of the work.
2. A facsimile edition is available: Fran~1S Le Cocq fwho IS the
With respect to the composer Nicolas Derosier, modem pe~­ author of half of the works in the manuscriptJ. RecueiL des pieces de
formers and scholars pay him scant attention-and ~hen h~ IS guitarre, Thesaurus Musicus Nova Series. Sene A: Manuscrits {Brus­
mentioned, it is usually only in passing and exclUSively With sels: Editions Culture et Civilisation. 1979).
3. Strizich, "Derosier," Grove. vol. 5, p. 383.
respect to his guitar treatises: Les principes de la guitarre ...
0:
GFA Soundboard
61
Winter 1991
Sarabande
(c. 1690)
Nicolas Derosier
arranged by Craig H. Russell
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