Tous Les Matins du Monde [Limited Edition, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered, Soundtrack]

This album is an updated reissue of a previous disc that was made in 1992. The sound is vastly improved over the original, and the bonus disc makes it an even more attractive package.

For those who may not be familiar with Savall, he has been a welcome fresh addition to early music recordings. His ensembles and orchestras are always characterized by extraordinary musicians. Indeed, in this marvelous album, the orchestra members are a virtual who's who in the field of currently famous early music musicians who have gone on to launch new groups or start solo careers. They include: Pierre Hantai on harpsichord, Rolf Lislevand on lute, Fabio Biondi (Europa Galante) on violin, and Christopher Coin (Quators Mosaiques) on cello.

Savall himself is an excellent conductor whose interpretations are fresh, articulate in detail, and always compelling. He has created a virtual new genre of early music using period instruments and uncovering hidden gems that have been overlooked by most conventional groups.

The music on this disc is very accessible and the album is a classic. It will appeal to both the experienced and inexperienced early music lovers as well as the uniniated who want to experience the joyous realm of music before Bach.

In addition to French Baroque being generally and wrongly relegated to secondary status compared to Italian or German Baroque, there are probably less than 200 professional players who specialize in the viola da gamba as an instrument which was used mostly by French Baroque composers. Out of those few 200 performers, Jordi Savall is the undisputed master of his craft not only in performing French Baroque but really any Baroque piece for the viola da gamba. This soundtrack is a fine example on the diversity and depth of not only the viola's range but on works of various composers during the French Baroque period: especially the works of Marais and Sainte-Colombe. This album is also a great sample of the simply exemplary talent of Jordi Savall as a violist.

The double album primarily contains solos or duets for viola da gamba by Marais and Sainte-Colombe but has pieces by other contemporaries such as Lully. This album is a great sample of the variety of works and composers of the unique French Baroque tradition that continued to use the viola while other musical styles in Europe had virtually abandoned it for the cello. The viola da gamba has a lot more range, depth, and resonance than the cello and so the music is moodier and more contemplative than cello works such as Bach's magnificent cello suites. Solo music for viola from the French Baroque also allows freer interpretation than conventional compositions for orchestra or other chamber pieces. The jewel in this album is Marais' haunting but divine Sonnerie de Ste-Genevieve in which the dynamics of the violas and violins are truly a spiritual voyage into one's soul; at points serenely docile to demonically ferocious as if phantasms both luring and forbidding the listener to follow. The intricate complexity and resonance of this exquisite piece makes it one of the most spiritually moving Baroque sonet variations I have ever heard and it's one of my personal favorites. Both Marais and Sainte-Colombe were probably the pinnacle of achievement in terms of expressive techniques for the viola da gamba during the French Baroque period while later contemporaries such as Forqueray and Couperin became more formulaic although no less accomplished.

Jordi Savall has many priceless performances apart from this soundtrack and he is really the only competent artist for both viola da gamba specifically and primarily all French Baroque interpretations. There are no other viola players who can even compare to Savall as they really sound as little else than amateurs in comparison to his applied skills and passion of playing. I strongly recommend for anyone looking for music for viola da gamba or really any French Baroque to buy Savall/Le Concert Des Nations' performances exclusively as there's simply nothing else to look for or find that's in his caliber. Apart from a few other performnances by groups such as Les Arts Florissants, I guarantee you that the performances of all others in this style will rise to no further than being mediocre at best such as Harncourt or even Koopman who often plays with Savall. Most other viola performers quickly descend to atrocious standards in comparison to those of Savall. Even though Savall's recordings tend to be on the more expensive side, he's worth every penny take my word for it: you won't regret it! What you will regret is having bought a mediocre viola peformance after you hear Savall's as the differences will be very significant.

This is a fantastic CD and all, but as of July '07, what they're shipping is not the "10 Years After" (Dix Ans Apres) version, which includes a bonus disc and has all 33 pieces listed on this page. I got a single 16-song disc, the same one I bought 3 or 4 years ago. Buyer beware.