Michel Pignolet de Monteclair and the basse de violon

From ArsAntiguaPresents.com—listen here (MP3 link):

Born in 1667, Michel Pignolet de Monteclair made his way to Paris in 1697, and by 1699 was playing the basse de violon in the Paris Opera and gaining renown as a teacher. Acknowledged as one of the most important composers of the post-Lully generation, his stage works influenced Jean Phillipe Rameau’s orchestration and dramatic music. He gave a more prominent role to his obbligato instruments than any other composer of cantatas before his time, as evidenced by the use of totally independent bass lines. In fact, his music to La Triomphe de la Constance features extensive substantive solo passages for the bass viol.

In this performance of music from La Triomphe de la Constance, we will hear Amy Conn, soprano, Craig Trompeter, viola da gamba, and Doug Schneider, harpsichord.