Claude Balbastre - French Organ Music from the Golden Age, Vol. 9 (David Ponsford)

Information

Composer: Claude Balbastre

1. Prélude et Fugue in D Minor: I. Prélude
2. Prélude et Fugue in D Minor: II. Fugue
3. Duo in D Minor
4. Récit in F Major
5. Grand Jeux et Fugue in D Minor: I. Prélude
6. Grand Jeux et Fugue in D Minor: II. Fugue
7. Fugue – Basse de trompette in F Major
8. Duo in F Major
9. Trio à trois mains in B-Flat Major
10. Fugue in F Major
11. Concerto in D Major: I. Prélude
12. Concerto in D Major: II. Allegro
13. Concerto in D Major: III. Gavotte
14. Concerto in D Major: IV. Allegro
15. Duo in A Minor
16. Fugue - Gravement in D Minor
17. Trio – Basse de cromorne
18. Grand jeux in A Minor
19. Concert de flûte avec la voix humaine
20. Dialogue et Rondeau in G Major: I. Dialogue
21. Dialogue et Rondeau in G Major: II. Rondeau
22. Air in G Minor
23. Prélude et Dialogue in D Major: I. Prélude
24. Prélude et Dialogue in D Major: II. Dialogue
25. Trio - Giga in A Minor
26. Tapage in C Major

David Ponsford, organ

Date: 2026

Label: Nimbus Alliance

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French organ music from the era of Louis XIV to the Revolution continues to captivate audiences with its vibrant tonal colors, diverse styles, and expressive exuberance. However, historical performance practices have long remained a subject of incomplete understanding. Addressing this gap, acclaimed performer and scholar David Ponsford has dedicated his career to analyzing this repertoire, culminating in his definitive 2011 book on the subject. His latest series of recordings, performed on France’s most significant historical organs, merges meticulous intellectual research with technical brilliance, ultimately delivering authoritative, meaningful, and historically informed interpretations that bring this rich musical legacy to life.

Claude Balbastre (1724–1799) was one of the most celebrated French keyboard virtuosos and composers of the eighteenth century. Born in Dijon, he studied under Claude Rameau before relocating to Paris, where the influential Jean-Philippe Rameau championed his entry into elite musical circles. Balbastre achieved immense fame, securing prestigious appointments at Notre-Dame, the Chapelle Royale, and Saint Roch, where his popular playing drew disruptive crowds. He also served the royal court as harpsichordist to Queen Marie-Antoinette. Despite his close aristocratic ties, Balbastre survived the French Revolution by adapting his repertoire to secular civic hymns, though he ultimately lost his official royal posts.

David Ponsford is a distinguished keyboard performer and scholar specializing in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century repertoire. A graduate and former organ scholar of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, he completed his PhD under Peter Williams and studied with legendary masters including Gustav Leonhardt and Piet Kee. Ponsford's career seamlessly bridges performance and academia; he has held teaching positions at Cardiff University, Bristol University, and the Royal Academy of Music. An acclaimed recording artist and editor, his work includes a landmark series of French Baroque organ CDs for Nimbus Records, stemming from his authoritative 2011 Cambridge University Press monograph. In recognition of his profound contributions to performance practice and scholarship, he was awarded the Medal of the Royal College of Organists in 2024.