Nicolas Hotman Pièces de viole, Pièces de théorbe, Airs à bois

This 1997 recording by the label Cypres serves as a significant archival effort to revive the works of Nicolas Hotman, a 17th-century composer and virtuoso who was a prominent figure at the French court of Louis XIV. Hotman was celebrated in his time as a master of the theorbo and viol, and this collection gathers a representative selection of his instrumental pieces and airs de cour, providing modern listeners with a rare window into the sophisticated, often melancholic aesthetic of the mid-Baroque era.

The recording features a dedicated ensemble including Sophie Watillon and Pascal Monteilhet, who sought to capture the nuanced, improvisatory spirit inherent in Hotman’s compositions. The production was intended to showcase the interplay between the deep, resonant tones of the theorbo and the expressive agility of the viol. Upon its release, it was well-received by early music enthusiasts and critics for its technical precision and its role in shedding light on a composer whose influence helped shape the trajectory of French Baroque chamber music.