Pièces Pour La Théorbe & La Guitare

Released in 2018 on the Passacaille label, this recording features the Spanish musician Xavier Díaz-Latorre performing the seventeenth-century works of Robert de Visée. De Visée was a celebrated guitarist, lutenist, and composer at the court of Louis XIV, known for his refined suites that bridged the gap between the intimate style of the lute and the burgeoning popularity of the baroque guitar. His music is considered quintessential to the French classical style, characterized by a delicate balance of ornamentation and melodic grace.

Xavier Díaz-Latorre, an expert in historical plucked instruments, approached these pieces with a focus on period-accurate technique and performance practice. By utilizing the theorbo, a long-necked lute, alongside the baroque guitar, Díaz-Latorre seeks to evoke the atmospheric acoustics of the Sun King’s chambers. The album received critical recognition for its technical clarity and for highlighting the nuanced, often overlooked complexities of de Visée’s compositions, positioning it as a significant contemporary reference for baroque music enthusiasts.