Pieces Pour Théorbes Françaises. Tablature D'angélique Et de Théorbe de Pièces

This 1997 release from the Glossa label represents a scholarly and artistic effort to preserve the repertoire of the French baroque theorbo. Compiled under the direction of lutenist José Miguel Moreno, the album serves as a specialized anthology featuring works by prominent composers of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, such as Robert de Visée and Jean-Baptiste Lully. By utilizing period-accurate tablatures and performance practices, the production seeks to transport listeners to the intimate salon settings of the French court, where the theorbo held a central, refined role in musical life.

The album is highly regarded among early music enthusiasts for its meticulous attention to historical performance practice and the evocative, resonant qualities of the theorbo. José Miguel Moreno’s interpretation is credited with bringing a nuanced, technical clarity to the complex ornamentation characteristic of the era. Upon its release, the recording received critical praise for bridging the gap between academic musicology and expressive performance, securing its place as a definitive reference for those studying the transition of French lute music into the theorbo idiom.