Robert De Visée, Suite No. 11 in B minor (1686)

Patrik Kleemola plays Robert De Visée’s Suite No. 11 in B minor from Livre de Pièces pour la Guittarre, 1686. Robert De Visée became chamber musician of the “Sun King“ Louis XIV around 1680, and Marquis de Dangeau’s diary from 1686 mentions that De Visée was frequently asked to play the guitar in the evenings by the bedside of the king. De Visée’s music followed the official courtly French style created by Jean-Baptiste Lully. Visée published two books of guitar music which contain twelve suites between them, as well as a few separate pieces: Livre de guitare dédié au roi (Paris, 1682) and Livre de pièces pour la guitare (Paris 1686). He also published a collection of pieces for the theorbo and lute Pièces de théorbe et de luth (Paris, 1716). In this live performance Kleemola plays the copy of an early 19th century Fabricatore made by Gioachino Giussani.