Catalogue

Summary:

Viola da gambist Caroline Nicolas makes her solo debut recording featuring compositions by eminent figures of the French baroque era: Marin Marais, Antoine Forqueray, Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe and Le Sieur de Machy.

New York City-based viola da gambist Caroline Nicolas is one to watch – a captivating performer and “one of the finest gambists working today” (Gotham Early Music Scene). With her star rapidly in the ascendent, Caroline has performed with ensembles including The English Concert, Kammerorchester Basel and Philharmonia Baroque, and collaborated with the likes of Jordi Savall, William Christie and Kristian Bezuidenhout.

For her solo debut recording, Caroline brings out the big guns of the viola da gamba repertoire from France’s defining era of the instrument – the late 17^th and early 18^th centuries. Pièces de viole were integral to the French instrumental baroque, and Caroline’s programme leads with selections by the master of the genre, Marin Marais. For contrast, Caroline juxtaposes the first Suite by the iconoclastic Antoine Forqueray, and in between offers a pair of amuse bouche, an intricate Chaconne by Marais’ tutor, Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe, and a Prelude by the pedagogue Le Sieur de Machy. In keeping with French viol music’s nuance and relative restraint, Caroline is accompanied solely by theorbo, its complementary timbre reflecting the repertoire’s aesthetic.

Tracklist:

MARIN MARAIS (1656–1728)
Suite No. 7 in G Major from Pièces de Viole, Livre III
1. No. 92. Prelude (2:12)
2. No. 94, Allemande & No. 95, Double (4:12)
3. No. 99, Sarabande Grave (3:56)
4. No. 105, La Musette (3:04)

5. Le Badinage in F-Sharp Minor from Pièces de Viole, Livre IV. No. 87 (4:54)

LE SIEUR DE MACHY (fl. 1655–1700)
Suite No. 1 in D Minor from Pièces de viole
6. I. Prelude (3:34)

MARIN MARAIS
Suite No. 4 in D Major from Pièces de viole, Livre III
7. No. 55, Plainte (4:33) 

Suite No. 1 in A minor from Pieces de viole, Livre 38.
8. No. 11, Prelude (3:20)
9. No. 1, II-Fantaisie (1:07)
10. No. 2, Allemande (2:26)
11. No. 3, Courante (1:41)
12. No. 8, Minuet & No. 9, Autre (2:07)

MONSIEUR DE SAINTE-COLOMBE (1640–1700)
13. Chaconne in D Minor, Tounus 49 (4:23)

ANTOINE FORQUERAY (1672–1745)
Suite No. 1 in D Minor from Pièces de viole avec la basse-continue
14. I. Allemande (La Borde) (5:23)
15. II. La Forqueray (2:41)
16. III. La Cottin (3:28)
17. IV. La Bellemont (3:28)
18. V. La Portugaise (3:10)
19. VI. La Couperin (3:09)

MARIN MARAIS
Suite No. 3 in D Major from Pièces de viole, Livre II
20. No. 63, Les Voix Humaines (4:24)

Caroline Nicolas, viola da gamba
Kevin Payne, theorbo

Recorded: Tiny Panther Recording, Brooklyn, NY, 1 October 2025
Recording Producer & Engineer: Charles Mueller
Assistant Engineer: Olive Forgash
Photography: Elizabeta Kozlova
Design & Editorial: WLP London Ltd
(p) 2026 The copyright in this sound recording is owned by Caroline Nicolas
(c) 2026 Caroline Nicolas carolinenicolas.com
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