Too cool, too ironic, and far too objective, it is impossible to recommend this recording of excerpts from Marin Marais' Suitte d'un goût étranger by gambist
Christophe Coin and harpsichordist
Christophe Rousset. Although
Coin has proved himself a superb period instrument player in dozens of solo and ensemble recordings, he seems strangely unsympathetic to the music of Marais. And although
Rousset has demonstrated his superlative musicianship in dozens of recordings as a harpsichordist and a conductor, he seems oddly uninvolved with the music of Marais. Where the music wants fantasy,
Coin and
Rousset give it pedantry. Where the music wants drollery,
Coin and
Rousset give it dryness. Where the music wants tenderness,
Coin and
Rousset give it terseness. Now as always,
Jordi Savall and
Ton Koopman's recording of excerpts from the Suitte d'un goût éstranger is the ne plus ultra in Marais' recordings.
Coin and
Rousset are only so-so. Decca's sound is more than a bit too warm and far too overly reverberant.