Musette de Cour
The Musette de Cour is a historical bagpipe, which was in the 18th century, especially in France in fashion.
History
The first Musettes appear at the end of the 16th century. Already Michael Praetorius forms 1620 in Volume 2 ( De Organographia ) Syntagma Musicum of his work an early form of Musette from, yet without petit chalumeau, but already with bellows and Rankettbordun. The family of instrument makers Hotteterre took a significant part in the technical development. The second chanter was added by Martin Hotteterre. The Musette de Cour enjoyed in the Baroque period of high popularity. In particular, in the course of Shepherd fashion, was enthusiastic about everything rural, even the musical instruments of the common people, such as bagpipes, hurdy-gurdy and handed flute came into fashion and found their way into the courtly musical culture. They were adapted to the technically and visually refined taste of the time. With the end of the 18th century, the Musette lost as the other instruments of the shepherd fashion rapidly in importance. Nevertheless, it has influenced in many ways the development of several regional instruments, in particular the Small Pipes in the British Isles and central France bagpipes.
The name Musette de Cour does not appear in the works of the time, there the instrument is simply called musette, which also has a high -sounding oboe can be meant. The addition of de Cour (French courtly, belonging to the court ) connects those bagpipes type with the aristocratic sense of style.
Construction
The instrument is designed for an elaborate musical and accordingly has a circumference of nearly two octaves, a vollchromatische chanter and drones several umstimmbare. The Musette de Cour is one of the quiet bagpipes. It has two cylindrical chanters with double reeds and a Rankettbordun with up to five double reeds and valves for switching on and off and to tune the drones. Both chanters are fitted with flaps, the second chanter sound only when one of the flaps is pressed. Thus, to some extent, two -part playing is possible. The Musette has a stitched leather bag, which is lined with a velvet cover, and a blower for the air supply.
Repertoire
The Musette was an instrument both for the amateur musician, especially the aristocratic, as well as for the professional musician to the noble courts. Therefore, the traditional repertoire of simple transcriptions of popular songs to very sophisticated compositions of the most famous composers of the time ranges. Among them are such as to Joseph Bodin de Bois Mortier, Nicolas Chédeville, Philibert de Lavigne, Jacques -Martin Hotteterre and Jean -Philippe Rameau.