Biography (read more)

Denis Gaultier was a French lutenist and composer born in Paris, though sources differ on whether his birth year was 1597 or 1603; he died in 1672. A cousin of the lutenist Ennemond Gaultier, Denis Gaultier’s career was so closely intertwined with his older cousin’s early on that contemporaries often referred to either man simply as ‘Gaultier,’ making no attempt to distinguish between them. Unlike many court musicians of his era, Denis Gaultier held no official court position, instead building his reputation through private salon performances for the Parisian aristocracy. His principal legacy is the manuscript collection La Rhétorique des dieux, compiled between roughly 1648 and 1652, containing fifty-six pieces arranged into suites spanning eleven of the twelve traditional modes.

Denis Gaultier stands as one of the supreme masters of the French Baroque lute, and his intricately contrapuntal, non-metrical dance suites crystallized the style brisé, the arpeggiated ‘broken style’ that later shaped François Couperin and the great French harpsichordists. His La Rhétorique des dieux, with its allegorical mode-suites, became a model for the Baroque suite’s internal logic and helped elevate lute music to a status of art comparable to poetry and rhetoric.

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Repertoire

Tombeau de Mademoiselle Gaultierc. 1650s
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Performed by Michał Gondko

Allemande gravec. 1650s
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Performed by Alberto Crugnola

Apollon Orateurc. 1652
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Performed by Yuichi Sasaki

Prélude & Orphéec. 1652 (La Rhétorique des dieux)
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Performed by Caius Hera

Pieces for Lute (Gaultier, Mézangeau, Mouton)— Anthony Bailes
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Performed by Anthony Bailes

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 12 in A Minor: I. Prélude— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 12 in A Minor: II. Pavane— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 12 in A Minor: III. Narcisse— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 12 in A Minor: IV. La pastorale— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 12 in A Minor: V. Lunon ou la Ialouse— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 12 in A Minor: VI. Sarabande— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 12 in A Minor: VII. Tombeau de monsieur de l’Enclos— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 12 in A Minor: VIII. La consolation aux amis du saint enclos— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 12 in A Minor: IX. La résolution des amis du saint Lenclos…— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 1 in D Major: I. Prélude— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 1 in D Major: II. La dédicace— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 1 in D Major: III. Phäeton foudroyé— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 1 in D Major: IV. Le panégririque— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 1 in D Major: V. Minerve— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 1 in D Major: VI. Ulisse— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 1 in D Major: VII. Sarabande— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 2 in A Major: I. Prélude— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 2 in A Major: II. Andromède— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 2 in A Major: III. Diane— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 2 in A Major: IV. La coquette virtuosa— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 2 in A Major: V. Gigue— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 2 in A Major: VI. Atalante— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

La réthorique des dieux, Suite No. 2 in A Major: VII. Sarabande— Hopkinson Smith
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Performed by Hopkinson Smith

Pièces en Sol Majeur: II. Pavane ou Tombeau de Mr. Raquette— Anthony Bailes
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Performed by Anthony Bailes

Pièces en Sol Majeur: III. Courante et double— Anthony Bailes
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Performed by Anthony Bailes

Pièces en Sol Majeur: V. Courante et double— Anthony Bailes
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Performed by Anthony Bailes

Pièces en Fa Majeur: I. Appolon Orateur— Anthony Bailes
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Performed by Anthony Bailes

Pièces en Fa Majeur: III. Courante et double— Anthony Bailes
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Performed by Anthony Bailes

Pièces en Fa Majeur: IV. Sarabande, Diane au bois— Anthony Bailes
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Performed by Anthony Bailes

Pièces en La Mineur: III. Courante et double— Anthony Bailes
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Performed by Anthony Bailes

Pièces en La Mineur: IV. Allemande (Tombeau de Lenclos)— Anthony Bailes
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Performed by Anthony Bailes

Pièces de luth sur trois différents modes, Suite No. 2 en sol: Courante I— Anthony Bailes
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Performed by Anthony Bailes

Pièces de luth sur trois différents modes, Suite No. 2 en sol: Courante II— Anthony Bailes
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Performed by Anthony Bailes

Pièces en Si Mineur: II. Allemande grave (Tombeau de Gautier par luy mesme)— Anthony Bailes
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Performed by Anthony Bailes

Pièces de luth sur trois différents modes, Suite No. 2 en sol: Prélude— Anthony Bailes
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Performed by Anthony Bailes

Pièces de luth sur trois différents modes, Suite No. 2 en sol: Gigue— Anthony Bailes
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Performed by Anthony Bailes

Pièces de luth sur trois différents modes, Suite No. 2 en sol: Canarie— Anthony Bailes
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Performed by Anthony Bailes

Pièces de luth sur trois différents modes, Suite No. 2 en sol: Sarabande— Anthony Bailes
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Performed by Anthony Bailes

Livre de tablature des pièces de luth, Suite No. 2 en ré: Prélude— Anthony Bailes
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Performed by Anthony Bailes

Livre de tablature des pièces de luth, Suite No. 2 en ré: Allemande— Anthony Bailes
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Performed by Anthony Bailes

Livre de tablature des pièces de luth, Suite No. 2 en ré: Courante III— Anthony Bailes
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Performed by Anthony Bailes

Livre de tablature des pièces de luth, Suite No. 2 en ré: Sarabande II— Anthony Bailes
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Performed by Anthony Bailes

Courante La belle Homicide— Jakob Lindberg
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Performed by Jakob Lindberg

La Rhétorique des Dieux: Suite in A major: Prélude— Lutz Kirchhof
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Performed by Lutz Kirchhof

La Rhétorique des Dieux: Suite in A major: Andromède— Lutz Kirchhof
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Performed by Lutz Kirchhof

La Rhétorique des Dieux: Suite in A major: Diane— Lutz Kirchhof
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Performed by Lutz Kirchhof

La Rhétorique des Dieux: Suite in A major: La Coquette virtuosa— Lutz Kirchhof
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Performed by Lutz Kirchhof

La Rhétorique des Dieux: Suite in A major: Without title— Lutz Kirchhof
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Performed by Lutz Kirchhof

La Rhétorique des Dieux: Suite in A major: Atalante— Lutz Kirchhof
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Performed by Lutz Kirchhof

Suite in A Major: Prélude— Toyohiko Satoh
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Performed by Toyohiko Satoh

Suite in A Major: Allemande ‘Andromede’— Toyohiko Satoh
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Performed by Toyohiko Satoh

Suite in A Major: Courante ‘La Coquette Virtuosa’— Toyohiko Satoh
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Performed by Toyohiko Satoh

Suite in A Major: Gigue ‘Atalante’— Toyohiko Satoh
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Performed by Toyohiko Satoh

Suite in A Major: Chaconne en Rondeau— Toyohiko Satoh
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Performed by Toyohiko Satoh

Suite in D Major: Pavane ‘La Dedicasse’— Toyohiko Satoh
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Performed by Toyohiko Satoh

Suite in D Major: Courante ‘Minerve’— Toyohiko Satoh
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Performed by Toyohiko Satoh

Suite in D Major: Sarabande— Toyohiko Satoh
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Performed by Toyohiko Satoh

Suite in D Major: Gigue ‘La Panegirique’— Toyohiko Satoh
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Performed by Toyohiko Satoh

Suite in F Major: Allemande ‘Appolon’— Toyohiko Satoh
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Performed by Toyohiko Satoh

Suite in F Major: Courante— Toyohiko Satoh
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Performed by Toyohiko Satoh

Suite in F Major: Sarabande ‘Diane Au Bois’— Toyohiko Satoh
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Performed by Toyohiko Satoh

Suite in F Major: Canarie— Toyohiko Satoh
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Performed by Toyohiko Satoh

Suite in A Minor: Prélude— Toyohiko Satoh
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Performed by Toyohiko Satoh

Suite in A Minor: Allemande ‘Orphée’— Toyohiko Satoh
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Performed by Toyohiko Satoh

Suite in A Minor: Courante ‘L’homicide’— Toyohiko Satoh
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Performed by Toyohiko Satoh

Suite in A Minor: Sarabande— Toyohiko Satoh
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Performed by Toyohiko Satoh

Suite in A Minor: Gigue ‘Eco’— Toyohiko Satoh
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Performed by Toyohiko Satoh

Suite in A Minor: ‘La Resolution Des Amis Du S’lenclos Sur Sa Mort’— Toyohiko Satoh
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Performed by Toyohiko Satoh

Tombeau De Lanclos, Allemande— Toyohiko Satoh
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Performed by Toyohiko Satoh

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 1 en ré majeur – 1. La Dedicasse (Pavane)— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 1 en ré majeur – 2. Phaeton foudroyé (Allemande)— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 1 en ré majeur – 3. Le Panégirique (Gigue)— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 1 en ré majeur – 4. Minerve (Courante)— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 1 en ré majeur – 5. Ulisse (Courante et double)— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 1 en ré majeur – 6. Sarabande— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 2 en la majeur – 1. Prélude— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 2 en la majeur – 2. Andromède (Allemande)— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 2 en la majeur – 3. Diane (Courante)— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 2 en la majeur – 4. La Coquette virtuosa (Courante)— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 2 en la majeur – 5. Gigue— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 2 en la majeur – 6. Atalante (Gigue)— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 2 en la majeur – 7. Chaconne en rondeau— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 3 en fa dièse mineur – 1. Tombeau de…— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 3 en fa dièse mineur – 2. Rondeau— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 3 en fa dièse mineur – 3. Mars superbe (Gaillarde)— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 3 en fa dièse mineur – 4. Cléopatre amante…— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 3 en fa dièse mineur – 5. Sarabande— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 4 en fa dièse mineur – 1. Artemise ou l’Oraison…— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 4 en fa dièse mineur – 2. Le Triomphe (Courante)— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 4 en fa dièse mineur – 3. Volte— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 4 en fa dièse mineur – 4. Gigue I— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 4 en fa dièse mineur – 5. Gigue II— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 5 en ré majeur – 1. Allemande— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 5 en ré majeur – 2. Courante et double I— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 5 en ré majeur – 3. Courante et double II— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 5 en ré majeur – 4. Courante et double III— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 5 en ré majeur – 5. Sarabande— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 6 en fa majeur – 1. Appolon orateur (Allemande)— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 6 en fa majeur – 2. Courante I— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 6 en fa majeur – 3. Courante II et double— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 6 en fa majeur – 4. Sarabande— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 7 en fa majeur – 1. Allemande— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 7 en fa majeur – 2. La Caressante (Courante)— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 7 en fa majeur – 3. Canarie— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 8 en sol mineur – 1. Circé (Pavane)— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 8 en sol mineur – 2. Céphale (Courante)— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 8 en sol mineur – 3. Sarabande— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 9 en sol mineur – 1. L’Héroique (Allemande)— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 9 en sol mineur – 2. Courante— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 10 en la mineur – 1. Prélude— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 10 en la mineur – 2. Orphée (Allemande)— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 10 en la mineur – 3. Echo (Gigue)— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 10 en la mineur – 4. Courante— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 10 en la mineur – 5. L’Homicide (Courante “La…— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 10 en la mineur – 6. Sarabande— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 10 en la mineur – 7. La Gaillarde— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 10 en la mineur – 8. Courante et double “La…— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 11 en la mineur – 1. Pavane— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 11 en la mineur – 2. La Pastorale (Gigue)— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 11 en la mineur – 3. Narcisse (Courante “La…— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 11 en la mineur – 4. Junon ou La Jalouse (Courante)— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 11 en la mineur – 5. Volte— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 12 en la mineur – 1. Tombeau de Monsieur de…— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 12 en la mineur – 2. La Consolation aux amis du…— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Gaultier: La rhétorique des dieux / Suite No. 12 en la mineur – 3. La Résolution des amis du…— Louis Pernot
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Performed by Louis Pernot

Pièces in D Minor (Excerpts) : No. 1, Prélude— Shigeo Mito
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Performed by Shigeo Mito

Pièces in D Minor (Excerpts) : No. 4, Fantaisies— Shigeo Mito
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Performed by Shigeo Mito

Pièces in G Minor (Excerpts) : Ouverture de la grotte de Versailles— Shigeo Mito
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Performed by Shigeo Mito

Pièces in G Minor (Excerpts) : Apollon— Shigeo Mito
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Performed by Shigeo Mito

Pièces in G Minor (Excerpts) : Air de Jean— Shigeo Mito
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Performed by Shigeo Mito

Pièces in G Minor (Excerpts) : Gloire d’Atys— Shigeo Mito
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Performed by Shigeo Mito

Pièces in D Major (Excerpts) : Prélude (Denis)— Shigeo Mito
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Performed by Shigeo Mito

Pièces in D Major (Excerpts) : La dédicace ou pavanne (Denis)— Shigeo Mito
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Performed by Shigeo Mito

Pièces in D Major (Excerpts) : Courante (Denis)— Shigeo Mito
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Performed by Shigeo Mito

Pièces in D Major (Excerpts) : Sarabande (Denis)— Shigeo Mito
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Performed by Shigeo Mito