SONATA FOR TWO CELLOS, NO. 10 IN G MAJOR
Jean-Baptiste Barrière (born 1707 in Bordeaux, France) was one of the best-known composers and cello virtuosos of the Baroque era. He began his studies on the viol (a close cousin to the cello) but later became an early proponent of the cello, which had already established itself in popularity in neighboring Italy by the end of the 17th century.
In 1731, Barrière entered the Académie Royale de Musique in Paris, and such was his astonishing skill that two years later King Louis VX accorded him special privileges at Fontainebleau, permitting him to practice, write, and publish his own compositions. He eventually published four books of sonatas for violoncello, a volume of sonatas for the pardessus de viole (a higher-pitched cello, usually played by women), and a book of harpsichord sonatas.
Barrière blended both French and Italian characteristics in his music. According to musician and scholar Mary Cyr, “More than any French composer before him, Barrière makes demands on the cello soloist in bold and sometimes even daring ways.”
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