For those unaware, 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 17th and early 18th centuries. Pièces de viole were integral to the French instrumental baroque, and Caroline’s program 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.

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 at Tiny Panther Recording, Brooklyn, NY, on October 1st, 2025, this dutifully musically informed work of art opens on MARIN MARAIS’ Suite No. 7 in G Major from Pièces de Viole, Livre III: and the ornate No. 92. Prelude, the gently strident No. 94, Allemande & No. 95, Double, the ambiently sculpted No. 99, Sarabande Grave and then we get the regimented fare of No. 105, La Musette; and that is followed by the sheer elegance crafted within Le Badinage in F-Sharp Minor from Pièces de Viole, Livre IV. No. 87.

Along next is LE SIEUR DE MACHY’s Suite No. 1 in D Minor from Pièces de viole: and the absolutely sumptuous Prelude; and then we are gifted another piece from MARAIS in the form of Suite No. 4 in D Major from Pièces de viole, Livre III and the gentility of No. 55, Plainte; which itself bleeds seamlessly into his Suite No. 1 in A minor from Pieces de viole, Livre 38: and the opening of the cultured No. 11, Prelude, the gently aloof No. 1, II-Fantaisie, the confident No. 2, Allemande and then we get both the dancefloor swirls of No. 3, Courante and the decadent No. 8, Minuet & No. 9, Autre; a MONSIEUR DE SAINTE-COLOMBE work in the form of the astutely affecting Chaconne in D Minor, Tounus 49 along next.

The ANTOINE FORQUERAY work Suite No. 1 in D Minor from Pièces de viole avec la basse-continue opens on the lauding beauty of Allemande (La Borde), the skittish fare of La Forqueray, the noblesse La Cottin, a sinew of hunger strains within La Bellemont, with both the stateliness of La Portugaise and the resplendent La Couperin rounding things out; the entire new set coming to a close on another work from MARAIS in the form of Suite No. 3 in D Major from Pièces de viole, Livre II and the exquisitely gorgeous Les Voix Humaines.

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