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Born: February 27, 1942 - Paris, France
Died: December 30, 2018 - Paris, France |
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The noted French harpsichordist and harpsichord teacher, Blandine Verlet, studied at the Paris Conservatory with Marcelle Delacour. Her principal professor though was Huguette Dreyfus with whom she studied regularly on a private basis from 1958 until 1967 (in the later years the lessons were sporadic). Huguette Dreyfus brought her to Siena to do a two-month course with Ruggero Gerlin, who had bern her teacher. In 1967-1968, she studied with Ralph Kirkpatrick at Yale, but it didn’t go well and he had no influence on her style of playing at all. Huguette Dreyfus also invited Blandine to play on one of her recordings of the J.S. Bach Harpsichord Concerti and also had her invited to play on the radio. Blandine was truly Huguette Dreyfus's protégé.
Blandine Verlet began recording in the late 1970's for Philips, switching to the Astrée label in the 1990's. Her recordings range from J.S. Bach's keyboard works to Froberger to lesser known composers such as Louis Couperin and Elisabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre. Her second recording of J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations (BWV 988), in 1992, has been called "one of the finest harpsichord versions in the catalog." With violinist Gerard Poulet she has recorded early violin sonatas by Mozart, using the older Baroque keyboard instruments rather than a fortepiano or modern piano.
Blandine Verlet has also worked with flutist Stephen Preston and viola da gambist Jordi Savall. Her playing is noted for her control and restraint in not letting emotion carry her away. |
