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List of the significant recordings with a general review of this writer's opinions:

Rene Zosso:	Il Pastor Fido	1972
	Vielle featured only in sonatas 1,2 & 5
	I loved these recordings and they played a significant part in inspiring my interest in the instrument. The vielle does NOT appear on many tracks, but where it does appear I think that Mr Zosso gave a rather marvellous performance. The vielle was a W & A Jacot, 1970 model type unspecified.
Claude Flagel:	La Belle Vielleuse.	1979
M.Corrette
Suite 2:	Fanfare 1
"	Fanfare 2
"	Menuet
"	Allemande
"	Carillon
"	Allemande
	Mussette de Clerembault & Tambourin
	La Furstemburg
Suite 1	Pastorale 1
"	Pastorale 2
"	Badine
"	Menuet 1,2,3
"	Chaconne
	Suite de Vaudevilles
	Que vous dirai-je maman
	Musette & Tambourin
	Suite de Contredanses
	Arriettes avec la basse
	Musette d'Ajax & allemand
	Suite de Cotillons
	My initial reaction to these recordings is that they sound like a performance from the folk music perspective. This is not necessarily entirely a bad thing and there is much to enjoy in the performances BUT they must not be mistaken as an authentic historical interpretation. Robert Green says that the instruments used were historically authentic however (p.26)
Michelle Fromenteau	Vielle à Roue Vol. 1	1979
Anon	13c. Dance Royale
Arbeau	Allemande and Gavotte
Anon	18c. Suite de Contredanses
Hotteterre	Noce Champetre: Marche & Contredanse.
Chédeville E-P	Laissez paître vos bêtes
Chédeville N.	Le Printemps from Vivaldi The Seasons
Buterne	Suite Pastorale
Chédeville N.	Il Pastor Fido #1
Corrette M.	La servante au bon tabac.
Corrette M.	Les recreations du berger fortune
Doche	Air de Fanchon la vielleuse
Mozart	Menuet #2, K 602
	Robert Green says that these recordings were made using a Pajot from the 19th century (p.25-26) and that seems to borne out by the cover art. The first volume seems a little crude in comparison to the second which concentrates on core baroque repertoire. There is a lot that I enjoy.
Michelle Fromenteau	Vielle à Roue Vol. 2	1980
Lavigne	Sonata La Simianne, opus 2
Naudot	Trio # 1 in C
Chédeville E-P	Sonatille Galante #3
Boismortier	Sonata #1, Op.27
Anon	Sonata #3
Chédeville N	Il Pastor Fido #2
Chédeville N	Winter from the 4 seasons
	As stated above this is a more refined recording than the previous and rewards repeated listening.
La Villanelle de Paris, dir. Claude Tailhades	Vielle et Musettes au XVIIIeme Siècle. VOl. 1	1983
	Various pieces including works by Anet, Corrette, Chedevilles & Boismortier
	Under consideration.
La Villanelle de Paris, dir. Claude Tailhades	Vielles et Musettes au XVIIIeme Siècle. Vol. 2	1985
	Various pieces including  works by  Naudot, Chédeville N, Boismortier & Corrette.
	Under consideration.
Francoise Bois-Poteur	La Vielle à Roue Baroque	1987
Chédeville N	Bellone: Les plaisir de Mars
	Bellone: Les Henri IV. Rond. 1 & 2
	Bellone: Les Dogelsheim
	Bellone: Les Weynolsheim
	Bellone: Les Houzarts
	Mars: Plaisirs de Bellone
	Mars: La Ilversheim
	Mars: La Niderulm
	Mars: La Oberulm
	Mars: La Bermesheim
	Mars: La Benheim
	Mars: La Oggersheim
	Militaire: Le Retour de Rhin
	Militaire: Les Turckhaim
	Militaire: Le Saint-Vandel
	Militaire: Le saint-Lambert
	Palatin: le retour de Mars
	Palatin: Le Cerf
	Palatin: Menuets 1 & 2
	Palatin: La Mozelle
	Palatin: La Quille
	Palatin: La Clausen
	Palatin: L'Amnistie.
Anon	Les Missions. 1st Suite in D
Anon	Les Missions. 2nd Suite in C
Bâton C.	1st Suite from Op. 1
	Gracieusement
	Gayement (omitted)
	Menuets 1 & 2
	Riguadons 1 & 2
	La Favorite
	L'Inconstant
	The vielle with harpsichord pieces have grown on me and I value them now for their particular atmosphere. The Baton suite with musette on the lower part is poorly balanced and almost the worst ensemble playing that I have ever heard on a professional recording: and yet, the music and the quality of the sound is nonetheless quite inspiring.
Nigel Eaton	The Music of the Hurdy-Gurdy	1988
Chédeville N.
Il Pastor Fido #1	Moderato
	Allegro tempo di gavotta
	Aria, affetuoso
	Allegro
	Giga
Bâton C.
Sonata #3, Op. 3	Gayement
	Gigue
	Gracieusement
	Moderement et marque (omitted)
	Technically flawless performances that somehow seem to be lacking in any kind of baroque grace. I am sure that if Mr Eaton ever returned to this genre as a mature man and musician and gave us a new recording it would really be something very special indeed.
Dr. Robert Green	French Music for Hurdy-Gurdy	1993
Couperin F./ Anon	Le Carillon de cythère
	Le Vendengeuses
Corrette M
Concerto comique XI	Allegro
	Adagio
	Allegro
Aubert J
4e Concert	L'Inconstante (légèrement sans vitesse)
	Les Vivants de Loche
	La Paresseuse (lentement)
	L'Egrillard (gai)
Boismortier J	Modérément
5 Loisir	Rondeau ( gaiment)
	Gavotte
	Menuet
Dupuits J-B	La Guerrière
Toulou A	Modérément
Sonata #2 in G	Gigue
	Doux
	Menuet
Lavigne P	Gracieusement
Sonata in C Op2 #2	Légèrement
	Gavotte (gracieusement)
	Gigue
Boismortier J	Gayement
Gentilesse Op 100, #1	Gracieusement
	Mouvement de Tambourin
	As to some degree I see Dr Robert Green as my mentor there is no possibility of a negative review here, but neither is one called for. The performance quality is really excellent; the performances well thought out and considered; the instruments as authentic as possible; and all musicians experts in their fields. I understand from Dr. Green that he would make different  choices regarding the use of trompette if he were doing it again and this issue may be the only real aspect of the recordings that can be seriously questioned. Nonetheless, delightful overall.
Dr. Robert Green	The Baroque Hurdy-Gurdy	2001
Naudot J-C	Gaiment
Fête rustique #6 in G	Gracieusement
	Gaiment
Dupuits J-B
Pièces de caractère	L'Obligeant
Dupuits J-B
IIe Suite d'amusement en duo	Les petits coups
	Menuit cors de chasse
	Brunete
	Fanfare
	Contredanse
	Gavotte provençalle
Dupuits J-B
Pièces de caractère	La badine
	Le badin
Michon
Première suite en divertissement	Ouverture
	Musette en rondeau
	Riguadon 1 et 2
	Marche
	Gigue 1 et 2
	Menuet 1 et 2
Bordet T
popular melodies	Dans nos hameau
	Musette des Amours champetres
	Carrillon de Dunkerque
Blavet M	Musette de Rameau
Corrette M
Melodies	Dame française
	Musette en rondeau
	Cotillon
Michon	Lustucru
	Le loup garoux
	Le Carrillon de Dunkerque
	La Mississippi
	La nouvelle anonymé
	La Bourbonaise
	This album seems to have all the same pedigree as that of the previous and first album yet it fails to satisfy as well. Poor instrumental balance e.g. between flute and vielle, demands much more attention from the listener. Still, in terms of researching the genre it includes some valuable, even unmissable, gems.
Robert Mandel & Jean-Christophe Maillaird	La Belle Vielleuse	2002
Corrette M
Suite #1	Pastorale #1 (affectuoso )
	Pastorale #2
	Badine (allegro )
	Menuet 1, 2, et 3
	Fanfare 1 et 2
Corrette
Que vous diraige maman	Theme
	Var. 1 - 5
	This IS an indispensable album and yet, beware. Despite its title not all the music comes from La Belle Vielleuse, and it is shared between vielle (and not an 18th century instrument I think), the musette de cour (fantastically well played by J C Maillard: no complaints here) and, much less welcome, the flute. Hungaraton then completely disgraced themselves with a recording of De Lavigne's Les Fleurs, written for musette but in their hands distorted into another highly disappointing, even mis-sold flute recital. It has a similar impact to buying a recording of the Grieg piano concerto and then finding it played on a Hammond organ. There are only about 5 good tracks.
Matthias Loibner & Ricardo Delfino	Les Maîtres de la Vielle Baroque	2002
Dugué P
IVe Sonate en Trio, Oeuvre IV	Modérément
	Gracieusement
	Legèrement
Buterne Ch	Gratioso
	Allegro La Bully
	Minuetto
Dupuits J-B
1e Sonata, Oeuvre 4	Largo
	1e Gavotte
	2e Gavotte
	Fantasie   (vivement)
	Ariette (gracieusement)
	Tambourin
	Menuet 1,2,et 3
Naudot J-C
Sonata en trio IV, Oeuvre XIV	Modérément
	Paysanne
	Legèrement   La Justine
	Air en Rondeau (gracieusement)
	Menuet
Ravet
1e Sonata La Champetre, Oeuvre II	Tendrement
	Modérément
	Menuet
	Tambourin
Marchand J-N
#3 Suite d'Airs en Duo, Oeuvre I	1e Allegretto moderatissimo. Gratioso
	2e Allegretto
	1e et 2e Menuetto
	1e Gigue et 2e Gigue (dolce)
Dugué Ph
1e Sonata en Trio, Oeuvre IV	Modérément
	Gracieusement
	Legèrement
Baton Ch
Sonata VI, Oeuvre III	Gayement
	Gracieusement
	Gayement
	Chaconne
	This album is probably the most accessibly attractive recording currently available and most certainly the best recorded: probably ever. Unfortunately, there are serious academic questions over some of the musical decisions, particularly in regard to the dramatically modern use of the trompette which becomes, I am afraid, increasingly annoying and intrusive the more that one listens to the recordings AND the more that one learns about authentic historical practice. The liner notes by the prestigious Jean-Christophe Maillard go to some considerable lengths to try to deflect criticism regarding this issue but fail to be convincing to those of us who have actually read and studied the 18th century methods. The basic argument holds that the 18th century methods are vague and that in any case professional performers would have used techniques either not included in them or advanced far beyond them. I don't agree because the methods are repetitively EXPLICIT that trompetting was intended to be the equivalent of the tonguing of a wind player and NOT a separated musical effect, and NEVER to occur in such a way as to split a note, and ALWAYS being as brief/short as possible: sorry, no long buzzes. I do feel strongly about this, however, I still feel that if you only ever bought one cd then you ought to make it this one. Personally, I have listened to it, and continue to listen to it, more than any other album that I have ever owned. On the other hand I have at least one knowledgeable friend who has said that he finds it virtually un-listen-able basically for the reasons stated above: as well as some others.

 

 

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