Following on from – and complementing – the experimental workshops and masterclasses, the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles is offering four days of theory classes devoted to the major themes of interpretation in the French repertoire of the 17th and 18th centuries. Designed in collaboration with the CMBV research team, these days aim to explore the stylistic characteristics specific to French music of this period and to provide performers with keys to interpretation and research to enrich their approach to historically informed practice.
This day will take place at the Municipal Library of Versailles, in direct contact with original sources, in a place that is very rarely open to the public! It will be an opportunity for participants to understand the differences in typology between sources, through a concrete methodological approach, enriched with practical cases and work on original manuscripts.
Objectives
This workshop aims to introduce participants to the exploration of musical sources through a methodological approach and the study of practical cases. The objective is to help them understand the challenges of analysing and interpreting these sources, both in the context of research and musical performance.
The main objectives are as follows:
- Understand the different types of sources relating to music: scores and separate parts, librettos, costumes, administrative archives, choreographies, and treatises as literary sources.
- Raise awareness of the status of sources: understand the materiality of musical and archival sources, and how they convey historical and aesthetic information.
- Analyse specific cases: study various sources documenting the same work, analyse them, identify missing information and understand the issues they raise.
- Acquire a methodology: understand the issues involved in critical editing, understanding a context, and the choices to be made when interpreting sources.
Participants will have the opportunity to explore different methods of analysis and work directly on concrete examples.
This workshop will also provide an opportunity to discover the resources of the CMBV and the main locations, sites and institutions that preserve historical musical sources.
Trainer
Workshop coordinated by Bénédicte Hertz, researcher (CMBV - CESR)
Bénédicte Hertz is a musicologist and researcher at the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles (affiliated with UMR 7323 – CESR in Tours). Her work focuses on the 18th century in general, with an interest in musical practices, mainly in concert and church settings, musical collections (inventories, codicological studies, copyists, printed corpus), the dissemination of genres and repertoires, social interactions and concert institutions in France (Paris and the provinces).
Since 2022, Bénédicte Hertz has been coordinating the ANR JCJC AcadéC research programme (Les Académies de Concert en France au XVIIIe siècle) and is also involved in several collaborative and interdisciplinary projects, including ENCCRE (Édition Numérique Collaborative et CRitique de l’Encyclopédie) and Muséfrem (Musiciens d’Église en France à l’époque moderne). Her research in musicology has led to musical editions and the recreation of works using a performance practice approach. At the same time, she seeks to break down barriers within the discipline, enriching it with approaches that draw in particular on cultural history and the history of institutions under the Ancien Régime.
Training arrangements
- In-person workshop only
- Workshop conducted in French (discussions possible in English)
- Assessment methods: self-assessment and individualised final assessments by trainers
- Alternating lectures, study of musical material, questions and answers
Programme
- Tour of the Municipal Library of Versailles
- Presentation of the collections of French music from the 17th and 18th centuries
- Lecture on the different types of sources
- Practical work and study of original and manuscript sources
The detailed programme will be announced at a later date
Participants
- Performing musicians
- Singers
- Dancers
- Open to knowledgeable amateurs, subject to availability
Maximum 20 participants
Prerequisites
- Working professionals
- Future professionals in training - currently enrolled in higher education (bachelor's, master's) or equivalent
Pricing conditions
Prices for a Theme Day (online payment via the payment link sent upon acceptance of the application):
Full price covered: depending on coverage (contact the training centre administration for a quote)
Maximum individual contribution: €100 including VAT
Maximum individual contribution for students (up to 26 years old): €40 including VAT
CMBV workshops may be covered by continuing professional development programmes (Afdas, employers, etc.) for permanent or temporary employees.
Services included in the price:
- Access to CMBV premises (and tuning of instruments, if necessary)
- Full tuition fees (teachers, instruments, etc.) for the entire duration of the course
- Active participation in workshops
- Provision of documents and sheet music
- Loan or provision of instruments, if necessary
At the expense of trainees:
- Travel expenses
- Accommodation expenses (meals and lodging)
Registration
To register, please complete the form available via the link below. You will receive confirmation of your registration no later than two months before the start of the workshop.
Accessibility
The CMBV's classrooms and teaching spaces are accessible to people with reduced mobility. If you have a disability that requires adjustments to the teaching, please specify this when you register. This information will be forwarded to the CMBV's disability officer, who will contact you to discuss possible adjustments.
Registration deadline: 2 April 2026
