The monumental edition of Henry Du Mont's work, undertaken in 1992 by the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles with the publication of the first volume of Grands Motets, will be completed in 2026. To celebrate this event, the CMBV is offering two days of experimentation comparing his music for keyboard and his transcriptions for consort of viols suggested by the composer, the practice of plainchant from the same period, and Du Mont's legacy in 17th century liturgical practices. Over the course of the two days, there will be a mix of joint presentations and round-table discussions, as well as opportunities for individual work with specialists.
Among the themes addressed, particular attention will be paid to transcriptions for viol consort, explicitly suggested by Du Mont himself in his works for organ. The empirical work carried out over several years by Salomé Gasselin on the notion of the French-style ‘viol consort’ will fuel a rich reflection on the circulation of pieces between genres and instrumental formations. This reflection will engage in dialogue with pieces for viola by contemporaries such as Louis Couperin, Nicolas Geoffroy and Marc-Antoine Charpentier. There will also be a focus on Du Mont's harpsichord repertoire, which is little known but of great interest. Some pieces exist in several manuscript or printed versions, providing fertile ground for exploring how the French keyboard repertoire was interpreted in the 17th century. A comparative approach to these versions will allow us to experiment with different readings and renditions. In addition, there will be reflections on the transformations that Du Mont himself proposed: for example, how to adapt certain preludes from the Mélanges pour violes into duets for organ, or the adaptation of one of these preludes into a piece for harpsichord in a collection preserved at the Swedish court — an emblematic example of the cross-appropriation of repertoires by keyboard musicians. Another part of these days will focus on Du Mont's liturgical heritage, particularly through plainchant and related practices. Du Mont's famous Messe royale (actually composed by him?), transmitted and used until the 19th century, will be the subject of reflection on the adaptation and permanence of his style in later religious uses. His influence on the liturgical organ repertoire and on the forms of plainchant will be addressed through cross-referenced readings of the sources. Musicians will have the opportunity to work on the historic instruments of the Palace of Versailles — notably the harpsichords and the organ — and to experiment with music ‘in situ’ in this exceptional setting.
These Days will also provide a forum for dialogue between researchers and performers, promoting discussion on stylistic, historical and organological issues related to Du Mont's work and its context. In this way, the CMBV continues its commitment to an experimental, lively and shared approach to French Baroque musical heritage, combining scientific rigour, artistic creativity and the collective transmission of knowledge.
Objectives
- Deepen stylistic and historical understanding of Henry Du Mont's work
- Analyse the specificities of Du Mont's musical language through his works for organ, harpsichord, consort of viols and plainchant, placing them in the liturgical, musical and aesthetic context of 17th century France.
- Experiment with historically informed performance practices
- Promote dialogue between musicological research and artistic practice
Trainers
Salomé Gasselin, gambist
Thomas Leconte, researcher and editorial manager (CMBV - CESR)
Paul Goussot, organist
Gaëtan Naulleau, musicologist and journalist
Achille Davy-Rigaux, musicologist (IReMus - CNRS)
Jean-Luc Ho, harpsichordist
Marie Demeilliez, harpsichordist and musicologist
Salomé Gasselin, gambist
Salomé Gasselin, an iconic figure of a new generation, is breathing new life into her favourite instrument: the viola da gamba. She has earned numerous awards along the way (first prize by unanimous decision at the 2020 Gianni Bergamo Music Award in Lugano, Switzerland, second prize at the 2020 Bach-Abel Competition in Köthen, Germany). Her first album, Récit, makes ‘the viola da gamba vibrate’; Le Monde ranks her among the promising artists of 2023. In 2024, she receives the Victoire de la Musique Classique award for ‘Instrumental Soloist Revelation’. Although she believed that rugby would bring her her first victories, Salomé quickly chose music as her favourite playing field. She trained at the CNSMD in Lyon in Marianne Muller's class before continuing in Holland at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in The Hague in Philippe Pierlot's class and finally in Austria at the Mozarteum in Salzburg with Vittorio Ghielmi. Alongside her musical career, she studied Modern Literature at Paris X University. In 2025, she founded the Cairn Consort. Salomé created the viola da gamba class at the Conservatoire Pierre Barbizet in Marseille in 2021. She plays a bass viola da gamba by Simon Bongars made in Paris in 1653.
Thomas Leconte, musicologue, researcher and editorial manager (CMBV - CESR)
Thomas Leconte is a researcher at the Research Centre of the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles, where he is also editorial manager of heritage collections. His research focuses mainly on social, religious and court music of the Grand Siècle (functions, repertoires, musical practices, identities). In addition, his historical, theoretical and practical knowledge of 17th and 18th century orchestral and choral writing frequently leads him to reconstruct the missing parts of works in the repertoire. He is currently working on a project (research, reconstruction, edition) on Lalande's Symphonies pour les Soupers du roi. He regularly collaborates with professional ensembles as a scientific advisor (concerts, recordings).
Paul Goussot, organist
Paul Goussot is regularly invited to perform in concerts in France and abroad. He has played at Notre-Dame de Paris, the La Roque-d'Anthéron Festival, Toulouse Les Orgues, the Berliner Dom, and also in the United States, where he was named ‘First Artist in Residence’ at St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans during a six-month stay (from 2009 to 2010). He has performed alongside Philippe Pierlot and the Ricercar Consort in several concerts at Les Folles Journées de Nantes and the Via Aeterna Festival, which have been recorded for the Mirare label. His latest disc, recorded on the Dom Bedos organ at Sainte-Croix de Bordeaux for the ROB label, received a ‘Choc Classica’ award in March 2023. Paul Goussot has been cultivating the art of improvisation for many years. Passionate about silent films, he has accompanied several screenings at the Musée d'Orsay, the Maison de la Radio and the Cinémathèque Française. With author and storyteller Élodie Fondacci and cellist Nicolas Hartmann, he created the show ‘Mon orgue à histoires’ (My Story Organ) in 2020 at the Auditorium de Lyon. On several occasions, he has improvised on Zdeněk Miler's famous cartoon Taupek alongside actor Damien Laquet (official voice of the Rabbids) and sound effects artist Julien Baissat. Teaching also plays an important role in his career: in addition to leading several summer academies (La Réole, St-Maximin) and giving masterclasses (CNSM de Paris, Schola Cantorum Basiliensis), he teaches organ at the Rueil Conservatoire and basso continuo and improvisation at the Haute Ecole de Musique in Geneva.
Gaëtan Naulleau, musicologist and journalist
After a long detour into music journalism, Gaëtan Naulleau returned to his doctoral thesis, ‘Histoire d'un dialogue: l'orgue et le chœur dans les grandes églises de France, XVIe-XVIIIe siècles’ (supervised by Ph. Vendrix). Contrary to the conclusions accepted by historiography, he shows that the alternation of organ and plainchant was marginal in large churches, where the instrument essentially dialogued with vocal polyphonies, whether composed or improvised.
Achille Davy-Rigaux, musicologist (IReMus - CNRS)
Achille Davy-Rigaux is a research director at the CNRS and holds a PhD in musicology. He has also received numerous awards from the City of Paris, the Caen Conservatoire and the CNSMD in Paris. He has directed the Institute for Research in Musicology (IReMus) and the interdisciplinary institute Collegium Musicæ Sorbonne Université, coordinates the Épistémuse network of French-speaking musicologists, and chairs the French Society of Musicology. His work covers the fields of critical music editing (notably Rameau's Opera omnia), digital musicology (Neuma digital score library), and plainchant and church music of the Baroque period, with a particular focus on their practices and links with liturgy. In addition to his numerous articles and books, he is co-editor of two collections published by Brepols.
Jean-Luc Ho, harpsichordist
Jean-Luc Ho studied music for over fifteen years. He now performs in concert on the harpsichord, organ, clavichord and in ensembles. His friends – instrument makers, researchers, musicians, craftsmen – are dear to him and facilitate and inspire his work on a daily basis. He has dedicated his first solo recordings to Bach, Couperin, Sweelinck and Byrd (selected by France Musique, Diapason découverte, 5 diapasons, Choc Classica). As substitute organist at St Germain des Prés in Paris from 2006 to 2016, he was one of the founders of L'Art de la Fugue, working on the restoration, installation and promotion of a historic Castilian organ from 1768 in the church of Fresnes (94). His residencies at the Bach en Combrailles festival (2017-2019) and Royaumont Abbey (2018-2021) provide him with an ideal setting for his approach to Couperin's Nations and Messes, Bach's L'Art de la Fugue, l'Offrande musicale and Variations Goldberg. A harpsichord teacher at the Franconville Music School (95) from 2004 to 2011, he now teaches courses and masterclasses for Embar0quement Immédiat, the Royaumont Foundation, the Dieppe Keyboard Academy, Clavecin en France, and others. He has also been involved for over 10 years with the Musée de la Musique – Philharmonie de Paris – for a wider audience. In 2021, he succeeded Émile Jobin as professor of tuning, adjustments and temperaments at the Paris Conservatoire CNSMDP. In 2021, alongside Guillaume Prieur, he was appointed assistant organist of the historic organ at the collegiate church of Dole, whose titular organist is Pierre Pfister. Jean-Luc Ho collaborates with the ensembles Les Meslanges, La Guilde des Mercenaires, and Le Petit Trianon.
Marie Demeilliez, harpsichordist and musicologist
Marie Demeilliez is a senior lecturer at the University of Grenoble Alpes and a former member of the Institut Universitaire de France. After training as a harpsichordist at the CNSMDP, she devoted her doctoral thesis to musical and theatrical practices in French colleges during the Ancien Régime, publishing several works at the CMBV (Benjamin et Joseph by Campra, Sigalion ballet by Collasse). A specialist in 17th and 18th century French music, she also works on keyboard music and contributes to the collaborative digital edition and critique of Diderot and D'Alembert's Encyclopédie (1751-1772) (ENCCRE). In the CMBV's monumental Henry Du Mont edition, she is preparing the volume devoted to harpsichord pieces and published an anthology, Musique française pour le clavecin (1610-1660), in 2024. She enjoys collaborating with musicians and instrument makers, whether in research or musical practice, and regularly participates in training courses for performers (Fondation Royaumont, Harmonia Sacra in Valenciennes, conservatories).
Training arrangements
- In-person workshop only
- Workshop conducted in French (discussions possible in English)
- Assessment methods: self-assessment and satisfaction questionnaire
- Alternating between lectures and group and individual work sessions
Programme
Classes from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. - details of the days to be specified later
- Classes at the Palace of Versailles for harpsichordists and organists on Monday
- Classes at the CMBV for violists
- Work with trainers individually or in groups
- Musicology lectures
- Presentation of the monumental edition
- Tour of the CMBV library
- Social gatherings
Participants
- Organists
- Harpsichordists
- Violists
- Singers practising plainchant
Maximum 20 participants
Prerequisites
- Working professionals
- Future professionals in training - currently enrolled in higher education (bachelor's, master's) or equivalent
Repertoire studied
Works by Henry Du Mont and contemporaries
The specific repertoire to be prepared for performance will be determined through discussions with the trainers prior to the workshop.
Pricing conditions
Prices for 2 days of workshops (online payment via a 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: €250 including VAT
Maximum individual contribution for students (up to 26 years old): €90 including VAT
Pour les salariés permanents ou intermittents, les ateliers du CMBV peuvent être pris en charge au titre de la formation professionnelle continue (Afdas, employeurs, etc.).
Services included in the price:
- Access to CMBV premises (instrument tuning if necessary)
- All teaching costs (instructors, instruments, etc.) for the duration of the course
- Active participation in workshops
- Provision of documents and sheet music
- Loan of instruments, or access to instruments, if necessary
Restent à la charge des stagiaires :
- Travel expenses
- Accommodation expenses (meals and lodging)
Registration
For the experimental workshop: selection based on application and video recording (mandatory) - at least one piece of French music.
The application file must contain a CV and cover letter.
Accessibility
The classrooms and teaching spaces are accessible to people with reduced mobility. For any disability requiring adaptation of the teaching, please specify this when registering: this information will be forwarded to the CMBV disability officer, who will contact you if necessary.
Registration deadline: 4 March 2026
