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Welcome to the Coup d'Archet Website

Coup d'Archet was originally founded in 1997 to make available to discerning music lovers a number of lost recordings by the legendary Hungarian violinist, Johanna Martzy. From L’Archet d’Or, collectors can now look forward to unreleased recordings from other great artists who, like Johanna, left little in the way of an 'official' recorded legacy.

Dear Friends of Coup d’Archet

I am happy to announce that L'Archet d'Or Series Three is available now, and is perhaps our strongest and most varied collection. Agnelle Bundervoët is represented again, this time with Ravel's Le Tombeau de Couperin and Valses Nobles et Sentimentales. Fauré's greatest disciple, Germaine Thyssens-Valentin, performs the Quintet No 2 op 115 in C Minor with the Loewenguth Quartet and the delightful Fantasy for Flute and Piano with Michel Debost. Devotees of the 'cello will be thrilled by André Levy's striking Bach Suites 2 and 3. Long- term followers of Coup d'Archet may recall the promise of our fourth offering, featuring Le Trio de France with Jeanne Gautier, Geneviève Joy and André Levy. There has been a change of programme however, the Ravel now coupled with a tremendous Turina opus 35.

I am sorry to write that the proposed Jeanne Gautier Mozart collection has been cancelled. The original lacquers upon which the recordings were originally cut have deteriorated greatly with age and use. It was with great disappointment that I auditioned the tapes earlier this year.

All those of you who have followed L'Archet d'Or, and have subscribed to both Series One and Two, will have received by now your special gift from us, ORSP 01. This complimentary record, numbered to 250 copies, and available exclusively to subscribers of both AOI and AOII, is the first issue of two exceptional recordings by the great Maurice Maréchal. Accompanied by Odette Pigault, he gives us Fauré's Elegy for 'Cello and Piano (op 24) and Yves Levallois and Henriette Roget's In Memorium. Those of you who loved the Maréchal performances of Brahms and Beethoven on OR VII will understand the importance of this release.

Equally exciting is ORSP 02, which has Germaine Thyssens-Valentin accompanying the uncommonly beautiful baritone of Pierre Mollet for Fauré's complete settings of Verlaine's Le Bonne Chanson. This recording is quite unique. The natural honesty that Mollet brings to Verlaine's declarations of love and self doubt quite takes the breath away. Thyssens-Valentin's playing is sensitive, discrete and entirely appropriate.

ORSP01 is complimentary to all subscribers of both AO1 and AO2. All new subscribers of AO3 will receive ORSP02 but will be charged a nominal additional fee.

My thanks to Béatrice Montoriol, Annie Lauzzanna and Jean François Pontefract at INA; to Nick Webb at Abbey Road; to Nicole Grote and the team at Pallas; to John, Mark and Martin at Silverscreen; to Richard Foster and Roy Gregory of hifi+; Stephen Sensbach, 'cellist and author of French Cello Sonatas 1871-1939. Thanks to Jeremy Ottevanger for this website and years of friendship. Thanks always to Flavia Olivares. Thanks, my friends, my family for telling me what I don't want to hear. Thanks finally to the AO faithful - I look forward to providing you with many more interesting records.

Glenn Armstrong
July 2006

If you have any questions or suggestions, please e-mail Glenn Armstrong.