Bettina Hoffmann
Catalogue of Solo and Chamber Music for Viola da Gamba
Couperin, François
Les Nations, sonades; et suites de symphonies en trio for 2 dessus, basse d’archet and basse chifrée
Paris, auteur, Boivin
F-Pn Rés F-71, Vm7 1155
Broude Brothers; J. M. Fuzeau; L’Oiseau-Lyre; Performer’s facsimiles
By basse d'archet Couperin undoubtedly means primarily the viola da gamba. Solo passages for basse d'archet can be found in particular in La Françoise .
Other Couperin trio sonatas also include the basse d'archet ( L’Apotheose de Lully and the unpublished trio sonatas that have partly merged into the Nations ), but the differences with the b. c. part are so minimal that they cannot be regarded as true solo parts for viol.
The generic term "dessus" in the two upper parts leaves open the possibility of performance with dessus de viole .
A/I: C 4277, https://opac.rism.info/search?id=990011642&View=rism
