Since the first substantial work on temperaments in the 1950s, knowledge of keyboard tuning and, more generally, of the conception of intonation in past centuries has grown steadily, to the point where it is no longer possible to approach historical repertoires without taking them into account, in terms of both performance and understanding of the compositional process.

Over and above the theoretical and acoustical aspects that are essential, and always linked to the reality of live sound, this course explores an essential aspect of musical thought, and aims to guide today's musician, whether a high-level practitioner or a future scholar, towards a more enlightened attitude.

A ubiquitous accompaniment technique since the 16th century, and a faithful witness to the evolution of harmonic language up to the 19th century, basso continuo is an essential skill for keyboardists in the context of accompaniment, and for non-keyboardists an indispensable approach to the early repertoire. In this course, basso continuo will be studied at the keyboard (harpsichord, organ, fortepiano), in the light of historical sources (methods, exercises).