Le Concert Spirituel is a French ensemble specialising in works of baroque music, played on period instruments. Founded by

Hervé Niquet Hervé Niquet (born 28 October 1957) is a French conductor, harpsichordist, tenor, and the director of Le Concert Spirituel, specializing in French Baroque music. Biography Born on 28 October 1957, Hervé Niquet was raised at Abbeville in t ...

in 1987, it is named after the 18th-century concert series

Concert Spirituel The Concert Spirituel ( en, Spiritual Concert) was one of the first public concert series in existence. The concerts began in Paris in 1725 and ended in 1790. Later, concerts or series of concerts of the same name occurred in Paris, Vienna, Londo ...

. The group performs internationally, playing mostly rarely performed sacred music and operas, and making recordings. Its focus is on French music played at the court of Versailles.

History

The ensemble is named after

, the first private concert society in France, founded in the 18th century and dissolved during the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are conside ...

. The ensemble was founded by

in 1987, designed to revive the great works of the French repertoire played at the court of Versailles. Le Concert Spirituel collaborates closely with the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles, with a focus on French composers such as

Marc-Antoine Charpentier Marc-Antoine Charpentier (; 1643 – 24 February 1704) was a French Baroque composer during the reign of Louis XIV. One of his most famous works is the main theme from the prelude of his ''Te Deum'', ''Marche en rondeau''. This theme is still u ...

Jean-Baptiste Lully Jean-Baptiste Lully ( , , ; born Giovanni Battista Lulli, ; – 22 March 1687) was an Italian-born French composer, guitarist, violinist, and dancer who is considered a master of the French Baroque music style. Best known for his operas ...

, André Campra and Joseph Bodin de Boismortier. Le Concert Spirituel often plays

sacred music Religious music (also sacred music) is a type of music that is performed or composed for religious use or through religious influence. It may overlap with ritual music, which is music, sacred or not, performed or composed for or as ritual. Relig ...

, and has also performed operas such as ''Daphnis et Chloé'' by Boismortier, Rameau's '' Pygmalion'', Purcell's '' King Arthur'' and '' The Indian Queen'', and Mozart's ''

Don Giovanni ''Don Giovanni'' (; K. 527; Vienna (1788) title: , literally ''The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni'') is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Its subject is a centuries-old Spani ...

''. The ensemble "rediscovered" forgotten operas from the French repertoire, such as '' Callirhoé'' by André Cardinal Destouches, Lully's '' Proserpine'', '' Sémélé'' by Marin Marais (chosen as "Opera Recording of the Year",

Echo Klassik The Echo Klassik, often stylized as ECHO Klassik, was Germany's major classical music award in 22 categories. The award, presented by the , was held annually, usually in October or September, separate from its parent award, the Echo Music Prize. Th ...

2009), Guétry's ''

Andromaque ''Andromaque'' is a tragedy in five acts by the French playwright Jean Racine written in alexandrine verse. It was first performed on 17 November 1667 before the court of Louis XIV in the Louvre in the private chambers of the Queen, Marie Thérès ...

'', Campra's '' Le carnaval de Venise'' and Catel's '' Sémiramis''. At a

Proms The BBC Proms or Proms, formally named the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts Presented by the BBC, is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other events held annually, predominantly in the Royal Albert Ha ...

concert in 2012 at the

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...

in London, the ensemble played Handel's ''

Water Music The ''Water Music'' is a collection of orchestral movements, often published as three suites, composed by George Frideric Handel. It premiered on 17 July 1717, in response to King George I's request for a concert on the River Thames. Struct ...

'' and the ''

Music for the Royal Fireworks The ''Music for the Royal Fireworks'' ( HWV 351) is a suite in D major for wind instruments composed by George Frideric Handel in 1749 under contract of George II of Great Britain for the fireworks in London's Green Park on 27 April 1749. The ...

'', with a large formation including 18 oboes, 9 trumpets and 9 trombones, and strings to match. This is an authentic band for the music, which was originally intended to be played in the open air. Le Concert Spirituel is subsidised by the

French Ministry of Culture The Ministry of Culture (french: Ministère de la Culture) is the ministry of the Government of France in charge of national museums and the . Its goal is to maintain the French identity through the promotion and protection of the arts (visual ...

and the

city of Paris A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

. It also receives financial support from the Mécénat Musical Société Générale and the Fondation Bru.

Recordings

Le Concert Spirituel recorded for the

Accord Accord may refer to: Businesses and products * Honda Accord, a car manufactured by the Honda Motor Company * Accord (cigarette), a brand of Rothmans, Benson & Hedges * Accord (company), a former public services provider in south England * Accord H ...

, Adda,

Virgin Virginity is the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. The term ''virgin'' originally only referred to sexually inexperienced women, but has evolved to encompass a range of definitions, as found in traditional, modern ...

and

Naxos Naxos (; el, Νάξος, ) is a Greek island and the largest of the Cyclades. It was the centre of archaic Cycladic culture. The island is famous as a source of emery, a rock rich in corundum, which until modern times was one of the best ...

labels until 1999, and then exclusively for Glossa from 2000 to 2015. Since June 2015, Le Concert Spirituel has recorded exclusively for Alpha Classics.

Awards

Le Concert Spirituel received a 2001

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

nomination for its recording of ''Sérénades chez Marie Leczinska'' by Boismortier. Its recording of Striggio's ''40 Voice Mass'' was also nominated for a Grammy Award in 2013. Its recording of Grétry's ''

'' was awarded a "Chock" by ''Classica'', a Diamant by ''Opéra Magazine'', a Découverte by '' Diapason'' and the "Grand Prix du Disque" by the

Académie Charles-Cros An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosop ...

in 2010. Its recording of ''Sémélé'' was chosen "Opera Recording of the Year" at the

Awards (2009); its recording of Campra's '' Le Carnaval de Venise'' won a " German Record Critics’ Award", a Classica magazine "Chock" and a Diamant from Opéra Magazine (2011); Lully's ''Persée'' also won a German Record Critics' Award (2017).

DVDs

* Boismortier, ''Don quichotte chez la duchesse'', Staging: Gilles and Corinne Benizio, Production: Step by Step Productions, Château de Versailles, Le Concert Spirituel, Director: Louise Narboni (Alpha Classics – 2015) *

Alessandro Striggio Alessandro Striggio (c. 1536/1537 – 29 February 1592) was an Italian composer, instrumentalist and diplomat of the Renaissance. He composed numerous madrigals as well as dramatic music, and by combining the two, became the inventor of madrigal co ...

, ''Messe à 40 voix''. Les aventuriers de la messe perdue, GVD 921624, Production: Step by Step Productions, Director: Laurent Portes, Olivier Simonnet. ( Glossa – 2011) * Purcell, '' King Arthur'', GVD 921619, Staging: Gilles and Corinne Benizio (alias Shirley and Dino) *Charpentier, '' Médée'' H.491, Staging: Stéphanie d'Oustrac, Médée, François-Nicolas Geslot,

Jason Jason ( ; ) was an ancient Greece, ancient Greek Greek mythology, mythological hero and leader of the Argonauts, whose quest for the Golden Fleece featured in Greek literature. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcos. He was marri ...

, Gaëlle Méchaly, Créuse, Bertrand Chuberre, Oronte, Renaud Delaigue, Créon, Hanna Bayodi, Caroline Mutel, Andres J. Dahlin, Emiliano Gonzalez Toro, Les Chantres du Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles, Le Concert spirituel à l'Opéra royal du château de Versailles (3 October 2004), conducted by

, directed by Olivier Simonet – 2 DVD Armide classics 2004.

Discography

Le Concert Spirituel has recorded the following: * ''L'Opéra des opéras'', 2019 Alpha Classics * Orazio Benevolo, ''Missa si deus pro nobis'', 2018 Alpha Classics * George Frideric Handel, ''

Messiah In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; , ; , ; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of '' mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach ...

'', 2017 Alpha Classics *

, ''Persée 1770'', 2017 Alpha Classics *

Luigi Cherubini Luigi Cherubini ( ; ; 8 or 14 SeptemberWillis, in Sadie (Ed.), p. 833 1760 – 15 March 1842) was an Italian Classical and Romantic composer. His most significant compositions are operas and sacred music. Beethoven regarded Cherubini as the grea ...

, '' Requiems de Cherubini & Plantade'', 2016 Alpha Classics * Antonio Vivaldi, ''

Gloria Gloria may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music Christian liturgy and music * Gloria in excelsis Deo, the Greater Doxology, a hymn of praise * Gloria Patri, the Lesser Doxology, a short hymn of praise ** Gloria (Handel) ** Gloria (Jenkin ...

Magnificat The Magnificat (Latin for " y soulmagnifies he Lord) is a canticle, also known as the Song of Mary, the Canticle of Mary and, in the Byzantine tradition, the Ode of the Theotokos (). It is traditionally incorporated into the liturgical service ...

'', 2015 Alpha Classics *

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...

, ''Les Mystères d'Isis'', 2015 Glossa GCD 921630 * Jean-Philippe Rameau, ''Les Fêtes de l'Hymen et de l'Amour'', 2014, Glossa GES 921629-F *

Johann Christoph Vogel Johann Christoph Vogel (also given as Fogel) (18 March 1756, in Nuremberg – 28 June 1788, in Paris) was a German composer. Life He spent most of his life working in France. He moved to Paris in 1776, and entered the service of the Duke of Mont ...

, ''La Toison d'or'', 2013, Glossa GES 921628-F *

Louis Le Prince Louis Aimé Augustin Le Prince (28 August 1841 – disappeared 16 September 1890, declared dead 16 September 1897) was a French artist and the inventor of an early motion-picture camera, possibly the first person to shoot a moving picture sequ ...

, ''Missa Macula non est in te'',

, Motets H.306, H.341, H.245, H.299, H.75, (''Ouverture'' H.536), Lully, ''O dulcissime Domine'', 2013 – Glossa GCD 921627 *

Charles-Simon Catel Charles-Simon Catel (10 June 1773 – 29 November 1830) was a French composer and educator born at L'Aigle, Orne. Biography Catel studied at the Royal School of Singing in Paris. He was the chief assistant to François-Joseph Gossec at the o ...

, ''Sémiramis'', 2012, Glossa GES 921625-F *

, ''Messe à 40 voix'', 2012 Glossa GCDSA 921623 * André Campra, ''Le Carnaval de Venise'', 2011 Glossa GES 921622-F * Pierre Bouteiller, ''Requiem'', 2010 Glossa GCD 921621 *

André Grétry André Ernest Modeste Grétry (; baptised 11 February 1741; died 24 September 1813) was a composer from the Prince-Bishopric of Liège (present-day Belgium), who worked from 1767 onwards in France and took French nationality. He is most famous ...

, ''Andromaque'', 2010, Glossa GES 921620-F * Marc-Antoine Charpentier, ''Missa Assumpta est Maria ''H.11 ''- Pour plusieurs martyrs ''H.361 ''- Symphonie pour un reposoir ''H.508'', 1, 2, 5, – O salutaris Hostia ''H.262 ''- 2 Domine Salvum Fac Regem ''H.303 & H.291, 2008 - Glossa GCD 921617 * Joseph Bodin de Boismortier, ''Daphnis & Chloé'', Glossa GCD 921618 * Marin-Marais, ''Sémélé'', (world premiere recording), 2007, Glossa GES 921614-F * ''Grandes eaux musicales 2007 du Château de Versailles'', Le Concert Spirituel, Hervé Niquet, 2007 Glossa GCD 921613 *

André Cardinal Destouches André Cardinal Destouches (sometimes called des Touches) (baptised 6 April 1672 – 7 February 1749) was a French composer best known for the '' opéra-ballet'' '' Les élémens''. Biography Born in Paris, the son of Étienne Cardinal ...

, ''Callirhoé'', (world premiere), 2006, Glossa GES 921912-f * Marc-Antoine Charpentier, ''Messe à 8 voix, 8 violons et flûtes'' H.3 – ''Domine Salvum Fac Regem'' H.283 – ''Te Deum à 8 voix, avec flûtes et violons'' H.145, 2006 Glossa GCD 921611 * Henry Desmarest, ''De Profundis, Veni Creator, Cum Invocarem'', 2005 – Glossa GCD 921610 * Joseph Bodin de Boismortier, Sonates pour basses, 2004 – Glossa GCD 921609 *

Henry Purcell Henry Purcell (, rare: September 1659 – 21 November 1695) was an English composer. Purcell's style of Baroque music was uniquely English, although it incorporated Italian and French elements. Generally considered among the greatest En ...

, ''King Arthur'', 2004 – Glossa GCD 921608 * * Henry Desmarest, ''Te deum de Paris – Dominus Regnavit'', 2003 – Glossa GCD 21607 * George Frideric Handel, ''Water Music – Fireworks'', 2003 – Glossa GCD 921606 *Marc-Antoine Charpentier, (Coffret Charpentier) ''Te Deum'' H.146, H.547 & ''motets – Messe à 4 voix de Mr de Mauroy'' H.6 ''- Domine Salvum Fac Regem H.299 – 3 Leçons de Ténèbres'' H.135, H.136, H.137'', 5 Méditations pour le Carème'' H,380, H.381, H.386. H.387, H.388, 2003 – Glossa GCD 98003 *Marc-Antoine Charpentier, ''Messe de Monsieur de Mauroy'' H.6 – ''Domine Salvum Fac Regem'' H.299, 2002– Glossa GCD 921602 *Marc-Antoine Charpentier, 3 ''Leçons de Ténèbres'' H.135, H.136, H.137 – 5 ''Méditations pour le Carème'' H.380, H.381, H.386, H.388, H.387, 2002 – Glossa GCD 921604 * Joseph Boismortier, ''Daphnis & Chloé'', 2002 – Glossa GCD 921605 * * Henry Purcell, ''Dido and Aeneas'', 2001 – Glossa GCD 921601 *

François d'Agincourt François d'Agincourt (also d'Agincour, Dagincourt, Dagincour) (1684 – 30 April 1758) was a French harpsichordist, organist, and composer. He spent most of his life in Rouen, his native city, where he worked as organist of the Rouen Cathedral ...

, Pièces d’orgue, 2001 – Glossa GCD 921701 * François d'Agincourt, Pièces de clavecin, 2001 – Glossa GCD 921702 *Marc-Antoine Charpentier, ''Te Deum'' H.146, H.547 – Motets H.202, H.365, H.291, 2001 – Glossa GCD 921603 * * Joseph Bodin de Boismortier, Sérénade, concerto pour basson et pièces pour musette et vielle à roue, 1999 –

8.554.456/57 * * Joseph Bodin de Boismortier, Le Triomphe d'Iris, 1998 – Naxos 8.554.455 * Paolo Lorenzani, Motets pour le Roy Louis XIV, 1997 – Naxos 8.553.648 *

Joseph Michel Joseph Michel (1679–1736) was an 18th-century French baroque chorister, composer and music teacher of the Sainte Chapelle of Dijon, demolished in 1802. A contemporary of Jean-Philippe Rameau, his reputation extended far beyond the boundaries of t ...

, Leçons de Ténèbres, 1997 – Naxos 8.553.295 * Joseph Bodin de Boismortier, Ballets de Village et sérénade, 1997 – Naxos 8.553.296 *Louis-Nicola Clérambault, Pastorale, ''Le Triomphe d'Iris,'' 1998 ''-'' Naxos 8.554455F * *

Louis-Nicolas Clérambault Louis-Nicolas Clérambault (19 December 1676 – 26 October 1749) was a French musician, best known as an organist and composer. He was born, and died, in Paris. Biography Clérambault came from a musical family (his father and two of his sons ...

, Cantates pour soprano et basse, ''Orphée, Léandre et Héro,'' Sandrine Piau, soprano, 1996 – Naxos 8.553.744 * Louis-Nicolas Clérambault, Cantates, ''La Mort d'Hercule, Poliphème'', Luc Coadou, basse, Syphonies II, III, V, VI, VII, 1996 – Naxos 8.553.743 *

Robert de Visée Robert de Visée (c. 1655 – 1732/1733) was a French lutenist, guitarist, theorbist and viol player at the court of the kings Louis XIV and Louis XV, as well as a singer and composer for lute, theorbo and guitar. Biography Robert de Visée's ...

et Francesco Corbetta, Pièces en contrepartie à deux guitares et deux théorbes, 1996 – Naxos 8.553.745 * Joseph Bodin de Boismortier, Don Quichotte chez la Duchesse, ballet comique en trois actes, 1996 – Naxos 8.553.647 * Joseph Bodin de Boismortier, Six Concerti à cinq flûtes traversières seules sans basse, 1995 – Naxos 8.553.639 * Orazio Benevolo, Messe et motets à double chœur, 1995 – Naxos 8.553.636 * Jean-Nicolas Geoffroy, Messe et Magnificat pour orgue et chœur, 1995 – Naxos 8.553.637 *Marc-Antoine Charpentier, "''Vespers of the Blessed Virgin"'' H.221, H.149, H.216, H.150, H.210, H.60. H.72, H.24, 1995 – Naxos 8.553.174 (musique sacrée, vol.2) * Marc-Antoine Charpentier, ''Messe des morts à 4 voix'' ''et continuo'' H.7 – ''Litanies de la Vierge'' H.89 – ''De profundis'' H.213 – ''Psaume 110 de David à 4 voix'' H.220 – ''Nisi Dominus'' à 4 voix H.160 & H.160 a – ''Élèvation à 5'' H.251 – ''Laudate pueri'' H.203, 1994 – Naxos 8.553.173 (musique sacrée, vol.1) *Marc-Antoine Charpentier, ''Messe'' H.1 – ''Te Deum à 4 voix'' H.147, ''Precatio pro Rege'' H.166, ''Élèvation'' H.275, ''Canticum Zachariae'' H.345, 1996 – Naxos 8.553.175 (musique sacrée, vol 3) * Marc-Antoine Charpentier, "Motets pour la Chapelle de l'Hôtel de Guise" H.44, H.45, H.46, H.47, H.367, H.83, H.76, 1998 – Naxos 8.554.453 (musique sacrée, vol.4) * * Jean-Baptiste Lully, Grands motets vol. 3 : ''Benedictus, Notus in Judae'', ''Exaudiat te, O dulcissime Jesu'', ''Laudate pueri, Domine Salvum fac Regem'', 1994 – Naxos 8.554.399 * Jean-Baptiste Lully, Grands motets vol. 2 : O Lachrymae, De Profundis, Dies irae, Quare fremuerunt, 1994 – Naxos 8.554.398 * Jean-Baptiste Lully, Grands motets vol. 1 : Te Deum, Miserere, Plaude LaetareGallia, 1993 – Naxos 8.554.397 * Jean-Philippe Rameau, ''Pigmalion, Le Temple de la Gloire'' (extraits), 1993 – Virgin Veritas 5 61539 2 * Jean-Philippe Rameau, ''Grands Motets'', 1992 – Virgin Veritas 5 61526 2 * André Campra, ''Messe Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam'' et motets ''Cantate Domino'', ''Deus noster Refugium,'' ''De Profundis'', 1992 – Accord 465 934-2 * André Campra, ''Requiem'', motet ''Benedictus Dominus'', 1991 – Accord 472 236-2 * Joseph Bodin de Boismortier, Motet à grand chœur, motets à voix seule mêlés de symphonies, 1991 – Adda 240172 *André Campra, ''Te Deum'', motets ''Notus in Judea Deus'', ''Deus in Nomine tuo'', 1990 - Adda 581250 *

Gioachino Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, and some sacred music. He set new standards f ...

, ''

La Cambiale di Matrimonio ''La cambiale di matrimonio'' (; English: ''The Bill of Marriage'' or ''The Marriage Contract'') is a one-act operatic farsa comica by Gioachino Rossini to a libretto by Gaetano Rossi. The libretto was based on the play by Camillo Federici (1791 ...

'', 1991 – Accord 476 058-2 * Jean Gilles, ''Te Deum'', motet ''Diligam te Domine'', 1990 – Accord 472 237-2 * Jean Gilles, ''Motet à St-Jean Baptiste,'' ''Trois Lamentations pour la Semaine Sainte'', 1989 – Accord 465 926-2 * Jean Gilles, ''Requiem'', motet ''Beatus quem elegisti,'' 1989 – Accord 465 924-2

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Concert Spirituel, Le Baroque music groups Early music orchestras 1987 establishments in France Musical groups established in 1987