Le Poème Harmonique is a musical ensemble founded in 1998 by

Vincent Dumestre Vincent Dumestre (born 5 May 1968) is a French lutenist. In 1997 he founded the ensemble Le Poème Harmonique. Career He studied the classical guitar at the École Normale de Musique de Paris and art history at the École du Louvre. Afterwa ...

to recreate and promote

early music Early music generally comprises Medieval music (500–1400) and Renaissance music (1400–1600), but can also include Baroque music (1600–1750) or Ancient music (before 500 AD). Originating in Europe, early music is a broad Dates of classical ...

, in particular that of the 17th century. Using rare instruments such as the

theorbo The theorbo is a plucked string instrument of the lute family, with an extended neck that houses the second pegbox. Like a lute, a theorbo has a curved-back sound box with a flat top, typically with one or three sound holes decorated with rose ...

, the

lirone The lirone (or lira da gamba) is the bass member of the ''lira'' family of instruments that was popular in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. It is a bowed string instrument with between 9 and 16 gut strings and a fretted neck. When played, ...

, the

tiorbino A tiorbino, a small theorbo (''tiorbo'' in Italian), is a rare stringed instrument, a type of long-necked lute resembling a theorbo but significantly smaller and pitched an octave higher. The tiorbino was created in the late 16th century and was p ...

and the arpa tripla, Le Poème Harmonique aims to recapture the poetry of early music, particularly of the late renaissance and early baroque era. The early 17th-century French and Italian

madrigal A madrigal is a form of secular vocal music most typical of the Renaissance (15th–16th centuries) and early Baroque (1580–1650) periods, although revisited by some later European composers. The polyphonic madrigal is unaccompanied, and the ...

is a special interest. Le Poème Harmonique also teaches singers in collaboration with the '' Centre de Musique Baroque'' (Center for

Baroque Music Baroque music ( or ) refers to the period or dominant style of Classical music, Western classical music composed from about 1600 to 1750. The Baroque style followed the Renaissance music, Renaissance period, and was followed in turn by the Class ...

) at

Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; ) is a former royal residence commissioned by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, in the Yvelines, Yvelines Department of Île-de-France, Île-de-France region in Franc ...

. The group's recordings with the French Alpha record label of Jean-Paul Combet contributed to the critical and commercial establishment of the label, and included the 1st and 100th releases of the label's primary 'Ut Pictura Musica' series.Gramophone: Volume 84, Issues 1010-1013 2006 Alpha the French record label, is celebrating its 100th 'Ut Pictura Musica' release with a recording of vocal and instrumental works by Charles Tessier, performed by Vincent Dumestre's ensemble Le Poeme Harmonique.

Discography

* Emilio de Cavalieri: Lamentationes Hieremiae Prophetae, CD *

Charles Tessier Charles Tessier (ca. 1550 – after 1604) was a French composer and lutenist.Lute Society journal: Volume 20 Lute Society (Great Britain) - 1978 THE LUTE AIRS OF CHARLES TESSIER. FRANK DOBBINS. Although no corroboration has been found for Fetis ...

: Carnets de Voyage, CD *

Étienne Moulinié Étienne Moulinié (10 October 1599 – 1676) was a French Baroque composer. He was born in Languedoc, and when he was a child he sang at the Narbonne Cathedral. Through the influence of his brother Antoine (died 1655), Moulinié gained an appo ...

: L'humaine comédie *

Robert de Visée Robert de Visée (1652-1730) 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 a composer for lute, theorbo and guitar. Biography Robert de Visée's place and d ...

: Pieces de Theorbe, CD * Bellerofonte Castaldi: Le musiche di Bellerofonte Castaldi *

Domenico Belli Domenico Belli (died May 1627 in Florence) was an Italian composer who worked at the Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence from 1610–13. He is most notable for his setting of the ''Pianto d'Orfeo'' (or '' Orfeo dolente'') by the Camerata poet G ...

: Il nuovo stile

Guillemette Laurens Guillemette Laurens (born 6 November 1957 in Fontainebleau, France) is a French operatic mezzo-soprano. Guillemette trained at the Academy of Toulouse and debuted as Baba in ''The Rake's Progress'' at Salle Favart. She took part in the premiere ...

* La conversation: Robert de Visée Vincent Dumestre, and poems of

Théophile de Viau Théophile de Viau (159025 September 1626) was a French Baroque poet and dramatist. Life Born at Clairac, near Agen in the Lot-et-Garonne and raised as a Huguenot, Théophile de Viau participated in the Huguenot rebellions in Guyenne from 1615– ...

declaimed by

Eugène Green Eugène Green (born 28 June 1947) is an American-born French filmmaker and dramatist. He is notable as an educator, training a generation of young actors in the revival of French baroque theatre technique and declamation. Films * 2001 : ''Tou ...

in Baroque French. * ''Combattimenti!'':

Monteverdi Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi (baptized 15 May 1567 – 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, choirmaster and string player. A composer of both secular and sacred music, and a pioneer in the development of opera, he is considere ...

Marco Marazzoli Marco Marazzoli (1602? – 26 January 1662) was an Italian priest and Baroque music composer. Early life Born at Parma, Marazzoli received early training as a priest, and was ordained around 1625. He moved to Rome in 1626, and entered the se ...

''La Fiera di Farfa'': Alpha 172 *

Pierre Guédron Pierre Guédron (c. 1570 in Châteaudun – c. 1620 in Paris), was a French singer and composer. Guédron's ''Est-ce Mars'' (1613) was especially popular and is known in versions by Sweelinck (keyboard), Scheidt (5 part strings) and Vallet (4 l ...

: Le Consert des Consorts, CD *

Il Fásolo Giovanni Battista Fasolo, O.F.M.Conv (Asti, ca. 1598 Palermo after 1664), was a Franciscan friar, organist and composer. In his middle years Fasolo was primarily known for his 1645 organ annual, which, like ''L'organo suonarino'' of Adriano Banc ...

? * ''Firenze 1616'': '' L'Orfeo Dolente'' by

Claudio Saracini Claudio Saracini (1 July 1586 – 20 September 1630) was an Italian composer, lutenist, and singer of the early Baroque era. He was one of the most famous and distinguished composers of monody. Life Saracini was born to a noble family, proba ...

Giulio Caccini Giulio Romolo Caccini (also Giulio Romano) (8 October 1551 – buried 10 December 1618) was an Italian composer, teacher, singer, instrumentalist and writer of the late Renaissance and early Baroque eras. He was one of the founders of the genre o ...

and

Cristofano Malvezzi Cristofano Malvezzi (baptised June 28, 1547 – January 22, 1599) was an Italian organist and composer of the late Renaissance. He was one of the most famous composers in the city of Florence during a time of transition to the Baroque style. ...

* ''Plaisir d'Amour'':

Claire Lefilliâtre Claire Lefilliâtre, in ''le Festin romain'', concert in the Spanish Hall of the Prague Castle, 6 August 2013 Claire Lefilliâtre is a contemporary French soprano specialising in Baroque music repertoire. Lefilliâtre collaborates mainly with th ...

, Brice Duisit,

Isabelle Druet Isabelle Druet (born 19 September 1979) is a French operatic coloratura mezzo-soprano who has performed internationally. She began her career as an actress and co-founded a theatre company, La Carotte. She has performed in concert and recorded wit ...

. * ''Love is strange'' - English lute consort music by

Anthony Holborne Anthony ntonyHolborne olburne(c. 1545 – 29 November 1602) was a composer of music for lute, cittern, and instrumental consort of instruments, consort during the reign of Elizabeth I of England, Queen Elizabeth I. Life An "Anthony Holbu ...

Robert Parsons (composer) Robert Parsons ( – 25 January 1572) was an English composer of the Tudor period who was active during the reigns of Edward VI of England, King Edward VI, Mary I of England, Queen Mary I and Elizabeth I of England, Queen Elizabeth I. He is no ...

Thomas Robinson (composer) Thomas Robinson () was an English Renaissance music, Renaissance composer and music teacher, who flourished around 1600. He taught and wrote music for lute, cittern, orpharion, bandora (instrument), bandora, viol, and Human voice as an instrument ...

John Bull (composer) John Bull (1562/63 – 12/13 March 1628) was an English composer, organist, Virginals, virginalist and organ builder. He was a renowned keyboard performer of the English Virginalist School, virginalist school and most of his compositions were w ...

John Dowland John Dowland ( – buried 20 February 1626) was an English Renaissance composer, lutenist, and singer. He is best known today for his melancholy songs such as "Come, heavy sleep", " Come again", " Flow my tears", " I saw my Lady weepe", " N ...

John Danyel John Danyel or John Daniel (Baptized 6 November 1564 – c. 1626) was an English lute player and songwriter. He was born in Wellow, Somerset, and was the younger brother of poet Samuel Daniel. His surviving works include "Coy Daphne Fled", about ...

Orlando Gibbons Orlando Gibbons ( bapt. 25 December 1583 – 5 June 1625) was an English composer and keyboard player who was one of the last masters of the English Virginalist School and English Madrigal School. The best known member of a musical famil ...

, John Coprario,

John Johnson (composer) John Johnson ( – 1594) was an English lutenist, composer of songs and lute music, attached to the court of Queen Elizabeth I. He was the father of the lutenist and composer Robert Johnson. Discography The lutenist Lynda Sayce has recorded ...

and anonymous and traditional. * '' :fr:Aux marches du palais'' Romances & complaintes de la France d'autrefois *

Luis de Briceño Luis de Briceño (also ''Briçeño'', ''Brizeño''; fl. 1610s–1630s) was a Spanish guitarist and music theorist who introduced the Spanish guitar style in France, where previously only the lute was considered a serious plucked instrument. He trav ...

: ''El Fénix de Paris'' *

Antoine Boësset Antoine Boësset, Antoine Boesset or Anthoine de Boesset (1586 – 8 December 1643), Sieur de Villedieu, was the superintendent of music at the Ancien Régime French court and a composer of secular music, particularly airs de cour. He and his fathe ...

: ''Je meurs sans mourir'' *

Michel Richard Delalande Michel Richard Delalande e Lalande'' (; 15 December 1657 – 18 June 1726) was a French Baroque composer and organist who was in the service of King Louis XIV. He was one of the most important composers of grands motets. He also wrote o ...

: 3

Leçons de ténèbres Leçons de ténèbres ( 'lessons of darkness'; sometimes spelled Leçons des ténèbres) is a genre of French Baroque music which developed from the polyphonic lamentations settings for the tenebrae service of Renaissance composers such as Sermi ...

, with accompanying CD of

Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet Jacques-Bénigne Lignel Bossuet (; 27 September 1627 – 12 April 1704) was a French Bishop (Catholic Church), bishop and theology, theologian. Renowned for his sermons, addresses and literary works, he is regarded as a brilliant orator and lit ...

's ''Sermon sur la mort'' declaimed by

in Baroque French. * Daniel Brel ''Quatre chemins de mélancolie'' Le Poème Harmonique: Daniel Brel (bandoneon), viol consort, Vincent Dumestre (theorbo and direction) * Nova Metamorfosi:

Vincenzo Ruffo Vincenzo Ruffo (c. 1508 – 9 February 1587) was an Italian composer of the Renaissance. He was one of the composers most responsive to the musical reforms suggested by the Council of Trent, especially in his composition of masses, and as suc ...

and Claudio Monteverdi *

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'' ''H.146, Marche en rondeau''. This theme is st ...

, ''Te Deum'' H.146,

Jean-Baptiste Lully Jean-Baptiste Lully ( – 22 March 1687) was a French composer, dancer and instrumentalist of Italian birth, who is considered a master of the French Baroque music style. Best known for his operas, he spent most of his life working in the court o ...

, ''Te Deum,'' Le Poème Harmonique &

Capella Cracoviensis Capella Cracoviensis is a period instrument ensemble and a chamber choir based in Kraków, Poland. It was formed in 1970 by composer and music conductor Stanisław Gałoński (b. 1936), its first director and general manager. Capella Cracoviensi ...

, conducted by Vincent Dumestre. CD Alpha 2013. * G. B. Pergolesi:

Stabat Mater The Stabat Mater is a 13th-century Christian hymn to the Virgin Mary that portrays her suffering as mother during the crucifixion of her son Jesus Christ. Its author may be either the Franciscan friar Jacopone da Todi or Pope Innocent III.Saba ...

. Patrizia Bovi (soprano), Pino de Vittorio (tenor), Bernard Arrieta (bass). Le Poème Harmonique, Les Pages & Les Chantres de la Chapelle, dir. Olivier Schneebeli DVD *

Cadmus et Hermione ''Cadmus et Hermione'' is a ''French lyric tragedy, tragédie en musique'' in a prologue and five acts by Jean-Baptiste Lully. The French-language libretto is by Philippe Quinault, after Ovid's ''Metamorphoses''. It was first performed on 27 April ...

, DVD * Jean-Baptiste Lully: Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, 2 DVDs

References

External links

HomepageGoldberg Magazine
{{France-band-stub Mixed early music groups Musical groups established in 1998