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William Christie, Les Arts Florissants - Marc-Antoine Charpentier: La Descente d'Orphée aux Enfers (1995)

Posted By: ArlegZ
William Christie, Les Arts Florissants - Marc-Antoine Charpentier: La Descente d'Orphée aux Enfers (1995)

William Christie, Les Arts Florissants - Marc-Antoine Charpentier: La Descente d'Orphée aux Enfers (1995)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue & Log) ~ 278 Mb | Total time: 56:10 | Scans included
Classical | Label: Erato | 0630-11913-2 | Recorded: 1995

The myth of Orpheus–the divine musician who went to Hades to rescue his bride Eurydice from the dead and whose song actually persuaded Pluto to release her–has been irresistible to operatic composers from Monteverdi to Offenbach. One of the happiest rediscoveries of the Baroque revival is this lovely one-act chamber opera by Marc-Antoine Charpentier, which combines the gentle lilt typical of French Baroque music with the beautiful melodies and delicious suspensions in which Charpentier excelled. Charpentier diverged from the myth in one important respect: he omitted the tragic ending in which Orpheus loses Eurydice a second time, instead allowing the couple to live happily ever after.

Philippe Jaroussky, Max Emanuel Cencic, William Christie, Les Arts Florissants - Duetti (2011)

Posted By: ArlegZ
Philippe Jaroussky, Max Emanuel Cencic, William Christie, Les Arts Florissants - Duetti (2011)

Philippe Jaroussky, Max Emanuel Cencic, William Christie, Les Arts Florissants - Duetti: Bononcini, Mancini, Conti, Porpora, Marcello, Scarlatti (2011)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue & Log) ~ 382 Mb | Total time: 74:21 | Scans included
Classical | Label: Virgin Classics | # 5099907094323 | Recorded: 2011

This album of Baroque cantatas and chamber duets grew out of a 2007 performance of Stefano Landi's 1631 opera Il Sant'Alessio starring Philippe Jaroussky and Max Emanuel Cencic (among the eight countertenors in the cast) with William Christie conducting Les Arts Florissants. Christie was so impressed with the blend of Jaroussky and Cencic's voices that he brought them together to explore the vast and rarely performed repertoire of late 17th and early 18th century Italian duets for equal voices.

William Christie, Les Arts Florissants - Claudio Monteverdi: L’incoronazione di Poppea (2019)

Posted By: ArlegZ
William Christie, Les Arts Florissants - Claudio Monteverdi: L’incoronazione di Poppea (2019)

William Christie, Les Arts Florissants - Claudio Monteverdi: L’incoronazione di Poppea (2019)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue & Log) ~ 950 Mb | Total time: 3h 06'35'' | Scans included
Classical | Label: Harmonia Mundi | # HAF890262224 | Recorded: 2018

“Some of the most wonderful music in the world” is how William Christie describes Monteverdi’s The Coronation of Poppea, noting in particular the opera’s overriding humanism and interest in questions of morality and ambition. Performed by an exceptional cast of soloists (including Sonya Yoncheva, Kate Lindsey, Stéphanie d’Oustrac…) working with a remarkable stage director, Jan Lauwers, each of the work’s characters is vividly brought to life, accompanied by a reduced ensemble featuring a large continuo section essential for capturing the unique sound world of the composer. This acclaimed production was recorded in 2018 at the prestigious Salzburg Festival.

William Christie, Les Arts Florissants - Henry Purcell: The Fairy Queen (1989)

Posted By: ArlegZ
William Christie, Les Arts Florissants - Henry Purcell: The Fairy Queen (1989)

William Christie, Les Arts Florissants - Henry Purcell: The Fairy Queen (1989)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue & Log) ~ 785 Mb | Total time: 64:48+63:54 | Scans included
Classical | Label: Harmonia Mundi | # HMC 901308.09 | Recorded: 1989

On the strength of the immense success of Dido & Aeneas and King Arthur, in 1692 Purcell went on to produce The Fairy Queen, based on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer-Night’s Dream. The work is, in fact, a ‘semi-opera’, or ‘opera with dialogue’, in which only some of the crucial scenes are provided with music. But this version of A Midsummer-Night’s Dream by the ‘Orpheus Britannicus’ became almost as famous as the play that inspired it, with its love scenes, its supernatural scenes and its innate sense of musical humour investing it with an irresistible savour and enchantment.This title was released for the first time in 1989.

Les Arts Florissants & Paul Agnew - Schütz: Italian Madrigals (2023)

Posted By: delpotro
Les Arts Florissants & Paul Agnew - Schütz: Italian Madrigals (2023)

Les Arts Florissants & Paul Agnew - Schütz: Italian Madrigals (2023)
WEB FLAC (tracks) - 236 Mb | MP3 CBR 320 kbps - 140 Mb | 01:00:54
Classical, Vocal | Label: harmonia mundi

1611. After two years of study with Gabrieli in Venice, Heinrich Schütz tried his hand at composing madrigals on Italian poems. This mere ‘graduation exercise’ turned out to be a masterpiece: the young German composer demonstrated his ability to identify each nuance of the text with a different musical emotion, a refinement heightened here by the interpretation of Les Arts Florissants.

Les Arts Florissants, Théotime Langlois de Swarte & William Christie - Haydn: Paris Symphonies - Violin Concerto No. 1 (2023)

Posted By: delpotro
Les Arts Florissants, Théotime Langlois de Swarte & William Christie - Haydn: Paris Symphonies - Violin Concerto No. 1 (2023)

Les Arts Florissants, Théotime Langlois de Swarte & William Christie - Haydn: Paris Symphonies - Violin Concerto No. 1 (Live) (2023)
WEB FLAC (tracks) - 609 Mb | MP3 CBR 320 kbps - 291 Mb | Digital booklet | 02:06:22
Classical | Label: harmonia mundi

Commissioned by the Comte d’Ogny for the Le Concert de la Loge Olympique, the ‘Paris’ Symphonies form a key milestone in Haydn’s output.

Les Arts Florissants - Charpentier: Cæcilia Virgo et Martyr, H.413; Filius prodigus, H.399; Magnificat, H.73 (1999/2023)

Posted By: delpotro
Les Arts Florissants - Charpentier: Cæcilia Virgo et Martyr, H.413; Filius prodigus, H.399; Magnificat, H.73 (1999/2023)

Les Arts Florissants & William Christie - M.A. Charpentier: Cæcilia Virgo et Martyr, H.413 - Filius prodigus, H.399 - Magnificat, H.73 (1999/2023)
WEB FLAC (tracks) - 265 Mb | MP3 CBR 320 kbps - 139 Mb | 01:00:32
Classical, Sacred, Oratorio | Label: harmonia mundi

If Marc-Antoine Charpentier's Latin oratorios rise up to the summits of French music of the 'Grand Sicle', they none the less remain isolated cases. At the time the oratorio was as little appreciated in France as it was extolled in Italy - where, in fact, Charpentier discovered the genre while studying with Carissimi in Rome. In any case, what he did with it went way beyond a mere schoolroom exercise! These three oratorios, composed between 1672 and 1698, are superb examples of Charpentier's individual qualities: an acute sense of the word and an unprecedented dramatic effectiveness.

William Christie, Les Arts Florissants - Marc-Antoine Charpentier: Judicium Salomonis (2006)

Posted By: ArlegZ
William Christie, Les Arts Florissants - Marc-Antoine Charpentier: Judicium Salomonis (2006)

William Christie, Les Arts Florissants - Marc-Antoine Charpentier: Judicium Salomonis (2006)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue & Log) ~ 333 Mb | Total time: 63:00 | Scans included
Classical | Label: Virgin Classics | # 3 59294 2 | Recorded: 2005

This Virgin Classics release reunites William Christie and Les Arts Florissants with the music of Marc-Antoine Charpentier, a composer for whom it can be said Christie has done more to expose than any other he has taken on. This is saying a lot, as Christie has also made extensive recorded forays into the works of Campra, Lully, Montéclair, Monteverdi, Purcell, and in particular, Handel. However, Charpentier remains a special case to Christie, and there is still a monumental amount of unrecorded music by this composer to exploit. The two works on Virgin Classics' Charpentier: Judicium Salomonis actually have been recorded before, though not often and not by well-known groups like Christie's – the Motet pour une longue Offrande has been recorded by Philippe Herreweghe and that's about it in terms of the competition.

Les Arts Florissants, William Christie - Rameau: Pygmalion, Nelee & Myrthis (1992)

Posted By: tirexiss
Les Arts Florissants, William Christie - Rameau: Pygmalion, Nelee & Myrthis (1992)

Les Arts Florissants, William Christie - Rameau: Pygmalion, Nelee & Myrthis (1992)
EAC | FLAC (image+.cue, log) | Covers Included | 78:05 | 387 MB
Genre: Classical, Opera, Ballet | Label: Harmonia Mundi | Catalog: HMC 901381

Pygmalion is, perhaps, Rameau's most consistently alluring ac/c de ballet whose overture, at least, was greatly admired in the composer's lifetime. There have been three earlier commercial recordings of which only the most recent, on Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, is currently available. Pygmalion was Rameau's second ac/c de ballet and it contains affecting and vigorous music in the composer's richest vein. The action takes place in Pygmalion's studio. Captivated by the appearance of the statue he has just completed, Pygmalion, legendary King of Cyprus, falls in love with it.

Xavier de Maistre, William Chritie, Les Arts Florissants - La Harpe Reine: Musique à la Cour de Marie-Antoinette (2016)

Posted By: ArlegZ
Xavier de Maistre, William Chritie, Les Arts Florissants - La Harpe Reine: Musique à la Cour de Marie-Antoinette (2016)

Xavier de Maistre, William Chritie, Les Arts Florissants - La Harpe Reine: Musique à la Cour de Marie-Antoinette (2016)
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue & Log ~ 459 Mb | Total time: 70:09 | Scans included
Classical | Label: Harmonia Mundi | # HAF 8902276 | Recorded: 2016

When the young Archduchess of Austria, Marie-Antoinette, arrived at the French court in 1770, amongst her luggage was a harp. Contrary to the instrument’s heralded decline, the harp was about to enjoy an unprecedented popularity and to inspire a rich and prolific repertoire, quite distinct from the concertos being composed for the keyboard. Xavier de Maistre and Les Arts Florissants take us on a voyage of discovery through these magnificent compositions, from the lesser known Concerto for harp & orchestra by Jean-Baptiste Krumpholz to Haydn’s “La Reine” Symphony, bringing them to life using period instruments in a programme that is as accomplished as it is captivating.

William Christie, Les Arts Florissants - Rameau: In Convertendo (2006)

Posted By: Vilboa
William Christie, Les Arts Florissants - Rameau: In Convertendo (2006)

William Christie, Les Arts Florissants - Rameau: In Convertendo (2006)
NTSC 16:9 (720x480) | Latin (LinearPCM, 2 ch) | (DTS, 6 ch) | 6.45 Gb (DVD9) | 97 min
Classical | Opus Arte | Sub: English, Deutsch, Francais, Espanol, Italiano

Jean-Philippe Rameau was still a young musician when he moved to Lyon, where he probably composed his few surviving motets, including the Grand Motet In Convertendo, here performed by Les Arts Florissants under William Christie, which anticipates Rameau’s orchestration in his later operatic works. The wonderful fugue on Psalm 126 (verse 6) Euntes ibant et flebant (They went forth and wept) bears comparison with similar works by his contemporary, J. S. Bach.

William Christie, Les Art Florissants - André Campra: Idoménée (1999)

Posted By: ArlegZ
William Christie, Les Art Florissants - André Campra: Idoménée (1999)

William Christie, Les Art Florissants - André Campra: Idoménée (1999)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue & Log) ~ 737 Mb | Total time: 49:12+57:51+59:35 | Scans included
Classical | Label: Harmonia Mundi | # 2901396.98 | Recorded: 1991

Campra's Idomenee (based on the same story as Mozart's Idomeneo) was first staged in 1712. Campra significantly reworked the score for the 1731 revival, and it is this second version of the opera that is recorded here. The opera follows the traditional tragedie-lyrique pattern having five acts and a prologue. But under Campra's pen (I mean, quill), the formalities of the genre are transformed into a genuine drama. The comparison between the 1712 and 1731 versions of the opera confirms Campra's intention to produce an emotionally realistic drama: the second version eliminated several minor characters and streamlined the plot thus achieving a better dramatic effect.

Les Arts Florissants & Paul Agnew - Gesualdo: Tenebræ Responsoria, Feria Quinta (2023)

Posted By: delpotro
Les Arts Florissants & Paul Agnew - Gesualdo: Tenebræ Responsoria, Feria Quinta (2023)

Les Arts Florissants & Paul Agnew - Gesualdo: Tenebræ Responsoria, Feria Quinta (2023)
WEB FLAC (tracks) - 312 Mb | MP3 CBR 320 kbps - 175 Mb | Digital booklet | 01:16:12
Classical, Sacred, Choral | Label: harmonia mundi

With their bold harmonies, their counterpoint of unequalled refinement and their raw emotion, the Tenebrae Responsories are the sacred counterpart to Gesualdo’s last two books of madrigals, published the same year (1611). Paul Agnew and Les Arts Florissants here prolong their critically acclaimed exploration of those six increasingly venomous collections. Their interpretation of the Responsories for Maundry Thursday subtly shifts towards the conscious dolorism of the late works of the Prince of Venosa.

Les Arts Florissants & Paul Agnew - Gesualdo: Madrigali, Libri quinto & sesto (2023)

Posted By: delpotro
Les Arts Florissants & Paul Agnew - Gesualdo: Madrigali, Libri quinto & sesto (2023)

Les Arts Florissants & Paul Agnew - Gesualdo: Madrigali, Libri quinto & sesto (2023)
WEB FLAC (tracks) - 525 Mb | MP3 CBR 320 kbps - 318 Mb | Digital booklet | 02:18:27
Classical, Choral | Label: harmonia mundi

Fully integrated with the musical line, the singers avoid melodrama through intimate, small gestures as if acting for screen, not stage.’ Gramophone Critics' Choice 2021 Paul Agnew and Les Arts Florissants conclude their exploration of this fascinating corpus. Even more than in his first books, Gesualdo here displays incredible modernity, playing in inimitable fashion on dissonances and chromaticisms. Love and death, joys and sorrows embrace and clash amid ever bolder harmonies.

William Christie, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, The Glyndebourne Chorus - George Frideric Handel: Theodora (2012)

Posted By: ArlegZ
William Christie, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, The Glyndebourne Chorus - George Frideric Handel: Theodora (2012)

William Christie, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, The Glyndebourne Chorus - George Frideric Handel: Theodora (2012)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue & Log) ~ 916 Mb | Total time: 71:47+71:25+57:27 | Scans included
Classical | Label: GLYNDEBOURNE | # GFOCD 014-96 | Recorded: 1996

Here for the first time on CD is Glyndebourne's acclaimed 1996 production of Handel's oratorio Theodora. Although Theodora is a story of a virtuous woman and sexual persecution, this has not proved to be an obstacle to its enduring success, the subject a deeply touching one, resonating from the age of antiquity to the present day. The recording is the debut on the Glyndebourne label for the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, one of Glyndebourne's two resident orchestras. This audio release, in no way detracting from the extraordinary Peter Sellar's production, allows the focus to be on the soloists, conductor and orchestra. This recording confirms Lorraine Hunt as a true Handelian, capturing the spirit of Irene as few others could. In counter-tenor David Daniels as Didymus, there is a breadth of range drawing the listener away from the oft strained and forced falsetto sound.