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GABRIEL FAURE / CHARLES GOUNOD
Fauré: Requiem - Gounod: Messe de Clovis EmÅ‘ke Baráth (soprano), Philippe Estèphe, Le Concert Spirituel, Hervé Niquet [ Alpha Classics / CD - released 23/Aug/2024 ] While Faure's Requiem is a monument of French sacred music, Gounod's Messe de Clovis is much less well known. It was composed from 1891 onwards as a tribute to Clovis who, like Joan of Arc, had become an iconic figure after the defeat of France in... |
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JEAN-BAPTISTE LULLY
Lully: Armide 1778 (complete opera) Chantal Santon Jeffery, Katherine Watson, Véronique Gens, Tassis Christoyannis / Le Concert Spirituel, Hervé Niquet [ Alpha Classics / 2 CD/Book - released 28/Aug/2020 ] Recording of the Month - BBC Music Magazine, November 2020 |
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FELIX MENDELSSOHN
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mendelssohn: Psaume [Psalms]s La Chapelle Royale, Collegium Vocale, Philippe Herreweghe, with Peter Kooy (baritone), Eiddwen Harrhy (soprano), Hervé Lamy (tenor) [ Harmonia Mundi / CD - released 10/May/1988 ] "Elegant and fluent singing" - Gramophone |
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ORAZIO BENEVOLO
Benevolo: Missa Azzolina / Magnificat / Dixit Dominus Le Concert Spirituel; Hervé Niquet [ Naxos / CD - released 1/May/1996 ] "The voices of Le Concert Spiritual provide an impressive body of sound...An accompanying note by Jean Lionnet provides a helpful background." BBC Music "It's worth more than they're asking - at this price, you can hardly miss" Fanfare |
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JEAN-PAUL-EGIDE MARTINI
Martini: Requiem For Louis XVI Le Concert Spirituel, Hervé Niquet [ Château de Versailles / CD - released 24/Apr/2020 ] When it comes to his illustration of music at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, Martini had more to show than Plaisir d'Amour alone. The Bavarian would rise to glory at the French court and enjoy a privileged position amon the sovereigns. |
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JOSEPH BODIN de BOISMORTIER
Boismortier - Ballets de Village Le Concert Spirituel, Herve Niquet, conductor [ Naxos / CD - released 15/Jan/2002 ] "These ballets are delightfully un-serious stuff." |
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MARIN MARAIS
Marais: Sémélé (complete opera) Shannon Mercer, Benedicte Tauran, Jael Azzaretti, Hjordis Thebault, etc / Le Concert Spirituel, Hervé Niquet [ Glossa / 2 CD - released 10/Mar/2018 ] "It's full of arresting, colourful music, much of it - not least the thrillingly vivid closing earthquake scene - worthy of Rameau, writing three decades on." (Sunday Times) |
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BRUNEAU / FRANCK / GODARD / MASSENET / BIZET / etc
Véronique Gens - Visions Véronique Gens (soprano), Münchner Rundfunkorchester, Hervé Niquet [ Alpha Classics / CD - released 23/Jun/2017 ] "Gens and Niquet throw themselves into all this with an engrossing mix of abandon and restraint. Gens's trademark combination of purity of utterance and smoky tone speaks volumes." Gramophone Magazine Editor's Choice, July 2017 |
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DUBOIS / HAHN / FAURÉ / GOUNOD / CHAUSSON / SAINT-SAËNS
Paysage Véronique Gens (soprano), Münchner Rundfunkorchester, Hervé Niquet [ Alpha Classics / CD - released 12/Jul/2024 ] "Her soprano is in remarkably good shape, supple and elegant, her diction exemplary and her phrasing exquisite, deftly capturing the mood of each song." Gramophone Award Finalist - Voice & Ensemble |
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VARIOUS COMPOSERS
The French Romantic Experience Marc Minkowski, Hervé Niquet, François-Xavier Roth, Christophe Rousset, Diana Damrau, Véronique Gens, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, etc [ Bru Zane / 10 CD Box Set - released 1/Nov/2019 ] "Well worth anyone's attention, especially those attracted to the less familiar areas of 19th-century repertoire. In fact, I have rarely encountered a 'compilation' that has yielded so much listening pleasure" Gramophone |
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FERNAND de la TOMBELLE
La Tombelle: Musique De Chambre, Chorale et Symphonique (complete operetta) Brussels Philharmonic, Hannes Minnaar (piano) Flemish Radio Choir, Jeff Cohen, Yann Beuron (tenor), Pascal Amoyel, Emmanuelle Bertrand (cello), Herve [ Bru Zane / 2 CD/Book - released 15/Nov/2019 ] "The music's engaging, the performances decent, and the whole serves as a salutary reminder that you don't have to be a Beethoven to deserve a spot in the sun." The Times |
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CHARPENTIER
Music for the Prix de Rome Brussels Philharmonic / Orchestra of Flanders / Herve Niquet [ Glossa / 2 CD - released 20/May/2012 ] |
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JEAN-BAPTISTE LULLY
Lully: :Grand Motets, Vol. 2 Concert Spirituel Chorus, Herve Niquet [ Naxos / CD - released 31/Jan/2000 ] "The performances here are first-rate, with an accomplished and idiomatic crew of soloists, and fine work from the band and chorus. These are still the only available recordings of three of the four motets. A real buy from Naxos. Warmly recommended."... |
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JEAN-BAPTISTE LULLY
Lully: Grands Motets Vol.3 Le Concert Spirituel; Hervé Niquet [ Naxos / CD - released 1/May/2000 ] |
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CHARLES GOUNOD
Gounod: Cantates et Musique Sacree Gabrielle Philiponet (soprano), Sébastien Droy (tenor) / Flemish Radio Choir, Brussels Philharmonic, Hervé Niquet [ Bru Zane Ediciones Singulares / 2 CD/Book - released 26/Jan/2018 ] "The choral singing has wonderful richness, clarity and fervour, above all in the Messe vocale, which is breathtaking. A tremendous set, it adds immeasurably to our understanding of Gounod's work. Very highly recommended indeed." Gramophone |
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PAUL DUKAS
Dukas: Cantates, choeurs et musique symphonique Flemish Radio Choir & Brussels Philharmonic, Hervé Niquet [ Bru Zane / 2 CD/Book - released 13/Nov/2015 ] "These orchestral and choral performances are much more than adequate, and Hervé Niquet brings out every textural point he can in Dukas's scoring." Guardian |
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FELICIEN DAVID
David: Christophe Colomb & Musique de chambre, symphonique et sacrée, etc Flemish Radio Choir, Brussels Philharmonic, Hervé Niquet, Les Siècles, François-Xavier Roth [ Bru Zane Ediciones Singulares / 3 CD/Book - released 25/Aug/2017 ] "The performances are fabulous. François-Xavier Roth and Les Siècles mine the textures and sonorities of Christophe Colomb for all their worth" Gramophone Editor's Choice Oct 2017 |
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CLAUDE DEBUSSY
Debussy: Music for the Prix de Rome Guylaine Girard / Sophie Marilley / Bernard Richter / Alain Buet / Brussels Philharmonic / Orchestra of Flanders / Herve Niquet [ Glossa / 2 CD - released 16/Mar/2010 ] Claude Debussy presented himself as a candidate for the Prix de Rome on three separate occasions during the 1880s, the most innovative decade in the history of that competition; a time when success entitled the victors (at the French government's... |
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PURCELL
Dido & Aeneas Laura Pudwell, Peter Harvey, Salomé Haller / Le Concert Spirituel, Hervé Niquet [ Glossa / CD - released 20/Aug/2013 ] "This lively account by Le Concert Spirituel, with mainly English singers, led by Laura Pudwell...but an excellent French chorus, is fresh and exhilarating, one or two dubious vocal decorations apart." Sunday Times, 21st July 2013 |
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PAUL DUKAS
Oeuvres pour piano [Pieces for piano] Hervé Billaut (piano) [ Mirare / CD - released 15/Aug/2015 ] For the 150th anniversary of Paul Dukas, Herve Billaut's new CD focusses on his piano music. Out of the 14 works composed by Paul Dukas (only 14!), 6 were written for the piano. The two most substantial works are the Sonata of 1899-1900, and... |