{"product_id":"michel-richard-de-lalande_les-fontaines-de-versailles-le-concert-desculape_2020","title":"Les Fontaines de Versailles Le Concert d’Esculape","description":"In the music of the Grand Siècle written for Versailles, the sacred repertoire and that of the Tragédie Lyrique have been brilliantly illustrated on record, but the repertoire of entertainments and light pieces, except for that reserved for the King's Chamber, has remained largely ignored: for this genre, it is preferred to draw from the abundant reserve of the following century. Yet the Versailles of the Grand Louis was the stage for sumptuous festivities, where the king danced in his youth, as did Montespan, who commissioned Michel-Richard de Lalande for her apartments the Concert d’Esculape, celebrating the royal entity's dominion over humanity and the universe. The almost gallant tone that seeps through the parable reveals the flexibility of Lalande: if he were to enter the favorite's salon, he would do so with ribbons and a delicacy of style that abandons pomp to flatter the pleasures of melody, savoring a subtle brilliance. It is this unique touch that Paul O’Dette and Stephen Stubbs bring to life, leading with their two lutes this intimate little gem, which stands in contrast to the grand outdoor entertainment of the Fountains of Versailles, whose invention, distinct from Lully's pomp, enchanted Louis XIV enough to appoint the young man as deputy master of the Chapel. The libretto by Morel, which animates the gods and goddesses of the park's fountains to celebrate royal power, allows Lalande to unleash his imagination and to shine with a language as subtle as it is expressive. The work is magnificent from start to finish, marking a small revolution in the musician's journey when compared to what we know from contemporary commentators about the pastoral opera L’Amour Berger performed at the Château de Fontainebleau (unfortunately lost): it establishes a true theater within court entertainment and produces striking airs that would not be out of place in a Tragédie Lyrique (“I am that unfortunate giant,” the great air of Encelade, admirable and artfully sung by John Taylor Ward). The valiant troupe of the Boston Early Music Festival, recorded during performances by the Bremen Radio teams, gives an accurate face to all of this, and its singers showcase their style while taking care with their French; they not only perform a valuable service but do so with excellence, giving justice to this lesser-known part of Lalande's catalog that can no longer be reduced out of ignorance to his admirable grand motets or music for the royal table. (Jean-Charles Hoffelé)","brand":"Michel-Richard de Lalande","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58295714382168,"sku":null,"price":20201001.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0898\/4943\/0360\/files\/0761203509720.jpg?v=1787870293","url":"https:\/\/vinyles.com\/en\/products\/michel-richard-de-lalande_les-fontaines-de-versailles-le-concert-desculape_2020","provider":"Vinyles.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}