Le Concert Spirituel ǀ H. Niquet

This visionary conductor established his ensemble in 1987, reviving the French Grand Motet and becoming, over more than thirty-five years, a major point of reference in Baroque music, breathing new life into masterpieces and forgotten gems alike. At Noda BCVS, his flair for grand style, immense soundscapes and unabashed theatricality has found its ideal showcase. This evening also represents our second collaboration with the Riches Heures de Valère: an alliance of excellence to launch our flamboyant Baroque Month. On the agenda: two iconic pieces by George Frideric Handel, which Niquet has already famously developed and magnified: Water Music and the Music for the Royal Fireworks. Handel’s Water Music, written in response to a request from King George I for a party on the Thames in 1717: horns and trumpets burst forth, while fanfares and more delicate movements are juxtaposed in festive opulence. With the Music for the Royal Fireworks, composed in 1749 to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in Green Park, Handel unfurls a magnificent fresco of sound: majestic overture, martial flourishes and solemn minuets. Faithful to his historically informed approach, Hervé Niquet reveals all of its power, stylistic precision and radiant energy.