Friday / 5 November / 8 pm
Rockefeller Memorial Chapel
LE CONCERT SPIRITUEL
Hervé Niquet, director
CHICAGO DEBUT

“Hervé Niquet’s message opens the gates to heaven.” L’Est Republicain

Director Hérve Niquet and his 13 singers and 16 instrumentalists are fast becoming the most popular early music ensemble in France. Often compared to Les Arts Florissants, Le Concert specializes in French and Italian Baroque, especially the music of Charpentier, composer of incidental music for Moliere’s comedies.

“Lost Songs of a Rhineland Harper”

“…Time stood still and a thousand years of music melted away.” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Parisian-based very early music ensemble founded in 1977 by Benjamin Bagby and the late Barbara Thonton prides itself on returning to the source – like the 11th century Canterbury manuscripts and the 10th century Icelandic Edda that form the basis for this program. Returning to Mandel after a 16-year absence, Bagby and his smaller, four member traveling ensemble will take concert-goers back to the beginning of secular song.

“Les gouts reunis”
Works by Pachelbel, Couperin, Purcell and Biber

“This orchestra made you want to dance in the aisles.” The Wall Street Journal

If the early music world has a superstar, it’s Barcelona’s Jordi Savall, the ultimate gamba player and the man who put classical music on the pop charts with his soundtrack for “Tous les Matins du Monde.” Le Concert, one of Savall’s three ensembles, is a Baroque orchestra of European musicians who focus on the best of Baroque and Classical music. This program will feature a tapas menu of 17th century composers with the incomparable Savall at the fore.

“Eine Kleine Alte Musik”
Works by Veracini, Vivaldi, Geminiani and Bach

“Occasionally an ensemble lifts you on to a whole new plane . . .” The London Independent

The Akademie für Alte Musik is one of musical Europe’s most inspiring success stories – from their days of smuggling money in tooth paste tubes across the Berlin Wall to their current status as Early Music America’s “best period orchestra in the world.” A long time collaborator with counter-tenor/conductor Rene Jacobs and with Daniel Barenboim’s Berlin Staatsopera, the Akademie will play a program of 17th century masters in this Carnegie Hall/Mandel Hall double debut.