Le Chapeau de Rimbaud

Un soir à Paris, Daniel Mercier, comptable, dîne en solitaire dans une brasserie, quand un illustre convive s’installe à la table voisine : François Mitterrand. Son repas achevé, le Président oublie son chapeau, que notre Français moyen décide de s’approprier en souvenir.
Il ignore que son existence va en être bouleversée.
Tel un talisman, ce célèbre feutre noir ne tarde pas à transformer le destin du petit employé au sein de son entreprise. Daniel aurait-il percé le mystère du pouvoir suprême ? …

Half Baroque, half contemporary, half French, half British: that is the challenge taken up here by Franck-Emmanuel Comte and Le Concert de L'Hostel Dieu. This recording presents in the same program pieces by Lully and by Purcell, together with contemporary creations by the Frenchman David Chalmin, inspired by Purcell, and by the British composer Martyn Harry, inspired by Lully. Both contemporary composers combine the sounds of Baroque instruments with their own expression, thus removing borders and engaging in a dialogue involving different periods and different languages. Axelle Verner lends her mezzo voice and unique personality to the vocal pieces in this program.

This is the first time a French violinist has joined the line of prestigious solo virtuosi recording for the Vivaldi Edition. Violinist Julien Chauvin and his Concert de la Loge founded in 2015, and modeled on one of the most celebrated orchestras of the late 18th century here reveal all the discreet charms of an inventive concertante style rich in detail, featuring Vivaldis favored instrument. This particular set of concerti highlight the consistently close links between Vivaldis instrumental and operatic works. Transcending the difference of genre, the Venetian composers unitary conception of language and style allowed him to pass with the deft skill of a juggler from one domain to the other, making them happily converge on common ground, writes Cesare Fertonani.

Baptiste Romain, director of the ensemble Le Miroir de Musique, has just been appointed professor at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. To mark this occasion, he enriches the ‘Instruments’ series on the Ricercar label with a recital devoted to the medieval vielle (bowed fiddle): troubadour songs and dances and polyphonic compositions from the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries illustrate the various stages in the evolution of this instrument, the ancestor of the violin.

The Haydn series continues with the Paris Symphony no 87. Julien Chauvin and his orchestra keep shaking us up with historical instruments listening Haydn’s works and several other forgotten scores from the same period. All of them were commissioned for the Concert de la Loge Olympique - ancestor and model for Julien Chauvin and his musicians - and all of them sank into oblivion during the 19th century, except for Haydn’s symphonies. The release offers an opportunity to experience some rare works of Grétry, Lemoyne and Ragué and to revive the success that they once knew.

Born in the Prince-Bishopric of Liège, Antoine Gosswin was recruited at a very young age by the Bavarian court chapel, where he was in frequent contact with Orlando di Lasso and accompanied the Emperor Maximilian II on his travels. Esteemed as a singer and composer, he was also part of the violin band employed by Duke Albert V at the legendary wedding of Prince William in 1568. Gosswin would go on to conduct the chapel of Prince Ernest, Bishop of Freising and later of Liège, to whom he dedicated his Newe teutsche Lieder. Extremely prolific, Gosswin produced several masses and motets as well as madrigals and German songs in which he continued the musical developments initiated by his master Lasso.