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The Bedroom of the King (La Chambre du Roi)

Intimate music from the court of Versailles and the salons of Paris performed by eminent Early Music ensemble, Elysium.

The Bedroom of the King - La Chambre du Roi, evokes the intimacy, delicacy, refinement and above all, the douceur ('softness' or 'sweetness') of French chamber music of the early 18th century, particularly in the court of Louis XIV.

The Elysium Ensemble comprising eminent Early Music practitioners: Greg Dikmans (Baroque Flute), Ruth Wilkinson (Bass Viol), Linda Kent (Harpsichord) and Lucinda Moon (Baroque Violin) present a program featuring the music of François Couperin and Jacques Hotteterre, two of the most famous musicians of their time. Both were members of the Musique de la Chambre du Roi - an elite company of musicians who performed for Louis XIV in his private apartments at Versailles. Their music is the music of elegant conversation that, with the natural charm and sensitivity of its melodies and the classical beauty of its forms, delights the intellect and moves the heart.

In keeping with performance practice of the time and to further enhance one's musical, aural and rhetorical appreciation of the music, the main work Couperin's "Huitième Concert" is broken up in several places by his "Septième Concert" and Jacques Hotteterre's "Suite in E minor" and "Deuxième suite de pièces à deux dessus".

Artist

Elysium Ensemble

The Elysium Ensemble has been acclaimed by critics for its exciting performances, fine musicianship and authoritative interpretations of music from the Baroque and Classical repertoire.


Press quotes

“The ensemble perform these with a similar poise and style and haunting loveliness.”

— The New Englander

“the first detail the strikes me ... is the vitality of the performance ... The listener is kept interested by the varying of texture and timbre which is at the same still light and transparent ... dynamic playing.”

— Caroline Downer, Cinnamon Sticks

“Neither strident nor over-elaborate, the delightful compositions are played with appropriate delicacy ... and recorded with an intimate acoustic.”

— Andrew Scott, The Sunday Age

“If there's a word to sum up this CD, it is cheerfulness. The music seems to bounce along, even in the grave moments ... The performance is clean, agile and stylish.”

— Neville Olliffe, Early Music News

Audio previews

Track Listing

    Huitième concert dans le gout théâtral François Couperin

  1. Ouverture
  2. Grande ritournelle
  3. Air tendre

    4. Septième concert François Couperin

  4. Prélude
  5. Allemande
  6. Sarabande
  7. Fuguéte
  8. Gavotte
  9. Sicilienne

    10. Huitième concert François Couperin

  10. Air tendre-Rondeau
  11. Air léger
  12. Loure

    13. Suite en E si mi (E minor) Jacques Hotteterre

  13. Prélude
  14. Allemande-La Fontainebleau
  15. Sarabande-Le Depart
  16. Air-Le Fleuri
  17. Gavotte-La Mitilde
  18. Menuet-Le Beaulieu & Deuxième
  19. Rondeau-Le Lutin

    20. Huitième concert François Couperin

  20. Air
  21. Sarabande

    22. Deuxième suite de pièces à deux dessus Jacques Hotteterre

  22. Les heureux moments
  23. Allemande-La Maréchale de Villars
  24. Musette & Menuet
  25. Gigue 1
  26. Sarabande-La St. Maurice
  27. Rondeau
  28. Gigue 2

    29. Huitième concert François Couperin

  29. Air léger
  30. Air de Bacchantes

Performers

Composer

François Couperin

Couperin belonged to a family of several composers from the mid-17th to mid-19th centuries. He was organist in the chapel of Louis XIV at Versailles, and was the greatest French master of the harpsichord.


Where to buy

The Bedroom of the King (La Chambre du Roi) is available for download from the iTunes Music Store.
It's available for streaming through Apple Music.

The Bedroom of the King (La Chambre du Roi) is available as as CD. It can be purchased online through Buywell Music or the Australian Music Centre which both offer secure online ordering.

Move CDs can be ordered through music retailers across Australia including Readings.

Product details

Recorded at the Move Records Studio, Melbourne Australia.

This recording is supported by the Victorian Government through Arts Victoria - Department of Premier and Cabinet.

List price
$25.00 AUD
Producer
Greg Dikmans
Martin Wright
Engineer
Vaughan McAlley
Venue
Move Records Studio
Thanks to
Arts Victoria
Early Music Studio University of Melbourne
Friends of Elysium
Simone Pérèle
Release date
1998
Copyright
© 1998 Move Records
Phonogram
℗ 1998 Move Records
Categories
Classical, Early music
Catalogue number
MD 3184
Alternate catalogue number
MD3184
Barcode
EAN 9314574318425