"VENICE TO VERSAILLES"
THE ELYSIUM ENSEMBLE
The title evokes the idea of a journey or movement, and the works recorded here certainly present an intriguing musical journey through the diversity of instrumental chamber music in France and Italy around the 17th century.
Venice and Versailles were two of the most important centres for the arts at the time. They represent two dominant yet contrasting styles: Venice, the robust, joyful exuberance and baroque (literally, barocco meaning wild or grotesque) character of the Italian style; and Versailles, the refinement, delicacy, elegance and douceur (sweetness) of the French.
This disc also includes a video (MPEG) of the performances of the Hotteterre Troisième Suite.
