In this new series, Paul Agnew and Les Arts Florissants invite us to follow the creative itinerary of J. S. Bach through the times and cities in which he lived. The first instalment introduces us to... more

A hybrid work between oratorio, ode and serenata, L'Allegro is undoubtedly one of Handel's most mysterious works, but also his most inspired. With their accustomed poetry, William Christie and Les... more

In 1611, after two years of study with Gabrieli in Venice, Heinrich Schütz tried his hand at composing madrigals on Italian poems. This mere 'graduation exercise' turned out to be a masterpiece: the... more

Paul Agnew and Les Arts Florissants conclude their exploration of this fascinating corpus. Even more than in his first books, Gesualdo here displays incredible modernity, playing in inimitable... more

On the strength on the immense success of Dido & Aeneas and King Arthur, in 1692 Purcell went on to produce The Fairy Queen, based on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. The work is, in fact, a... more

Commissioned by the Comte d'Ogny for the Le Concert de la Loge Olympique, the 'Paris' Symphonies form a key milestone in Haydn's output. William Christie and Les Arts Florissants have long loved... more

A puzzling paradox: although Vivaldi devoted over 30 years to composing for the Ospedale della Pietà in Venice, no complete musical setting of any liturgy by him has come down to us. By intercalating... more