Taken from Royer’s operatic works – and (with the exception of a live version of Pyrrhus) never previously recorded – these choreographic pieces reveal a new facet of the composer. The brilliance and virtuosity of his harpsichord compositions are well known; here we discover his gift for refinement and lyricism. These dances show Royer’s singular sense of harmony and fine use of orchestral contrasts, as well as an almost whimsical rhetoric of the unexpected. Some of his best-known pieces, including the famous “March of the Scythians” from Zaïde, are to be heard here in their orchestral form.
Recorded from 14th to 16th of December 2022 the church of Notre-Dame du Liban in Paris.
Les Talens Lyriques would like to thank Nicolas Bucher, Benoît Dratwicki, and the whole team at the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles.
