Les Siecles
Formed in the summer of 2003 by Francois-Xavier Roth, Les Siecles comprises outstanding young players pooled from the very finest French ensembles. Roth’s founding ambition was for his orchestra to offer a new approach, not only to repertoire but also to the nature of the concert form. With a vast period-instrument collection at its disposal, spanning the baroque, classical, romantic and modern eras, the orchestra’s repertoire is notably wide in range. Les Siecles is one of a small number of ensembles to employ period and modern instruments, playing each repertoire on appropriate instruments. Its flexible and historically informed work delivers a unique strand of creative programming.

 

 

Francois-Xavier Roth and the musicians of Les Siecles have made a distinctive mark at home and abroad, presenting an orchestra for the 21st century. They have given well over 200 performances in France alone, including regular performances in Paris (Cite de la Musique, Theatre du Chatelet, Salle Gaveau, Opera Comique) and appearances at leading festivals throughout France. In addition to its work in France, Les Siecles is increasingly visible on the international scene. Its global profile has been magnified in recent seasons with concerts in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, London, Germany, Portugal, Italy and Japan. 

 

Les Siecles are in residency in the Aisne department, associated artist at La Cite de la Musique de Soissons and give regularly some concerts in Paris (Philharmonie, Opera Comique), Senart, Nîmes, Amiens, Caen, Royaumont, La Cote-Saint-Andre, Aix-en-Provence and in other places as London (BBC Proms, Royal Festival Hall), Amsterdam (Concertgebouw), Berlin (Konzerthaus), Bremen, Bruxelles (Klara Festival), Montecarlo, Wiesbaden, Köln, Luxembourg, Tokyo, Essen.

 

 

Their records of three Stravinsky’s ballets (L’Oiseau de Feu, Petrouchka et le Sacre du Printemps) received the Jahrespreis 2015 der Deutschen Schallplatten Kritik and won the Edison Klassiek award in Holland. Their Debussy disc was elected Sunday Times Disc of the year and Editor’s choice in the BBC Music Magazine and Gramophone. The France-Espagne disc with the works of Chabrier, Ravel, Massenet and Debussy received a “Choc of Classica”. In March 2017, Les Siècles started to work with Harmonia Mundi label for their last release: Ravel’s Daphnis & Chloe. The disc received many award: Gramophone Editor’s choice (June 2017), Rondo Magazin CD des Monats (May 2017), Music web international recording of the month, five stars of Diapason, FFFF of Télérama, Le choix de France Musique, la Clé du mois de Resmusica, The Arts Desk Cd of the week, Supersonic Pizzicato, Top Mezzo, Limelight magazine’s five stars.

 

- Neil Fisher, The Times

- Remy Franck, Pizzicato, Ravel: Daphnis & Chloe CD

- Mark Cullingford, The Gramophone

 

As Principal Conductor of the SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden & Freiburg (2011-2016), Roth recorded the complete tone poems of Richard Strauss. His recordings of the three Stravinsky ballets, The Firebird, Petrushka and The Rite of Spring with Les Siecles have also been widely acclaimed, with the latter being awarded a German Record Critics’ Prize. They have embarked on a complete Ravel cycle for Harmonia Mundi. The first release, Daphnis and Chloe, was a Gramophone magazine Editor’s Choice and CD of the month in Rondo Magazine.

 

Prelude a I'apres-midi d'un faune
 
Claude Debussy
Jeux
 
Maurice Ravel
La Valse
 
- Intermission -
 
Igor Stravinsky
Rite of Spring