Various Composers - London circa 1760; J.C. Bach, C.F. Abel & friends (La Rêveuse)

Information

• Carl Friedrich Abel - Concerto a Viola da Gamba Concertata in G Major (arr. Thomas Fritzsch & Günter von Zadow)
• Johann Christian Bach - Quartet in D Major, Op. 8 No. 2
• Francesco Geminiani - Piece for English Guitar in D Minor
• Carl Friedrich Abel - Quartet in G Major, WKO 227
• Thomas Alexander Erskine - Trio Sonata No. 6 in G Major
• Carl Friedrich Abel - 27 Pieces for Bass Viol (arr. Benjamin Perrot): Nos. 24 & 26
• Rudolf Straube - Sonata in C Major: No. 1, Largo
• Ann Ford - Instructions for Playing on the Musical Glasses in C Major

La Rêveuse

    Florence Bolton, viola da gamba

    Benjamin Perrot, archlute, theorbo & English guitar

    Serge Saitta, traverso

    Stéphan Dudermel, violin

    Ajay Ranganathan, violin

    Sophie Iwamura, viola

    Benoît Vanden Bemden, double bass

    Carsten Lohff, harpsichord

    Sylvain Lemêtre, musical glasses

Date: 2025

Label: harmonia mundi

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London, 1760. Handel had just died and George III acceded to the throne. During the reign of this monarch and his queen Charlotte, both discerning musicians, musical life in the British capital was to enjoy an exceptional revival. Virtuosos and composers from all over Europe flocked there, vying with each other in originality and modernity. Now La Rêveuse invites us to sample the creative whirlwind of the age, spinning from viol concertos to airs for musical glasses.

La Rêveuse, founded by Benjamin Perrot and Florence Bolton, is an ensemble of soloists dedicated to the music of the 17th and 18th centuries. Active across France, it performs in leading venues such as the Théâtre de l’Athénée and Auditorium de Radio France, as well as at major festivals including La Folle Journée de Nantes and La Roque d’Anthéron. International appearances span Europe, North America, and Asia. Its innovative Opérabus project (2018–20), a touring mobile concert hall, earned multiple awards. Widely acclaimed recordings have garnered honors from Télérama, Classica, Gramophone, and the Deutsche Schallplattenkritik. The ensemble also received the Académie Arts-Sciences-Lettres gold medal (2017) and cultural heritage recognitions in 2018 and 2019.