Proms 2014 Prom 17: Rameau – Grands Motets by Rameau, Da (2014/2014), Direttore d'orchestra William Christie, Royal Albert Hall, Londra, Regno Unito

Returning for its second concert this season, Les Arts Florissants is joined by founder-conductor William Christie for a Late Night Prom that transforms the Royal Albert Hall into the gilded splendour of the Chapel Royal at Versailles, combining choir, orchestra and soloists for Rameau’s Grands Motets. In its second Proms appearance this year, the Baroque ensemble Les Arts Florissants returns at full strength with its conductor William Christie. While its earlier Proms Chamber Music concert marked 250 years since Rameau’s death with the composer’s small-scale chamber works, in this Late Night Prom the Royal Albert Hall is transformed into the gilded splendour of the Chapel Royalin Versailles, combining choir, orchestra and soloists for Rameau’s grands motets. Most celebrated for his theatrical works, here Rameau proves his skill at sacred drama. Exuberant choruses give way to the meditative lyricism of solo movements, chromatic embellishments keeping the music constantly poised between joy and sadness.