FRANÇOIS COUPERIN: CONCERTS ROYAUX. Stephen Schultz, Jory Vinikour, Alexa Haynes-Pilon, Mindy Rosenfeld

Following on the success of their widely acclaimed Music & Arts release J.S. Bach: Sonatas for Flute and Harpsichord, Stephen Schultz (Baroque flute) and Jory Vinikour (harpsichord) are joined by Alexa Haynes-Pilon (viola da gamba), and Mindy Rosenfeld (Baroque flute) in superlative performances of François Couperin’s four Concerts Royaux; works which stand among the pinnacles of the Golden Age that was French music during the reign of Louis XIV. No instrumental collection, not even further masterpieces by the same composer, can fairly be said to build on the peaks of beauty and elegance that Couperin achieved in the Concerts Royaux. This state-of-the-art recording was produced and engineered at Skywalker Sound by two-time Grammy Award winner Jack Vad (2012, 2021). Second Concert in D Major 1. Prélude – Gracieusement (2:18) 2. Allemande Fuguée – Gayement (2:07) 3. Air Tendre (2:57) 4. Air Contre Fugué – Vivement (2:52) 5. Échos – Tendrement (3:33) Troisième Concert in A Major 6. Prélude – Lentement (3:40) 7. Allemande – Légèrement (2:10) 8. Courante (2:14) 9. Sarabande – Grave (3:08) 10. Gavotte (1:42) 11. Muzette – Naïvement (3:02) 12. Chaconne – Légère (3:25) Premier Concert in G Major 13. Prélude – Gravement (2:25) 14. Allemande – Légèrement (1:59) 15. Sarabande – Mesuré (2:58) 16. Gavotte – Notes Égales et Coulées (0:57) 17. Gigue – Légèrement (2:13) 18. Menuet En Trio (1:21) Quatrième Concert in E Minor 19. Prélude – Gravement (1:42) 20. Allemande – Légèrement (1:39) 21. Courante Françoise – Galament (1:56) 22. Courante a L’italienne – Gayement (3:01) 23. Sarabande – Très Tendrement (2:53) 24. Rigaudon – Légèrement et Marqué (1:24) 25. Forlane Rondeau – Gayement (3:00) Total time: 60:39