Les Siècles

Les Siècles
Name	Les Siècles
Caption	Concert performance
Origin	Paris, France
Genre	Classical music, Historical performance, Orchestral
Years active	2003–present
Label	Erato, Virgin Classics, Warner Classics

Les Siècles

Les Siècles is a French symphony orchestra founded in Paris in 2003 known for performing repertoire on period-appropriate instruments and historically informed modern-instrument practice. Under the artistic direction of François-Xavier Roth, the ensemble explores music from Baroque to 20th-century repertoire, presenting programs that juxtapose composers such as Jean-Baptiste Lully, Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Hector Berlioz, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Igor Stravinsky, Sergei Prokofiev, and Dmitri Shostakovich. The ensemble has performed in venues including Salle Pleyel, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Vienna Musikverein, BBC Proms, and Carnegie Hall.

History and formation

Les Siècles was established by conductor François-Xavier Roth, who had been associated with Orchestre National de Lille, Ensemble Correspondances, and Concerto Köln before founding the group. The orchestra grew from collaborations among musicians trained at institutions such as the Conservatoire de Paris, Royal Academy of Music, and Juilliard School. Early seasons featured repertoire spanning Baroque music through Romantic music and into 20th century classical music, aiming to restore original sonorities by employing period instruments like natural trumpets, natural horn and gut-strung strings alongside modern counterparts. Institutional residencies and partnerships with organizations such as the Opéra National de Paris, Maison de la Radio, and the Fondation Singer-Polignac helped consolidate the ensemble’s profile.

Musical style and repertoire

Les Siècles is characterized by an approach that adapts instrumental forces and performance practice to the historical context of each composer: for works by Antonio Vivaldi or Georg Philipp Telemann the group uses baroque bows and gut strings; for Gustav Mahler, Richard Strauss, or Igor Stravinsky the ensemble re-creates period orchestral balances using early 20th-century timbres. The repertoire embraces composers across eras, including Claudio Monteverdi, Henry Purcell, Joseph Haydn, Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms, Anton Bruckner, Camille Saint-Saëns, Gabriel Fauré, Maurice Ravel, Erik Satie, Béla Bartók, and Olivier Messiaen. Interpretive choices often reflect scholarship from musicologists linked to Bibliothèque nationale de France, IRCAM, and university programs at Oxford University and Harvard University. Programming frequently places works in historical dialogue, pairing, for example, Hector Berlioz with Igor Stravinsky to illuminate orchestral evolution.

Notable performances and recordings

Les Siècles’ discography on labels such as Erato, Warner Classics, and Virgin Classics includes acclaimed recordings of Claude Debussy’s orchestral works, Maurice Ravel’s ballets, and Béla Bartók’s concertos. Signature projects have included performances of Igor Stravinsky’s ballets using period instruments and concert cycles of Dmitri Shostakovich symphonies. Major appearances include invitations to the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, festival engagements at the Edinburgh International Festival, Salzburg Festival, and tours to New York City, Tokyo, Berlin, and Moscow. Live recordings and broadcasts have been produced in collaboration with Radio France, BBC Radio 3, and NPR Classical.

Collaborations and commissions

The ensemble has collaborated with soloists and artists such as Emmanuel Pahud, Renaud Capuçon, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Isabelle Faust, Seong-Jin Cho, Yuja Wang, and Mitsuko Uchida. Contemporary commissions and premieres have involved composers and institutions including Pascal Dusapin, Georges Aperghis, Kaija Saariaho, Unsuk Chin, the Fondation Royaumont, and the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence. Les Siècles has also collaborated with choreographers and opera directors from William Forsythe, Sasha Waltz, to Peter Sellars, and staged projects with ensembles such as Cité de la Musique ensembles and the Orchestre de Paris.

Members and organization

The orchestra comprises musicians recruited from conservatories and professional symphonic and historical-performance ensembles including alumni of the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, Royal Conservatoire of The Hague, and Hochschule für Musik und Theater München. Leadership includes founder and artistic director François-Xavier Roth, administrative directors, and project-based section principals who often perform with groups like Les Arts Florissants, Le Concert d’Astrée, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, and La Chambre Philharmonique. The organization operates through a mix of season subscriptions, touring income, grants from cultural bodies such as the Ministère de la Culture (France), and partnerships with foundations and record labels.

Awards and recognition

Les Siècles and François-Xavier Roth have received distinctions including honors from the Victoire de la Musique Classique, critical awards from the Gramophone Awards, and recognitions from cultural institutions like the Académie Charles Cros and Opus Klassik. Their recordings have been shortlisted and awarded in categories spanning orchestral performance and historical interpretation, and their festival invitations to Salzburg Festival and BBC Proms have underscored international acclaim.

Category:French orchestras Category:Early music groups