Le Poème Harmonique
Encyclopedia
Le Poème Harmonique is a musical ensemble founded in 1998 by Vincent Dumestre
to recreate and promote early music
, in particular that of the 17th century. Using rare instruments such as the theorbo
, the lirone
, the tiorbino
and the arpa tripla, Le Poème Harmonique aims to recapture the poetry of early music, particularly of the late renaissance and early baroque era. The early 17th-century French and Italian madrigal
is a special interest. Le Poème Harmonique also teaches singers in collaboration with the Centre de Musique Baroque (Center for Baroque Music
) at Versailles
. The group's recordings with Alpha Productions have met with considerable success.
Vincent Dumestre
Vincent Dumestre is a French lutenist. In 1997 he founded the ensemble Le Poème Harmonique.He studied the classical guitar at the École Normale de Musique de Paris and art history at the École du Louvre...
to recreate and promote early music
Early music
Early music is generally understood as comprising all music from the earliest times up to the Renaissance. However, today this term has come to include "any music for which a historically appropriate style of performance must be reconstructed on the basis of surviving scores, treatises,...
, in particular that of the 17th century. Using rare instruments such as the theorbo
Theorbo
A theorbo is a plucked string instrument. As a name, theorbo signifies a number of long-necked lutes with second pegboxes, such as the liuto attiorbato, the French théorbe des pièces, the English theorbo, the archlute, the German baroque lute, the angélique or angelica. The etymology of the name...
, the lirone
Lirone
The lirone, the bass member of the lira family of instruments, is a bowed string instrument with between 9 and 16 gut strings. It is held between the legs in the manner of a cello or viol and like the viol its neck is generally fretted...
, the tiorbino
Tiorbino
A tiorbino, a little theorbo , is a rare stringed instrument, a type of long-necked lute resembling a theorbo but significantly smaller and pitched an octave higher...
and the arpa tripla, Le Poème Harmonique aims to recapture the poetry of early music, particularly of the late renaissance and early baroque era. The early 17th-century French and Italian madrigal
Madrigal (music)
A madrigal is a secular vocal music composition, usually a partsong, of the Renaissance and early Baroque eras. Traditionally, polyphonic madrigals are unaccompanied; the number of voices varies from two to eight, and most frequently from three to six....
is a special interest. Le Poème Harmonique also teaches singers in collaboration with the Centre de Musique Baroque (Center for Baroque Music
Baroque music
Baroque music describes a style of Western Classical music approximately extending from 1600 to 1760. This era follows the Renaissance and was followed in turn by the Classical era...
) at Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
. The group's recordings with Alpha Productions have met with considerable success.