Les Nations

Although François Couperin (1668-1733) is best known today as a composer of harpsichord music, he remained deeply involved in chamber music throughout his career. - Les Nations is a vast project in which the virtues of both the French and Italian styles are set next to each other. - Each of the four ordres celebrates a Catholic power of Europe - France, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire and the Savoy dynasty of Piedmont - and each is a combination of an Italianate trio sonata with it's free-form virtuosity and a large-scale and elaborate French dance suite. - Led by the Julliard School's Historical Performance Program artistic director and violinist Monica Huggett, the period instrument specialist Juilliard Baroque ensemble, featuring nine of the world's most respected and accomplished early music instrumentalists, is a faculty grouping committed to lively, passionate performances of 17th - 18th c. music.