The air de cour has been with me for almost as long as I’ve been playing the flute... For me, it is one of the finest creations of French art. I have assembled these airs from the second half of the seventeenth century to complete the exploration begun with Et la fleur vole (early seventeenth century, ALPHA314) and À l’ombre d’un ormeau (early eighteenth century, ALPHA342),’ says François Lazarevitch in the introduction to this new release. ‘I am particularly interested in combining the qualities of sound and breathiness of the voice and the flute.’ Love songs, dance tunes, and brunettes on pastoral themes follow one another in a program at once moving and erudite. These miniatures are magnificently interpreted by the two outstanding singers who join the instrumentalists (lute, flute, musette, harp, viol) of Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien: the soprano Julie Roset and the mezzo Lucile Richardot.
