LES SIÈCLES
Formed in the summer of 2003 by François-Xavier Roth, comprises outstanding young players pooled
from the very finest French ensembles. Roth’s founding ambition was for his orchestra to offer a new
approach, not only to repertoire but also to the nature of the concert form.
With a vast period-instrument collection at its disposal, spanning the baroque, classical, romantic and
modern eras, the orchestra’s repertoire is notably wide in range. Les Siècles is one of a small number of
ensembles to employ period and modern instruments, playing each repertoire on appropriate
instruments. Its flexible and historically informed work delivers a unique strand of creative programming.
François-Xavier Roth and the musicians of Les Siècles have made a distinctive mark at home and
abroad, presenting an orchestra for the 21st century. They have given well over 200 performances in France
alone, including regular performances in Paris (Cité de la Musique, Salle Pleyel, Opéra Comique) and
appearances at leading festivals throughout France. In addition to its work in France, Les Siècles is
increasingly visible on the international scene. Its global profile has been magnified in recent seasons with
concerts in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, United-Kingdom, Portugal, Italy and Japan.
Their latest disc with Stravinsky’s Firebird has received great critical acclaim in the international press : Edison
Klassiek Prize 2012 in the Netherlands, Preis der Deutschen Schallplatten Kritik in Germany, Switzerland and
Austria, Disc of the week in the Sunday Times, Gramophone Choice, Record of the year 2011 in the Times,
Editor’s choice in the BBC music Magazin, 5 stars in Classica le Monde de la Musique, Musique, Best existing
recording of The Firebird in “ Le Jardin des Critiques” on France Musique.
Les Siècles are also the creator and the main feature of the TV show « Presto » which has been
broadcast regularly on France 2 since 2007. They’ve recently created their own record Label « Les Siècles Live »
in partnership with Musicales Actes Sud. They’ve already released 8 recordings in this collection with pieces of
Berlioz, Saint-Saëns, Matalon, Liszt, Stravinsky, Dubois, Debussy and Dukas
FRANÇOIS-XAVIER ROTH
François-Xavier Roth, born in Paris in November 1971, is one of the most charismatic and enterprising
conductors of his generation. In September 2011, he took on the role of Principal Conductor of the SWR
Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg. He also holds the position of Associate Guest Conductor of the
BBC National Orchestra of Wales and maintains a special relationship with and regularly conducts the
London Symphony Orchestra.
His repertoire ranges from music of the seventeenth century to contemporary work and encompasses all
genres: symphonic, operatic and chamber. In 2003, he founded the innovative orchestra Les Siècles, which
performs contrasting and colourful programmes on modern and period instruments as appropriate, often
within the same concert. With Les Siècles, he has given concerts in France, Italy, Germany, England and Japan.
In 2013, he celebrated with this orchestra the centenary of Le Sacre du Printemps of Igor Stravinsky, on period
instruments. Les Siecles has researched the first performance of Le Sacre in Paris in 1913 and have recreated
the exact orchestra used at the Paris Opera and the version of the score performed that year. They played and
recorded this version in London (BBC PROMS), Francfort, Paris, Grenoble and Metz.
Recent and forthcoming highlights include a tour of Japan with SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und
Freiburg and concerts with the London Symphony Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic, the Gothenburg
Symphony, the Dresden and Bergen Philharmonics, the Ensemble Intercontemporain and the Finnish
Radio Symphony Orchestra. With Les Siècles, Roth has recently appeared at the Cologne Philharmonie,
the Klara Festival in Brussels, the Rheingau Festival and at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in
Rome.
Equally committed to the world of opera, his period-instrument performances of Ambroise Thomas’ Mignon
(2010) and Offenbach’s Les Brigands (2011) at the Opéra Comique in Paris and Mozart’s Idomeneo
(2012) at the Luxembourg Opera were greeted by critical acclaim. Future opera engagements will include
a return to Opéra Comique with a new production of Léo Delibes’ Lakmé and the Flying Dutchman of
Richard Wagner in Caen and Luxembourg.
The Times, juillet 2013 - Geoff Brown
In this scintillating Prom, François-Xavier Roth and his marvelous period instrument band Les Siècles took an
extra step toward musical authenticity. […] Les Siècles think as one, feel as one. They even bow to the
audience as one, with an elegance uniquely French.
The Guardian, juillet 2013 - Andrew Clements
There may be countless period-instrument orchestras nowadays, but Les Siècles founded by conductor
François-Xavier Roth, is a very distinctive one. Fascinating !
Financial Times, juillet 2013 - Richard Fairman
Here was what you might call the shock of the old. […] This was quite an undertaking. Different instruments
were needed for each period and the orchestra for The Rite of Spring was huge by period-instrument
standards. It was another Prom spectacular!
The Independent, juillet 2013 - Michael Church
Roth and his ensemble apply the notion of instrumental ‘authenticity’ to repertoire from all eras, and their
concert of French ballet music made a fascinating journey.
The Sunday Times, juillet 2013 - Debussy, disc of the week
The transparency of sound from gut strings means the woodwind and brass soloists emerge as if naturally
from the orchestral texture. In such an “impressionist” score as La Mer, with its evocations of waves, wind
and sea birds, this is all gain: listen with refreshed ears. The coupling is a Debussy recording premiere: the
rediscovered suite of 1883-84 (a student work indebted to Chabrier, Delibes and Massenet), with the
orchestration of the third movement, Rêve, newly completed by Philippe Manoury. This delightful music
may not be mature, vintage Debussy, but is a welcome addition to the catalogue.
Badische Zeitung, juillet 2013 - Disque Debussy
Klar in den Strukturen, hell im Klangbild und überaus durchsichtig geh£ort dies „La Mer“-Interpretation zu
den bestien Einspielungen auf dem Markt.
The Times, mai 2013 - Geoff Brown - Debussy, disc of the week
In La Mer, the husky sounds of gut-stringed violins ushering in Debussy’s dawn light immediately tickle the
ears. But it’s the wind instruments, each proudly listed in the CD booklet with its date of manufacture, that
give this performance its distinctive atmosphere — poignant and delicate, lit up with subtle colours
seemingly beyond the instruments of today. The blend of sounds is particularly special, with each
instrument carrying its own fragrance, yet still appearing part of a family.
Roth’s elegant phrasings and grasp of structure play their own part in making this period-instrument La Mer
extraordinarily luminous and seductive.
The CD also offers a considerable novelty: Debussy’s Premiere Suite for orchestra, a student work of 1883-4
lost in manuscript for more than a century, and first presented in orchestral form by Les Siècles only in
February last year — the same concert performance encapsulated here. Over its 25-minute span, Debussy
shows his relative immaturity with awkward spots in orchestration and structure, and the chameleon-like
parade of other composers’ styles, Chabrier and Gounod’s among them. But the music’s verve and exotic
colouring are still captivating, and signposts to Debussy’s greater future are not hard to spot. I’ve played it
already three times with delight.
Bayerische Rundfunk, mai 2013 - Oswal ald Beaujean - Disque Debussy
Das Resultat is en heller, durchlässiger, gleichzeitig weicher und warmer und doch sehr klarer Klang, auch „La
Mer“ klingt enorm transparent end weniger dunkel, als gewohnt. Eine aufschlussreiche Alternative zu den
„herkömmlichen“ Debussy-Aufnahmen, die ein wenig an die Klarheit der Einspielungen des von Debussy
sehr geschätzen Dirigenten Désiré-Emile Inghelbrecht erinnert.
Concerto, avril 2013 - Thomas Schulz
Das französische Originalklang-Orchester Les Siècles hat in den letzten Jahren mit einer Reihe von
Einspielungen romantischer und frühmoderner Werke regelrecht Furore gemacht - zuletzt mit Strawinskys
Feuervogel in der originalen Ballettfassung. Auch mit Liszts Dante-Sinfonie wissen die Musiker unter ihrem
Chefdirigenten François-Xavier Roth zu punkten. Hier bietet sich ein Vergleich zur ersten Folge des LisztProjekts The Sound of Weimar mit der Wiener Akademie unter Martin Haselbock an, auf der das Stück
ebenfalls vertreten ist. In Sachen Trennschärfe, Dramatik und Ausarbeitung der Extremwerte haben Les
Siècles tatsächlich die Nase vorn : Die kontrollierte Weißglut, die im Kopfsatz der Sinfonie entfacht wird,
sucht ihresgleichen, und im langsamen zweiten Satz (mit Chorfinale) weißder Dirigent durch ein deutlich
fließenderes Tempo das Abgleiten der Musik ins naza-renerhaft Süßliche erfolgreich zu verhindern - eine
hervorragende Leistung !
Preis des deutschen Schallplattentkritik
Auch wer die, “period instruments“ auf ihrem Weg in die Gegenwart für ausgereizt hält, muss doch zugeben,
dass der frische Zugriff des Ensembles Les Siècles unter François-Xavier Roth dem “ Feuervogel“ neue,
gleißende Federn verpasst hat. Auch wer das beliebte Strawinsky-Stück gut zu kennen glaubt, wird neue
Flügelschläge entdecken: kurzweilig, farbenreich und spannend. Und die anderen Programmteile verweisen
wieder einmal darauf, dass wir Alexander Glasunow immer noch gerne unterschätzen. Unterhaltung in
Rein-Kultur !
FonoForum, mars 2012 – Jörg Hillebrand - Disque Matalon - 5 étoiles
Les Siècles setzen alle drei Stücken unter Strom, versetzen sie in eine ständige unruhige Bewegung, die
nicht motorisch sondern irgendwie biologisch wirkt. Die von kleinerlei Nebengeraüschen getrübten
Konzertmitschnitte sind so präsent und intensiv, dass das Ensemble viel grösser wirkt als maximal elf Spieler.
International Record Review, décembre 2011 - Peter J. Rabinowitz - Disque Stravinsky, L’Oiseau de feu
The performance is nimble and virtuosic (listen, for instance, to the chirpy woodwinds in “The Dance of the
Firebird” […]. In any case, the performance of Les Orientales has plenty of energy […].
The Times, décembre 2011 - Richard Morrison - Concert Liszt, Dante Symphonie à la Cité de la musique
What distinguishes Les Siècles from other period-instrument bands is that they switch happily on to modern
instruments, and between thematically-linked repertoires from different epochs. […] But even more exciting
than the timbres is the virtuosic flair with which these musicians exploit them, and the infectious
flamboyance of Roth’s interpretations. […] You don’t see that in the Vienna Philharmonic. It’s time that Les
Siècles were invited to the Proms. They would bring a Gallic gale of fresh air to the Albert Hall.
Gramophone, novembre 2011 - John Warrack - Stravinsky - Gramophone choice
What we do have is an excellently played, brightly recorded performance of the ballet, conducted with verve by
François-Xavier Roth. Certainly the orchestra has a clarity which gives a well-lit quality to Stravinsky's RimskyKorsakovian orchestration, his model, and there is no lack of vitality with movements such as Kashchey's dance.
Well worth hearing.
Sunday Times, octobre 2011 - Richard Morrison - Stravinsky - Disc of the Week
This is fabulous: young French musicians performing Stravinsky’s ballet on period instruments similar to those
used by the Ballets Russes orchestra at the 1910 premiere in Paris. Under François-Xavier Roth’s
scintillating direction, the playing is breathtakingly virtuosic and the timbres produced by the narrow-bore
brass and antique wood winds is entrancing.
BBC Music Magazine, octobre 2011 - Christopher Dingle - Stravinsky Editor’s choice
This is a fascinating recording, combining a performance on period instruments with a reconstitution of Les
Orientales, The Firebird’s original partner.
BBC Music Magazine, octobre 2011 - Christopher Dingle - Disque Matalon
Another stimulating live recording from Les Siècles and François-Xavier Roth. Rather than the historical
instruments of their recent Saint-Saëns disc, here they take on the music of the Parisian-based Argentinian
composer Martin Matalon with evident relish.
Gramophone, août 2011 - James Jolly
Musically, the most interesting element of the evening was the orchestra, François-Xavier Roth’s very fine
period-instrument ensemble Les Siecles.
Gramophone, août 2011 - Geoffrey Norris - Disque Saint-Saëns
A rare in-situ recording of the organ symphony on period instruments […] there is a visceral pleasure to be had
from the performance’s rythmic drive, counterbalanced by a polished phrasing and an appealing glow to the
orchestral colour.
The Tracker, août 2011 - Disque Saint-Saëns
This may well be the finest performance of the famous "organ symphony" available. It was recorded live in
Saint Sulpice. There is magic in the sound of this magnificent instrument with the orchestra. The acoustics of
this vast space bathe the sound with a glorious aura, yet the microphone placements are so well done that
the sound is also clear and the timbres sharply etched.
Classical Music, juillet 2011 - Disque Matalon
As the soloist line-up suggests, Matalon’s strength is creating a rich sound tapestry from unusual instrumental
combinations, delivered with vigour.
Classical Music, juin 2011 - Disque Saint-Saëns
Splendid Saint-Saëns from Les Siècles. Unlike most supposedly ‘live’ recordings, this appears to be the real
thing, with a palpable frisson of music-making in the moment.
Les Siècles Live
DUKAS, Cantate Velléda – L’Apprenti Sorcier - Polyeucte
François-Xavier Roth, direction
Chantal Santon, soprano / Julien Dran, ténor / Jean-Manuel Candenot, baryton-basse
DEBUSSY, Première Suite d’orchestre (premier enregistrement mondial) & La Mer
François-Xavier Roth, direction
The Times : « Roth’s elegant phrasings and grasp of structure play their own part in making this periodinstrument La Mer extraordinarily luminous and seductive. »
ClassiqueNews « Il n’est pas un orchestre sur instruments d’époque qui n’atteigne la motricité
stimulante, cette frénésie sensuelle, ce feu irrésistible… des Siècles »
Figaro « Une sensualité inouïe. Voilà ce qu’on retiendra de ce pari insensé relevé par l’orchestre les
Siècles. »
LISZT, Dante Symphonie & Orpheus
François-Xavier Roth, direction / Maîtrise de Caen
Resmusica « Les Siècles et Liszt, noblesse de ton et maîtrise technique »
DUBOIS, Concerto pour piano n°2, ouverture de Frithiof, Dixtuor
François-Xavier Roth, direction / Vanessa Wagner, piano
Le Figaro « Un enregistrement live aussi émouvant que passionné »
Musikzen « Une clarté et des phrasés magnifiques »
ClassiqueNews « Superbe album»
STRAVINSKY, L’Oiseau de Feu & ouvrage collectif, Les Orientales
Prix Edison Klassiek 2012
Gramophone Choice “ Excellently played, brightly recorded performance”
Sunday Times, Disc of the Week “Under François-Xavier Roth’s scintillating direction, the playing is
breathtakingly virtuoisic”
BBC Music Magazine, Editor’s Choice “This is a fascinating recording”
The Times, Disc of the Year 2011 “This is fabulous”
MATALON, Trames 2, 4 et 8
François-Xavier Roth, direction / Florence Cioccolani, piano - Maude Gratton, clavecin - Eriko Minami,
marimba
BBC music Magazine “Another stimulating live recording from Les Siècles and François-Xavier Roth”
FONO FORUM
SAINT-SAËNS, Symphonie n°3 et Concerto pour piano n°4
François-Xavier Roth, direction / Daniel Roth, orgue – Jean-François Heisser, piano
BBC Music Magazine “It’s enough to make this Organ Symphony recording very nearly the best yet”
Choir & Organ “a fresh and very musical response to Saint-Saëns’s music” Organist’s Review, Editor’s choice
JAV Recordings, “one of the most electrifying and satisfying I have ever heard in my life”
BERLIOZ, Symphonie Fantastique
François-Xavier Roth, direction
All music
“The colors of the vintage instruments are striking”
The Sunday Times
“One of the most thriving period-instruments orchestra that have
sprung up in France”
1
Other collections
Livre-disque «La Musique, c’est toute une histoire»
Livre-enfant pour les 7-13 ans
En partenariat avec Actes Sud Junior
DUBOIS, Le Paradis Perdu
Les Cris de Paris, Les Solistes des Siècles, Geoffroy Jourdain, direction
Production : Aparté / Distribution : Harmonia Mundi
BIZET, Symphonie en Ut & Jeux d’enfants CHABRIER, Suite Pastorale & Habanera François-Xavier Roth,
direction
Producteur : MIRARE - Distributeur : MIRARE
BBC 3 et Classic FM, Disc of the week FONO FORUM
CHOPIN, Concertos pour piano n°1 et n°2
François-Xavier Roth, direction
Denis Pascal, piano
Producteur : Polymnie / Distributeur : Naïve
PRESTO
Presto is a short program Les Siècles has showed for three years on France Televisions.
Presto’s aim is to make the audience want to discover, to listen and to enjoy classical music... In 2’30, Pierre Charvet
highlights masterpieces of classical music from 1700 to 1960. Each work is performed by Les Siècles under the direction of
François-Xavier Roth.
The poetic cartoons by Grégoire Pont add the final touch of intrigue for even the youngest audiences
La Croix - Emmanuelle Giuliani, «Pétillantes bulles de musiques»
-----------DECEMBER 2013-----------
SEASON
2013-2014
>>> GOSSEC / SAINT-GEORGES / BEETHOVEN
mardi 03, 20h
Echirolles, Scène Nationale
Jeudi 05, 14h30 et 20h30
Nanterre, Maison de la Musique
vendredi 06, 11h
-----------SEPTEMBER 2013-------
Paris, Cité de la Musique
>>> STRAVINSKY / RAVEL
samedi 07, 14h15
Stravinsky, Scherzo Fantastique
Ravel, Concerto en sol – Boris BEREZOVSKY, piano
Ravel, Alborada del Gracioso
Stravinsky, Le Sacre du Printemps
Amsterdam, Concertgebouw
mardi 24, 20h30
>>> Léo DELIBES, LAKME
Levallois-Perret, Salle Ravel
OPÉRA en trois actes.
Livret d'Edmond Gondinet et Philippe Gille
Direction Musicale, François-Xavier Roth
Mise en scène, Lilo Baur
avec Sabine Devieilhe, Frédéric Antoun, Élodie Méchain, Paul
Gay, Jean-Sébastien Bou, Marion Tassou
-----JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2014----
samedi 28, 20h
Francfort, Alte Oper
------------OCTOBER 2013---------
dimanche 13, 16h30
vendredi 10 Janvier,20h
dimanche 12 Janvier, 15h
mardi 14 Janvier, 20h
jeudi 16 Janvier, 20h
samedi 18 Janvier, 20h
lundi 20 Janvier, 20h
Festival de Laon
Théâtre National de l’Opéra-Comique de Paris
>>> GOSSEC, Grande messe des Morts
>>> CONCERT DU NOUVEL AN
jeudi 17, 20h
Delibes, Saint-Saëns, Bizet…
>>> GOSSEC / SAINT-GEORGES / BEETHOVEN
Gossec, Symphonie à 17 parties
Saint-Georges, Concerto pour violon n°2
Beethoven, Symphonie n°6
Elfa Run KRISTINDOTTIR, violon
Versailles, Chapelle Royale
dimanche 05 janvier, 17h
jeudi 09 janvier, 14h15
------------NOVEMBER 2013------
Blanc-Mesnil, Le Forum
>>> ERA LA NOTTE
Anna Caterina ANTONACCI,
DESCHAMPS, mise en scène
>>> RAMEAU / SAINT-SAËNS / BIZET
mezzo-soprano
mardi 12 et mercredi 13
New-York, Lincoln Center
>>> LA MUSIQUE ET LA NATURE
concert éducatif
dimanche 24, 15h
Paris, Cité de la Musique
Juliette
Rameau, suite de ballets de Castor et Pollux
Rameau, suite de ballets des Indes Galantes
Saint-Saëns, Concerto pour violon n°3 – Renaud Capuçon
Bizet, Symphonie en Ut
mercredi 22 janvier, 20h
Mannheim, Rosengarten
jeudi 23 janvier, 20h
Aachen, Eurogress
vendredi 24 janvier, 20h
Essen, Philharmonie
>>> GOSSEC / SAINT-GEORGES / BEETHOVEN
dimanche 26 janvier, 20h
vendredi 29, 14h15 et 20h30
Wiesbaden, Kurhaus
Blanc-Mesnil, Le Forum
---------------FEBRUARY 2014--------
--------------MAY 2014----------------
>>> RAMEAU / SAINT-SAËNS / BIZET
>>> DUTILLEUX / RAVEL / DUKAS
Rameau, suite de ballets de Castor et Pollux
Rameau, suite de ballets des Indes Galantes
Saint-Saëns, Concerto pour violon n°3 – Renaud Capuçon
Bizet, Symphonie en Ut
Dukas, L’Apprenti Sorcier
Dutilleux, Tout un monde lointain – Gautier Capuçon
Dutilleux, Métaboles
Ravel, Alborada del Gracioso
Ravel, Boléro
mardi 04 février, 20h30
Grenoble, MC2
jeudi 15, 19h30
Grenoble, MC2
>>> SAINT-SAËNS / BIZET
Bizet, Jeux d’enfants
Saint-Saëns, C° pour violoncelle n°1 – Jean-Guihen Queyras
Saint-Saëns, Danse macabre
Bizet, Symphonie en Ut
>>> BEETHOVEN / MOZART / HAYDN
samedi 08, 20h30
samedi 17, 20h30
Antony, auditorium Saint-Marie
Soissons, Le Mail
dimanche 09, 16h
mardi 20, 20h
Paris, salle Pleyel
Mozart, Ouverture d’Idoménée
Haydn, Concerto pour violoncellle en Ut – Raphaël Pidoux
Beethoven, Symphonie n°5
Les Musicales de Normandie
vendredi 23, 20h30
---------------MARCH 2014-----------
Sénart, La Coupole
Samedi 24, 20h30
>>> FRANCE ESPAGNE
Massenet, Le Cid
Chabrier, Espana
Chabrier, Habanera
Ravel, Alborada del Gracioso
Debussy, Iberia
Ravel, Boléro
jeudi 27, 14h30 et 20h
Théâtre de Nîmes
Festival de Sully et du Loiret
>>> BIZET / SAINT-SAËNS / BEETHOVEN
Bizet, Jeux d’enfants
Saint-Saëns, Concerto pour violoncelle n°1 – Gautier Capuçon
Beethoven, Symphonie n°5
dimanche 25, 18h
Clôture du Festival de violoncelles de Beauvais
vendredi 28 mars, 20h30
Perpignan, l’Archipel
--------------AUGUST 2014-------------
dimanche 30 mars, journée
>>> DAVID, Christophe Colomb
Compiègne, Théâtre impérial
vendredi 22, 21h
Festival Berlioz de la Côte Saint-André
---------------MAY 2014------------>>> DUTILLEUX / BEETHOVEN
Dutilleux, Métaboles
Dutilleux, Tout un monde lointain – Gautier Capuçon
Beethoven, Symphonie n°5
mercredi 14, 14h15 et 20h30
Blanc-Mesnil, Le Forum
lundi 26, 20h
Paris, Cité de la Musique
Création française de Muss es sein ? de Dutilleux
>>> RAMEAU / SAINT-SAËNS / BIZET
Rameau, suite de ballets de Castor et Pollux
Rameau, suite de ballets des Indes Galantes
Saint-Saëns, Concerto pour violon n°3 – Tedi Papavrami
Bizet, Symphonie en Ut
Samedi 23, 21h
Festival de la Chaise Dieu
>>> BERLIOZ, La Damnation de Faust
Dimanche 31, 21h
Festival Berlioz de la Côte Saint-André
OUR
PARTNERS
Mécénat Musical Société Générale is the main sponsor of Les Siècles.
The orchestra is also financed by the French Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication and DRAC
Picardie. Since 2011, the orchestra is supported by the Conseil Général de l’Aisne to reinforce its artistic
and educational presence on this territory. The orchestra is in residency in the Forum du Blanc-Mesnil
with the support of the Conseil Général de Seine-Saint-Denis and regularly performs in Hauts-de-Seine
with the support of the Conseil Général 92 and the city of Nanterre.
The orchestra is sponsored by the Art Mentor Foundation, the Palazzetto Bru Zane, the Fondation
Echanges and Bibliothèques, Katy & Matthieu Debost and occasionally by the SPEDIDAM, ADAMI,
Institut Français and Bureau Export. The orchestra has been invited to become Resident Orchestra in
Festival Berlioz de La Côte Saint-André.
Contact
Enrique THERAIN, manager
+ 33 (0)6 20 64 32 91
[email protected]
54 rue Maurice Thorez
92000 Nanterre
FRANCE