Presenting Gervais, unsung hero of the musical scene, whose fine compositions are imbued with the Italian influence which marked his whole career. Matched against Vivaldi, he added a new slant to the goûts réunis movement which consciously blended the French and Italian style.

Charles-Hubert Gervais, a prolific composer from the early 18th century, was reputedly close to Philippe d’Orléans, even serving as his composition teacher. The ensemble Les Ombres has joined forces with the Ambronay festival as part of the CMBV’s joint residency project, and has opted to showcase this atypical little-known figure who has composed numerous gems, including around forty grands motets for the Royal Chapel at Versailles when young Louis XV was king (the manuscripts housed in the French national library). Backed by the Concert Spirituel choir Les Ombres perform some of Gervais’ finest motets. Their magnificent choral and instrumental scores are in keeping with the royal tradition set by Lully and Lalande, but also reflect Gervais’ partiality for Italian music. Compared with Vivaldi’s celebrated motets, Gervais reflects the passionate bond that existed between France and Italy, which went beyond all the controversies about style and the political intrigues.