Rebel: Élémens, simphonie nouvelle; Destouches: Éléments

This 1978 recording presents two baroque ballets, both entitled Les Elémens, by French baroque composers Jean-Féry Rebel and André Cardinal Destouches. The Academy of Ancient Music is directed by Christopher Hogwood who, among others, led the English revival in the use of authentic instruments and performing styles.

Contemporaries of each other and also of Couperin and Lully, both composers here set out to depict nature through its four principle elements, Earth, Water, Air and Fire, with a variety of different dances.

Premiered in 1737, heralded a success by the ‘Mercure de France’, Les Elémens is widely considered Rebel’s finest work for orchestra. A number of different scores were combined to prepare the final orchestration that exists on this recording. Destouches’ Ballet du Roy, Les Eléments, was premiered in 1721, and directed by Rebel, himself in his role as composer to the king and batteur de mesure at the Opéra.