Friday, September 25
Franciscan Church, 8.00 p.m.
Les Muffatti Brussels Baroque Orchestra
Anthony Romaniuk, harpsichord and artistic leadership
Le Concert Bourgeois
Henri-Jacques de Croes
Divertissement V. in D minor, op. 4
Intrada – Allegro – Grave e spiccato – Andante Amoroso – Menuetto I-II
Pierre Van Maldere
Sinfonia No.40 in E flat major, VR 80
Adagio – Allegro con spirito – Andante – Finale Allegro
Johann Stamitz
Sinfonia op. 7 No. 5 in F major
Presto – Andantino sempre piano – Tempo di Minuetto
Joseph Haydn
Concerto for keyboard and strings in F Major, Hob XVIII:3
Allegro – Largo cantabile – Finale Presto
Ignaz Vitzthumb
Symphonie in C major
Allegro assai – Andante molto – Menuetto – Trio – Presto
©G. Kayacan
Founded in Brussels in 1996 out of a shared passion for ensemble music, Les Muffatti has carved out a distinctive place on the international Baroque scene. The orchestra stands apart for its collegial approach: decisions are made collectively within a horizontal structure as rare as its longevity. A core group of musicians forms the heart of the ensemble, expanding according to each project, while repertoire choices are constantly re-examined. This spirit defines their artistic identity: seeking out rarely performed - or entirely overlooked - works, offering them fresh interpretations, and inviting trusted collaborators from near and far to ensure that Baroque music remains a living field of exploration rather than heritage under glass. Their discography on the Ramée label comprises around ten recordings, widely acclaimed by critics. Reinhard Keiser`s Brockes-Passion (2014), recorded with the ensemble Vox Luminis, received Belgium`s major music awards: the Klara Award, the Prix Caecilia, and the Octave de la Musique. Their album devoted to reconstructions of Johann Sebastian Bach`s organ concertos (2019), featuring Bart Jacobs as soloist, received numerous prestigious international awards: Diapason d`Or of the Year (France), Luister 10 (Netherlands), the Klara Award for Album of the Year (Belgium), and CD of the Month in Toccata magazine (Germany). Their most recent recording, Bach Triple (2024), featuring Sophie Gent, Frank Theuns, and Bertrand Cuiller as soloists, has been equally praised by critics and audiences alike. Nearly thirty years after its founding, friendship and the joy of making music together remain at the heart of the orchestra. Critics recognise it, and audiences respond in kind: the musicians give generous and uncompromising performances, vibrant because they are shaped collectively. Les Muffatti`s Baroque is never tame; it engages, it challenges, it delights. Les Muffatti is supported by the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.