Choir concert Flemish Radio Choir conducted by Bart Van Reyn: L'heure exquise

A selection of fragile French chansons transports you to the dreamy world of the fin de siècle, where it is wonderful to linger among vocal miniatures by well-known names such as Debussy, Fauré and Ravel - and the refinement of the lesser-known Reynaldo Hahn, who provides a surprising note. Program: (60' - without intermission) Claude Debussy Trois Chansons de Charles d'Orléans, L.99: Quant j'ai ouy le tabourin (1908) Reynaldo Hahn Chansons grises: V. L'heure exquise (1890) Camille Saint-Saëns Saltarelle, op.74 (1885) Maurice Ravel Trois Chansons, M 69: Trois beaux oiseaux du Paradis (1915) Ernest Chausson Poème de l'amour et de la mer, op. 19: IV. Le Temps des lilas (1892) Gabriel Fauré Madrigal, op. 35 (1883) Erik Satie Gymnopédie No. 1 (1888) Reynaldo Hahn À Chloris (1913) Claude Debussy 3 chansons de Charles d'Orléans: No. 1, Dieu! Qu'il la fait bon regarder! (1908) Reynaldo Hahn Chansons grises: I. Chanson d’automne (1893) Gabriel Fauré Les Djinns, Op. 12 (1875) Let us dream, it is time! When evening falls on a warm late-summer day, the veiled shrouds of twilight provide an intimate concert in which poetry and music merge. The medieval texts of Charles d’Orléans inspired Claude Debussy, while Maurice Ravel himself took up the pen for Trois Chansons - his only a cappella work. He himself found the second part, Trois beaux oiseaux du Paradis, “une exquise ballade toute pleine de tendresse”. With the choice of the oeuvre of Paul Verlaine as the basis for his song cycle Chansons grises, Reynaldo Hahn crowned himself the undisputed master of the French melody - and the Parisian salons of the Belle Époque. Fauré closes for the night, with the dramatic power of Les Djinns on a poem by Victor Hugo. Composers: Ernest Chausson (1855 – 1899) Claude Debussy (1862 – 1918) Gabriel Fauré (1845 – 1924) Reynaldo Hahn (1874 – 1947) Maurice Ravel (1875 – 1937) Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 – 1921) Erik Satie (1866 – 1925) Vlaams Radiokoor Het Vlaams Radiokoor was founded in 1937 as a professional chamber choir by the then public broadcaster. Today, the choir is a reference for vocal music in Flanders and Europe, and is considered among the best both at home and abroad. The 32 singers rehearse under the direction of music director Bart Van Reyn in Studio 1 of the famous Flagey building in Brussels. The shared passion for contemporary repertoire, the belief in the voice as the ultimate interpreter of our emotions, and the strive to make our vocal heritage accessible to singers and audience are what connects ensemble and conductor. Het Vlaams Radiokoor is an institution of the Vlaamse Gemeenschap. More info: https://www.vlaamsradiokoor.be/concerten/lheure-exquise-2-20-09-2026 playlist Immerse yourself in the intimate evening atmosphere of the concert and let the music wash over you. Listen to the playlist on Spotify. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38oyfJJk5PI2WaK6LwKrw8?go=1&sp_cid=43a67e9e98109a11d1b39076bdbe9cf2&utm_source=embed_player_p&utm_medium=desktop&si=5ddf8e159e114566&nd=1&dlsi=b4589f6fbb1e4ad3 Bart Van Reyn Bart Van Reyn is the music director of the Vlaams Radiokoor. His dynamic approach, thorough knowledge of the repertoire and great passion for the craft fit perfectly with the DNA of the Radio Choir. Together they honor the rich vocal past and they keep it alive by working today on the history of tomorrow: as a radar for new musical and social trends, as a keeper and guardian of our vocal heritage. Bart Van Reyn feels at home in a broad repertoire: from baroque to contemporary, and both in oratorio, opera, orchestral songs as well as in a cappella music – with the voice as the common thread. Koenraad Sterckx, piano Koenraad Sterckx studied piano with Boyan Vodenitcharov and music writing at the Koninklijk Conservatorium van Brussel. He performs as a soloist, as a chamber musician and as an accompanist for, among others, the Vlaams Radiokoor. In addition to his activities as a pianist, he was attached to the Koninklijk Conservatorium van Brussel from 2012 to 2022 as an artistic researcher and was able to complete projects on the compositions of Victor Legley, Eugène Ysaÿe and Alexander Stadtfeld, among others. Since 2019, he has also been working at the same institute as an accompanist, this academic year for the viola, orchestral conducting and piccolo classes. Ticket info: More info about subscriptions and day tickets: *Subscription choir cycle 26-27 Tielen: €45 p.p. *Day tickets: Pre-sale €20, Box office €25, Reduction -12 / student €15 Online sales via www.koorlink.be Payment at the box office is also possible, preferably with exact change.",