Parisian music galore from Théotime Langlois de Swarte and the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century

The Great Church in Enschede was abuzz with curiosity. All were eager to learn more about the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century’s young French soloist and conductor, Théotime Langlois de Swarte – a name nearly as extravagant as the overlooked composer he sought to highlight, Joseph Bologne Chevalier de St-Georges. Who is this this twenty-nine-year-old violinist, co-founder of Le Consort, and a regular with William Christie and Les Arts Florissants, Véronique Gens and lutist-extraordinaire Thomas Dunford? And is he really as good as everyone says?

The programme

Music from French composer

Joseph Bologne Chevalier de St-Georges

Leading the orchestra from his violin, the thunderous brass and wind chords of a very brief recitative from Bologne’s opéra comique L’Amant anonyme (1780) confirmed that the simple answer is yes. Théotime Langlois de Swarte with his very confidant demeanour is in a class of his own.

Théotime Langlois de Swarte, the soloist

In a flash, we launched into a very fulsome and sprightly reading of Mozart’s Violin Concerto no. 3 in G (1775), a staple of orchestral auditions the world over, yet quite unlike any performance I have heard before. The very quirky and bouncy sound produced by his original Nicolas Pierre Tourte bow and 1733 Carlo Bergonzi violin (with an original 18^th century tailpiece, three pure gut strings and one wound) brought pleasure to soloist and orchestra alike. As did the fabulous orchestral accents.

There is great precision and clarity in the Frenchman’s playing, and I found myself falling for his very efficient, natural and relaxed bow arm. His ability to build climaxes before melting away to nothing, all without a single bulge, is highly addictive.

Challenging the orchestra

Leaving the orchestra to open the Adagio, Langlois de Swarte immediately adjusted the tempo with his sultry opening theme. He challenged their dynamic range, making them find a true piano before foreboding horns added a touch of drama. He almost toyed with the musicians, holding some notes on for a moment longer than expected (or even rehearsed!) just to check that they were still on board. All the time, the violin continued, unperturbed, silky-smooth, not a bump in sight. Each note moving seamlessly into the next. Quite sublime.

A rustic Rondeau set off at quite a pace, and phrasing felt fresh and very alive. Unexpected bowings produced ravishing and unusual effects. Cheeky harmonics to start the second, much slower theme melted into the bagpipe-induced third theme where again, cheeky horns and violin glissandi amused many. The opening string crossings of the final cadenza, perhaps more usually found in Italian Baroque music brought an attractive, icy-opaqueness. However, the style seemed out of place and meant the concerto did not finish on the usual high.

the fabulous musicians — The fabulous musicians of the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century © Janko Duinker

More music from Joseph Bologne Chevalier de St Georges

Returning to the ballet suite from Bologne’s opera, L’Amant anonyme (1780) was a particularly attractive decision. The popularity of dance music was at an all-time high in 1770s Paris, specifically the use of ballet in the opera tradition of Lully and Rameau. One could imagine the court of Marie Antoinette finding pleasant amusement in music perfectly suited to the gay frivolity of many a Bridgerton set. Similarities with Mozart were few. The Parisian’s music being much more varied, robust and perhaps lacking the extended development we have grown accustomed to in works from this period, but nevertheless in the hands of the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, this music was very entertaining and deserving of a much-needed renaissance.

Théotime Langlois de Swarte, the conductor

The second half and Mozart’s Symphony no 31 in D, ‘Paris‘ with Langlois de Swarte now on the podium and without his violin, raised an interesting and very different question. How do soloists of this calibre transition from soloist and orchestral leader to that of conductor? Whether to lead an ensemble from the violin, a model successfully employed by Joshua Bell (Academy of St Martin in the Fields), Tomo Keller and Candida Thompson (Amsterdam Sinfonietta), or to cast the violin aside and take to the podium instead. When an audience is left clearly enjoying the fabulous music on offer, but missing the dynamism and musicality witnessed earlier in the evening, this poses a dilemma.

All musicians rise to the challenge when conductors effectively express their thoughts through gesture. This collaboration, which we may still be talking about in many years to come, could be the beginning of something very special if all the right choices are made.