2017 is the year for music from the court of Versailles. First there was La Harpe Reine, then Henriette: The Princess of the Viol, and now À Madame: Divertissement Pour Adélaïde. I’m not complaining – the repertoire is, quite literally, music to my ears. For À Madame violinist Julien Chauvin and harpsichordist Olivier Baumont present compositions associated with and dedicated to Princess Marie Adélaïde of France, sister of gambist Henriette. The recording, which took place at Versailles, is luscious and energetic, and the natural acoustic creates the feeling of a live – as opposed to studio – recording. Further, the relaxed interaction between musicians captures the intimacy of a chamber performance.

To evoke the Versailles atmosphere, chimes from Madame Victoire’s drawing-room clock bookend the recording, and carillons from Louis-Joseph’s clock marks the halfway point. Chauvin and Baumont, on eighteenth-century instruments, take turns performing individually and as an ensemble. Claude Balbastre’s Aria Gratioso is a lovely standout for its legato violin melody over the undulating arpeggiated harpsichord accompaniment. Also stunning is Jean-Pierre Guignon’s two-violin arrangement of Rameau’s Les Sauvages, but the second violinist is neither named nor credited on the CD. À Madame is a welcome addition to the flourishing collection of Versailles-inspired recordings.

Alexandra Mathew