La Nativité

Despite the monopoly held by the Royal Academy of Music over the performance of musical works—a result of the privileges established under Lully—Anne-Danican Philidor was authorized by an official decree on January 22, 1725, to establish a society for public concerts. The Academy imposed only one condition on this venture: the repertoire had to consist exclusively of religious music. Philidor agreed and the Concert Spirituel opened at the Tuileries Palace that same year.

The leadership of this institution changed many times. In 1773, Gossec, Leduc and Gaviniès were appointed to lead the Concert Spirituel, which provided François-Joseph Gossec with more opportunities to have his own compositions performed. On 24 December 1774, he premiered La Nativité, an oratorio composed to a text by Monsieur de Chabanon. The piece was very well received: the audience appreciated this pastoral work recounting the birth of the Saviour among sleeping shepherds and shepherdesses. Critics also praised the originality of the choir of angels positioned above the vaulted ceiling, hidden from view.

The oratorio is structured in eight parts, alternating between arias, recitatives, choruses and instrumental sections. The ensemble, consistent with that of a traditional oratorio, includes solo voices, two choirs, strings, and wind instruments, which convey the work’s pastoral character.

Lisa Maimponte