The ensemble Les vents français owes its existence to the French clarinettist and conductor Paul Meyer, who has been realising his love of chamber music for years as a musician and co-founder of the Festival International de Musique de Chambre de Provence. This quintet of wind instruments comprises world‑famous flautist Emmanuel Pahud, excellent oboist François Leleux, recently very active as a conductor (Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra), Gilbert Audin, a soloist with the Orchestre de l’Opéra national de Paris and professor of the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris (bassoon class) and Croatian horn player Radovan Vlatković, whose playing inspired Krzysztof Penderecki to compose his Capriccio per Radovan for solo French horn and Concerto per corno ed orchesta ‘Winterreise’ (both works dedicated to Vlatković). The quintet is accompanied by the outstanding artist Éric Le Sage, whom the Warsaw Philharmonic audience has had the chance to admire in chamber music concerts on more than one occasion.
These six eminent musicians share not just their experience and a passion for making music together, but also – as Paul Meyer declared years ago – something ‘more than friendship’. And that can be heard in the ensemble’s concerts and recordings: the balanced expression, harmonious sound and technical excellence form an organic unity of interpretation. The musicians of Les vents français can boast many discs recorded for Warner Classics. The albums Concertante! (2018) and Moderniste (2019) were nominated for the Opus Klassik Awards. The ensemble is also actively involved in educational work, running workshops for young musicians.
Dorota Żórawska-Dobrowolska