kathleen

We’ll be in Paris May 2nd – 7th, and would like to go to a classical music concert, perhaps at one of these two churches — La Saint Chapelle (the Barok Ensemble) or Saine-Germain des Pres Church (Paris Classik Orchestra). Any suggestion on which to choose? Are there any other concerts at this time that we should consider?

jpie

I have only attended a concert in Saint Chapelle but it was magical with the dusk light coming through the stained glass, so that would be my choice just because of the venue.

kerouac

If you click on the dates on this calendar, you will find numerous other options.

https://www.offi.fr/concerts/mois-05-2018.html

TDudette

I agree with jpie. If you haven't been inside St. Chapelle, it really is exquisite. If you can go on the 3rd, you might enjoy the Pachelbel even more. Don't know what your musical tastes are.

kerouac

It looks to me as though it is time to start a discussion about priorities. Do you love classical musical and is that your prime motivation for wanting to attend a classical concert in Paris? Or do you just just want to listen to music in a place that is "pretty"?

There is nothing wrong with either decision, but it would really help to give suggestions if your motivation became clear. I have to admit that I kind of imagine that you are in the second category since you had already picked out two picturesque churches as possibilities. If you were real fans of music, I'm sure that you would already know that 95% of classical concerts are not held in churches.

Christina

I play classical piano and love classical music but go to concerts in Paris based on the performers and repertoire. I would not pay to go to either one of those, and I think they are very expensive for what the music is. If you don't listen to classical music much at all, and are picking based on the venue, you should go to Ste Chapelle. The St Germain church is really gloomy and old and run down, so if you are going for the venue, don't go there.

I think that group is doing Ave Maria on that date (May 5th) at the St Germain church. On the other date, it is a soprano singing Monteverdi and Purcell (and some Vivaldi thrown in, they always have to have Vivaldi). I suspect most casual listeners are not going to be that interested in Purcell or Monteverdi, but that's just a guess.. And there is also the issue as to whether you want to hear a soprano soloist versus a full choir at the other church. You have not mentioned the violinist doing solo Bach pieces at Ste Chapelle on one of those dates, that would be what I would choose if I were to go there.

There are many classical music concerts every week in Paris, there would have to be better choices IMO, and cheaper. I just go to ones in churches that have soloists or trios/quartets playing something I'm interested in, they never cost much (such as at St Eustache or St Julien le Pauvre musicians play at quite a few churches in Paris). I don't plan this in advance unless I am going to a major venue or hearing a major performer, those I buy in advance.
For example, they wouldn't post the kind of concerts I go to this far in advance, but tomorrow there are several and this is one:
The Trio Colibrio playing works byt Mozart, Medelssohn and Ravel at the Evangelical Church of Paris-Luxembourg, entry is free or donation you choose.
Sunday, the Octopus Quarter is doing the Ravel quartet and some work by Webern at the Eglise St Eugene/Ste Cecile in the 9th arr, and that also is free/voluntary donation.

You can find those kinds of things easily when you get there just by buying a weekly entertainment guide at the news kiosque or check www.offi.fr closer to the date. Right now, they would only list those expensive tourist concerts or the major performers at Salle Cortot, etc.

kathleen

It is almost a certainty that we will visit both churches more than once. We enjoy going into churches built in any period and really love the exterior light interacting with the interior space in Gothic churches as much as we like the intense mood and strong sentiments that one feels inside a medieval church. I guess we were wondering which of these very different venues to choose for a concert. We were interested in a mixture of music and the space. We usually choose to go to operas when visiting cities, but wanted something outside of a familiar opera house venue. Thanks for the links to comprehensive listings of various types of concerts which will be going on while we’re there. And thanks for the comparison of venue spaces as well as the suggestion to look at other venues in the weekly entertainment guide. And as for music priorities, it could be classical as well as jazz, as we’ll search out jazz events too. Thanks, really, for all the detailed information.
Kathy

ToujoursVoyager

Thank you Christina for providing the link www.offi.fr
You just opened a world of possibilities for my family and I.

kja

Acknowledging the important caveats above about the music vs. the setting, I'll add another vote for Ste. Chapelle -- the chance to listen to beautiful music while watching the every-changing light through those glorious windows as the sun set made for an extraordinary experience. And BTW, I'd go separately during the day to see it in different light, and to see both floors.

letsgeaux

Several years ago we attended an Easter concert the night before Easter at St. Chapelle. The setting and the music were beautiful. I highly recommend St. Chapelle for concerts. We have also attended very enjoyable concerts at La Madeline where the music and the atmosphere were top notch.

kathleen

I’m hearing from a lot of you that attending a concert in a beautiful church setting such as Saint Chapelle is really worth it. We will take your advice on that and get tickets, and may also try to attend a concert at Saint Germain des Pres. Our hotel is very close to Saint Germain and it would be hard to pass up the nearby opportunity.While looking through the links for events that both Kerouac and Christina listed, we also found a promising music performance at the Cluny Museum. However this morning when I searched through both links I couldn’t locate it anywhere in either of the links, and I’d wanted to ask any of you about that museum venue. Sadly, it’s moot now, because the Cluny will be closed for renovations during the time period we’re in town. Do any of you know if the tapestries are loaned out and on exhibit at another Paris museum during the closure? It’s been over 20 years since we’ve seen “The Lady and the Unicorn” (The Unicorn Tapestries) in Paris. More recently (and frequently) we’ve seen the ones at the Met. Cloisters in NYC, “The Hunt for the Unicorn” (Tapestries). Love viewing all the tapestries and will be sad not to see them again in Paris.

kja

Oh, the Unicorn Cycle from the Cluny are so stunning, as are the unicorn tapestries at the Cloisters! Wondering if I might see the Unicorn Cycle again, I just looked it up -- apparently, they are off to Japan:
Cluny Museum's 'The Lady and the Unicorn' tapestries head to Japan for six months

kerouac

That link is 5 years old.

The unicorn gallery was closed on 19 January and should reopen in mid-July 2018.

kja

I saw that the picture had an old date, but the article seemed to carry today's date. Sorry if I misled anyone.

tdk320n

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