about

AN ENSEMBLE TO REVEAL CLASSICAL MUSIC DIFFERENTLY

L’Ensemble de L’Encyclopédie was founded in 2020 by musician and conductor Florent Albrecht on the shores of Lake Geneva. Since 2022, it has also been based in France, pursuing its artistic development on both sides of the border.

Driven by a spirit of exploration, precision, and transmission, the ensemble is dedicated to shedding new light on the music of the 18th and early 19th centuries (1750–1830)—a period of profound aesthetic shifts and bold stylistic invention.

A HISTORICALLY INFORMED APPROACH

L’Ensemble de L’Encyclopédie embraces historically informed performance, deeply rooted in musicological research, historical sources, original treatises, and period instruments.

Far from being rigid, this approach offers fresh breath, freedom, and clarity to the music, enabling each work to be reimagined in its original expressive spirit.

On stage, this translates into vibrant energy, expressive precision, and a constant attention to the meaning and structure of the musical text.

AN EXCEPTIONAL, FLEXIBLE ENSEMBLE

L’Encyclopédie is a modular ensemble, adapting its size and instrumentation to the needs of each repertoire.

Its musicians rank among the finest specialists of this period, experts in historical performance. Many regularly perform with major European ensembles such as Les Talens Lyriques, Les Arts Florissants, Freiburger Barockorchester, Pygmalion, and Insula Orchestra.

A REPERTOIRE TO BE DISCOVERED—AND REDISCOVERED

The ensemble’s programs build bridges between:

iconic masterpieces (Mozart, Haydn, Schubert…),
and a rich body of unjustly forgotten works—rarely heard, yet brimming with expressive and stylistic depth.

Each concert is conceived as an aesthetic journey, carried by high musical standards and a deep sense of openness.

RAPID RECOGNITION

Despite having emerged during the first COVID lockdown, L’Encyclopédie has, in under five years, already been invited to major venues and festivals: Victoria Hall (Geneva), Studio Ernest Ansermet (broadcast by Swiss Radio), Concerts d’été de Saint-Germain, Musiques en été, Paris’s Parc Floral, Festival Agapé, Bach en Combrailles, and more.

A FIRST RECORDING FOR HARMONIA MUNDI

In 2025, the ensemble will release its debut recording for the prestigious international label harmonia mundi: a unique musical dialogue between Leopold and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, exploring the intimate connections between father and son.

This recording marks a major milestone in the ensemble’s journey and its growing place within the international landscape of period-instrument performance.

florent albrecht - artistic director

A MUSICIAN GUIDED BY RESEARCH, RIGOUR, AND FREEDOM

Florent Albrecht is a multifaceted musician, whose work lies at the crossroads of performance, research, and artistic transmission. In 2020, he founded L’Ensemble de L’Encyclopédie, driven by a desire to reimagine the music of the 18th and early 19th centuries through the lens of historically informed performance.

His education was shaped by key figures such as Paul Badura-Skoda, Charles Rosen, and Malcolm Bilson—three towering names in both piano performance and musical thought. In 2018, he was awarded the Royaumont Foundation Prize, a recognition that marked a significant turning point in his artistic path.

With a clear and independent artistic vision grounded in historical sources, treatises, and the study of period instruments, Florent Albrecht seeks to uncover the expressive power and elegance of this music. The fortepiano plays a central role in his approach, allowing him to bring out the clarity, nuance, and poetic depth of the classical repertoire.

MAJOR STAGES AND A HIGHLY PRAISED DISCOGRAPHY

Florent Albrecht is surrounded by a vibrant network of musicians who share his passion for excellence, curiosity, and the rediscovery of neglected works. He has collaborated with celebrated artists such as Giuliano Carmignola, Jodie Devos, Amandine Beyer, Sophie Karthäuser, and Anna Reinhold, as well as renowned conductors including Chiara Banchini, Alexis Kossenko, and Václav Luks—particularly for a concert with the Orchestre National de France, where he was invited as guest soloist.

As a pianist—both solo and in chamber music, a format especially close to his heart—he has performed at prestigious venues around the world: Barbican Centre (London), Auditorio Nacional (Madrid), Munich Philharmonie, Juilliard School (New York), Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, Auditorium de Radio France, Philharmonie de Paris, Opéra National de Paris, and the Chopin Festival in Nohant.

His first two recordings, devoted to John Field and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, were acclaimed by critics for their stylistic freshness, interpretive insight, and the expressive qualities of the historical instruments. These recordings reflect his ongoing mission to renew how we hear and feel this repertoire—with integrity, depth, and freedom.