George Frideric Handel WATER MUSIC Les Violons du Roy Bernard Labadie ACD2 2569 Les Violons du Roy are a Canadian national treasure.   Under the baton of founder Bernard Labadie, the chamber orchestra performs its regular concert series in both its Quebec City home and in Montreal; regular tours take them to major centres across Canada, the USA and Europe. Much of the fame of the group outside Québec rests on its brilliant bi-annual performances of George Frideric Handel's Messiah.   This recording shows their Handel prowess in his other "greatest hits": all three Water Music suites, and The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba from the oratorio Solomon. This is the first recording made in the new Salle Raoul-Jobin of the Palais Montcalm, Québec City, Québec, which has been converted into a first-class concert hall, and was inaugurated as such in March 2007.   Les Violons du Roy would like to thank Québec City and the Société du Palais Montcalm for this wonderful space that is now their home. Produced by ATMA Classique founder and president Johanne Goyette; recorded and digitally mastered by ATMA Classique's Anne-Marie Sylvestre in June 2007.         Water Music HWV 348 - 350         Suite nº 1 en fa majeur HWV 348 [27:24]   1 :: Overture: Largo-Allegro     [3:35]   2 :: Adagio e staccato     [2:12]   3 :: [sans indication de tempo]     [2:31]   4 :: Andante     [2:09]   5 :: Reprise du nº 3     [2:32]   6 :: [sans indication de tempo]     [3:06]   7 ::. Air     [2:55]   8 :: Minuet     [2:30]   9 :: Bourrée Hornpipe-Bourrée     [2:23] 10 :: [sans indication de tempo]     [3:31]         Suite nº 3 en sol majeur HWV 350 [11:09] 11 :: [sans indication de tempo]     [3:00] 12 :: Rigaudons I/II     [2:40] 13 :: Menuets I/II     [3:52] 14 :: [sans indication de tempo] I/II     [1:37]         Suite nº 2 en ré majeur HWV 349 [10:53] 15 :: [sans indication de tempo]     [2:19] 16 :: Alla Hornpipe     [4:08] 17 :: Minuet     [1:01] 18 :: Lentement     [2:01] 19 :: Bourrée     [1:24]         Deux extraits de l'oratorio Solomon HWV 67         Ouverture [7:45] 20 :: [sans indication de tempo]-Allegro moderato     [4:59] 21 :: Allegro     [2:46]         Sinfonia 22 :: The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba     [2:53] ATMA Classique is distributed in Australia by Rockian Trading PO Box 44, Briar Hill, Vic, 3088, Australia Telephone +61 (0)3 9432 4149 ~ Facsimile +61 (0)3 9444 6879