Laurence Equilbey on Beethoven Extended

Recorded at La Seine Musicale in September 2025 (Symphony No. 5) and Feburary 2026 (Symphony No. 7), the first two instalments of Laurence Equilbey's 'Beethoven Extended' series sees the French conductor's Insula Orchestra joining forces with the newly-established Insula Camerata for super-sized accounts of the music which are rooted in Beethoven's own practice of marking specific passages as 'solo' or 'tutti' for maximum dramatic contrast. (This approach quickly gained tracition within the composer's lifetime - in his excellent, informative booklet-essay, Insula librarian Alexis Longefay notes that a Köln performance of the Fifth Symphony in 1821 deployed a whopping 158 musicians - three times the number who took part in the premiere thirteen years earlier).

In between the Paris concerts, I spoke to Laurence about the rewards and challenges of the 'double orchestra' approach, how and where it was practised during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, her work with the young musicians of the Camerata, and a passion-project from earlier this year which was born out of her love of cinema...

I'm intrigued by the double orchestra approach to Beethoven 5… how do you make this work? 

The double orchestra is not an invention: it's a historical practice. In nineteenth-century German festivals — Lower Rhine from 1818, Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna — Beethoven's symphonies were performed by 120 to 200 musicians, with doubled winds. The parts often carry S (Solo) and R (Ripieno) markings, distinguishing a reduced group from the mass that joins it for the tutti.

Beethoven himself annotated his Symphony No. 4 with solo/tutti indications. His Piano Concerto No. 1 also carries these markings systematically in all the orchestral parts - these are not merely generalised indications of sections, but specific instructions for each player, probably indicating a reduction in the number of players. The principle: the tutti does not enter progressively during crescendos, but at their culmination. The intended effect is not power, but contrast - making the circulation of a motif through space audible.

Wagner, conducting the Ninth in Dresden in 1845 with doubled winds, noted that it was "probably the first time one could hear the motif played by the winds in a perfectly clear manner: since they were doubled, one could obtain all the power required".

Are you aware of any other recordings (or recent concerts?) that adopt this approach of using a double orchestra?

No, but I do know that this practice was still frequently employed in concert by the Vienna Philharmonic during the 1990s.

Do you make different choices regarding tempo, articulation, and so on, compared to what you would do with a "classical" ensemble?

No; in fact, this approach leads us to emphasise differences in dynamics even more - particularly Beethoven’s crescendos, which are sometimes very brief yet culminate in a fortissimo. The contrasts in orchestral texture are also heightened: moments of great translucency can be followed by tutti passages where the sound of the wind instruments takes on a quality reminiscent of a grand organ.

Could you cite two or three specific passages from the Fifth and Seventh symphonies where orchestral doubling proves particularly effective?

I am thinking, for instance, of the end of the scherzo in the Fifth Symphony, where the first violins and the timpani are playing *pianissimo*—only for the triumphant roar of the finale to suddenly erupt. In the Seventh Symphony, there is a moment toward the end of the final movement where Beethoven leads us into a murky, unstable landscape, defined by an *ostinato* in the basses and shifting harmonies; the emergence from this state is a brilliant, vibrant dance performed by the full orchestra.

And will you be incorporating this into the other seven symphonies for your projected cycle of recordings?

For the recordings, we have chosen three pairings:

The Fifth with the Seventh — two symphonies where rhythm is the main dramatic engine. The Fifth with its fate motif pulsing through all four movements; the Seventh, which Wagner called "the apotheosis of the dance".

The Third 'Eroica' with the Sixth 'Pastoral' — a natural diptych: heroism and contemplation, human drama and nature, the funeral march and the shepherd's song. The only two Beethoven symphonies to carry a programmatic title.

The Ninth alone - over an hour of music, four soloists, a chorus. A world unto itself that tolerates no neighbours.

Tell me a little about the Insula Camerata – what do you look for when you're auditioning potential members, and what sort of training and experience do they receive?

Throughout my career, I’ve developed a deep commitment to fostering artistic transmission and sharing my expertise with the next generation of musicians. Insula camerata was born from this commitment: a new Professional Integration Program focused on historically informed performance practices. This orchestral academy is designed for young, promising instrumentalists between the ages of 18 and 30, at the early stages of their careers. It welcomes musicians who have chosen to specialize in period instruments from the outset, as well as those transitioning from modern instruments.

Insula camerata’s primary objective is to guide these young talents toward becoming the great professionals of tomorrow, refining their skills as orchestra musicians specialized in period instruments, while facilitating their transition into the professional world. Each cohort participates for two seasons, during which they gain hands-on experience in every aspect of orchestral life, including live performances, recording, touring, and artistic transmission. 

During the audition process, we of course seek a high level of technical and musical proficiency, but not only. We also prioritize a deeper understanding of each candidate’s musical journey, their decision to focus on historically informed practices, and their values surrounding ensemble work. To this end, each candidate is invited to a brief, informal interview where they can discuss their musical path and aspirations.

I believe our first selection process, held this year, was a great success: we brought together a harmonious and well-integrated group of musicians from twelve different nationalities which, over the course of two weeks during their first project in September, they worked together to achieve an extraordinary level of musical and instrumental performance.

You also released your Musiques de cinéma album back in the spring… can you choose two or three instances where the use of a piece of Baroque/Classical music in film has particularly resonated with you? 

One of the most memorable uses of Baroque music in cinema, to my mind, is Vivaldi’s Cum Dederit, which appears in many films, creating a dramatic tension that foreshadows trouble ahead. A striking example is the scene in 007 Spectre, in which Monica Bellucci waits with fatal acceptance for her killers, a glass in her hand. The piece also features in Dogville, Divines, Dheepan and Forever Young.

I also love the use of the slow movement of Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in films such as Out of Africa, where it accompanies the love story and enhances the beauty of the Kenyan landscapes. The same music is heard in Dialogue with My Gardener, encouraging a friendly rapprochement, and in Blue Is the Warmest Color, where it underscores a romantic date.

Cinema can also bring certain works to light: Handel’s Sarabande was relatively unknown before Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon, and has since become universally familiar.