Active in Paris from 1725 until the Revolution, the Concert spirituel was the first public concert institution worthy of the name. Founded so that music-lovers would not be deprived of music on days when the Opéra was closed—Sundays and religious holidays—, the concert series featured compositions of every genre, from “motets à grand chœur” written for the Chapel of Versailles to secular cantatas and entertainments to the most modern of instrumental works, all of which were performed by high-profile vocal, violin, flute, and bassoon virtuosos. The Concert spirituel pursued its vocation to such a great extent that it became the most faithful witness to changing tastes in France throughout the 18^th century.