“The fact that a composer of Gouvy’s significance is still so little known in Paris, while so many musical one-hit wonders annoy the audience with their simpleminded, obtrusive buzzing, should awaken and embarrass those naive minds who still believe in reason and justice in the customs of our musical world.” – Hector Berlioz (quoted in Journal des débats,1853)

Théodore Gouvy, a composer hailing from Saarland-Lorraine, combines French grace, elegance, and clarity of structure with German depth and thoroughness. His work chiefly consists of symphonic and chamber music; he shaped the French wind school and influenced neoclassicism. With his septet, octets, and nonets, Gouvy anticipates modern ensembles that would only really come into their own at the turn of the twentieth century. As a bilingual musician, he straddled the cultures of Germany and France and acted as a true musical link between the two countries. This twofold cultural connection influenced his artistic orientation and shaped the special profile of his oeuvre. Gouvy was as well known, recognised, and respected in France as he was in Germany, but was too German for one and too French for the other, such that neither nation really claimed him for its own. Despite his brilliant career, he was unjustly forgotten in the twentieth century.

In 2017, the Ensemble arabesques launched the concept idea of dedicating an album to composers with a penchant for wind instruments. The series was inaugurated with the highly successful CD album Gustav Holst Kammermusik. This was followed in 2019 by repertoire by Francis Poulenc, who was known for his love of woodwind instruments. In 2021, the ensemble devoted itself to Jacques Ibert. Similar to Holst, Ibert’s special charm lies in his different ensemble settings featuring woodwind instruments, strings, and harp.

In 2011, the German-French cultural festival arabesques was launched in Hamburg. With more than 50 events each year, it is now the biggest festival of its type in northern Germany. The Ensemble arabesques, which to begin with was active only during the festival, has now developed its own momentum and performs in Germany and abroad throughout the year. The ensemble is made up of musicians from the three major Hamburg orchestras – the Philharmonic State Orchestra Hamburg, the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra and the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra. In varying combinations, the artists focus mainly on unusual musical projects ranging from baroque to modern. Little-known composers or works that have fallen into oblivion form a central part of the ensemble's work.

Ensemble arabesques:
- Eva Maria Thiébaud (flute)
- Nicolas Thiébaud (oboe)
- Manuel Bilz (oboe)
- Andreas Langenbuch (clarinet)
- Christoph Schneider (clarinet)
- Alison Balls (horn)
- Joan Valeriano Güell (horn)
- Ulrich Hermann (bassoon)
- Augusto Palumbo (bassoon)
- Leon Silas Gartner (bassoon)
- Tobias Grove (double bass)