Baroque / Classical

OSL Winter Classical Festival | Friendly Baroque Journey

by Hélène Archambault

To open the 4th edition of its Winter Classical Festival, the Orchestre symphonique de Laval (OSL) invites us to travel to 18th-century Europe. Under the direction of conductor Mathieu Lussier, in the heart of winter, the OSL performs music by Handel, Vivaldi, Hasse, Quantz and Albinoni.

The repertoire is meticulously chosen: while presenting well-known composers, the orchestra offers pieces that are less well known. Mathieu Lussier, not without a sense of humor, introduces each piece to an attentive and receptive audience. Between anecdotes, keys to understanding and frankly amusing comments, his friendly tone enhances and enriches the journey.

The concert opens with 3 movements from Georg Friedrich Handel’s Concerto Grosso in D major, Op. 6, No. 5. Antoine Bareil, Johanne Morin and Chantal Marcil, respectively first solo violin, second solo violin and principal cello of the group, rival each other in spirit. This is followed by the Bassoon Concerto in E minor, RV 484. The sound of OSL principal bassoon Michel Bettez is enchanting, especially in the second movement. Performed immediately afterwards, Johann Adolphe Hasse’s Sinfonia in G minor, Op. 5 No. 6 was my finest moment of the evening. The orchestra is full of fire, and Bareil’s playing is expressive, precise and nuanced. Johann Joachim Quantz’s Concerto for flute in G major was a little less successful for soloist Jean-Philippe Tanguay, second flute and piccolo with the OSL. His high-pitched attacks lacked clarity. Vivaldi’s Overture, La verità in cimento, RV 739, plunges us back into the fire of the orchestra, while Tomaso Albinoni’s Concerto for oboe in D minor, Op. 9, No. 2 introduces us to the lively playing of Lindsay Roberts, second oboe and English horn of the OSL. Vivaldi closes the journey with the Trio Sonata in D minor “La follia” RV 63, arranged by Mathieu Lussier and featuring all three soloists.

Unfortunately, the room wasn’t full for this first evening. What I have to say about that is that the absentees are often, if not always, wrong. The comments and smiles on people’s faces at the end of the evening left no doubt: they left with their hearts in their mouths, warm and cosy, despite the chill that returned with a vengeance towards the end of the evening.

Photo Credit: Gabriel Fournier

Latest 360 Content

Transforming Hiroshima mon amour into contemporary opera: Christian Lapointe and Rosa Lind tell the story

Transforming Hiroshima mon amour into contemporary opera: Christian Lapointe and Rosa Lind tell the story

Sparks – MAD!

Sparks – MAD!

“Hiroshima, mon amour”: An Evening to Remember

“Hiroshima, mon amour”: An Evening to Remember

Peter Murphy – Silver Shade

Peter Murphy – Silver Shade

Ken Pomeroy – Cruel World

Ken Pomeroy – Cruel World

Art of the Line: Klangkarussell’s Euro Vision at SAT

Art of the Line: Klangkarussell’s Euro Vision at SAT

Festival des Saveurs | Closing With Reggae

Festival des Saveurs | Closing With Reggae

Centroamérica – a powerful docu-play about truth and connection in an age of distance and denial

Centroamérica – a powerful docu-play about truth and connection in an age of distance and denial

Lido Pimienta – La Belleza

Lido Pimienta – La Belleza

Tamir Barzilay – Phosphene Journal

Tamir Barzilay – Phosphene Journal

The best ‘’Candlelight concert‘’ ever.

The best ‘’Candlelight concert‘’ ever.

Men I Trust – Equus Caballus

Men I Trust – Equus Caballus

The Halluci Nation – Path of the Baby Face

The Halluci Nation – Path of the Baby Face

A lap steel guitar choir and an angel to end the Innovations en concert 24-25 season

A lap steel guitar choir and an angel to end the Innovations en concert 24-25 season

The OSM and Abel Selaocoe: Evenings When You’d Like to Stop Time

The OSM and Abel Selaocoe: Evenings When You’d Like to Stop Time

Reaching for the sky: Francis Choinière’s challenge to end his OPCM’s 10th season

Reaching for the sky: Francis Choinière’s challenge to end his OPCM’s 10th season

Piknic 3: A Little Bit of Everything Under the Sun

Piknic 3: A Little Bit of Everything Under the Sun

Cazzu – Latinaje

Cazzu – Latinaje

Stereolab – Instant Holograms On Metal Film

Stereolab – Instant Holograms On Metal Film

SMCQ | In memoriam Jocelyn Morlock

SMCQ | In memoriam Jocelyn Morlock

Abbey Road at Festival Classica

Abbey Road at Festival Classica

Mira Choquette – Hier encore

Mira Choquette – Hier encore

Jared Dunn; Anna Gorecka – Gorecki’s World of the Piano

Jared Dunn; Anna Gorecka – Gorecki’s World of the Piano

Subscribe to our newsletter