Alain Trudel has developed a high-quality sound with the Laval Symphony Orchestra, as evidenced by several excellent recordings over the years. Here he is now at the helm of the Trois-Rivières Symphony Orchestra (OSTR), for which he quickly puts his talent to use with a first recording under the Atma label. It is none other than the Maison symphonique de Montréal that serves as the setting for what we hear (along with the Oscar-Peterson Hall at McGill University). A setting that fortunately allows the very beautiful musical quality displayed by the Orchestra, its principal chairs, and the soloists Valérie Milot (harp) and Élisabeth Pion (piano) to shine.
Trudel opens the program with a beautifully crafted and pleasantly designed Tombeau de Couperin, thanks to the very fine solos from the various sections (flute, oboe, horn, clarinet, etc.) of the winds, ardently requisitioned in this effervescent score.
The Pavane pour une infante défunte is delicately sketched, while the Introduction and Allegro for harp and orchestra receives careful attention from the soloist Valérie Milot, richly supported by the orchestra.
Élisabeth Pion eagerly takes on the tortuous lines and abundant details of the Concerto in G major. Trudel follows her without missing a beat, and the result is a performance that has quite a bit of panache.
The musicians of the OSTR demonstrate a lot of character. That said, we recognise several names that we also see in several Montreal orchestras (Metropolitan, Laval, Classical Orchestra, etc.). In Quebec, with the exception of the Montreal Symphony, the doors between ensembles must be open so that musicians can hope to live from their art.
Nevertheless, Alain Trudel can boast of bringing his OSTR to convincingly surpass its status as a “regional” orchestra with this recent release.
