Choral Music / Classical / musique contemporaine

Schulich | Duruflé’s grandeur at the Maison

by Judith Hamel

The Maison Symphonique vibrated this Sunday afternoon under the bows, mouthpieces and voices of the students of the McGill Symphony Orchestra, the Schulich Chamber Choir and the McGill University Choir. No fewer than 230 musicians took to the stage to honour this remarkable music on an impressive program spanning the 20th-century and diverse aesthetics. 

While their Pollack concert hall is closed, the ensembles take advantage of the opportunity to play in several of the city’s venues. This time, it was the Maison Symphonique. 45 minutes before the start of the concert, the audience was greeted with a musical performance by the Schulich Chamber Choir in the hall’s Foyer. Under the Christmas tree and in front of a very attentive audience, they gave us a fine introduction, led by 6 choirmasters. 

As a prelude to the Requiem, the concert got off to a gentle start with the choral piece Ubi Caritas. The 90-strong orchestra, 140 choristers and Maison Symphonique Pierre-Béique organ, conducted by Jean-Sébastien Vallée, followed with a remarkable performance of Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem. 

Despite some passages where a little more assurance from the choir would have been appreciated, it nonetheless stood out for its impressive solidity, alternating between melodic passages of great finesse and heart-rending fortissimos. And when choir, orchestra and organ unite, the sonic impact in the hall is staggering. The power of the ensemble literally overwhelms the audience. The fourth movement, Hosanna, stood out for its spectacular intensity, highlighting the hall’s acoustics. In the fifth movement, Pie Jesu, the orchestra showcased mezzo-soprano Javiera Zepeda magnificently, particularly in her high passages, where her vocal mastery combined perfectly with the timbre of the alti and cellos. The Requiem was a highlight of the concert. 

Then, after the intermission, the performance of Schoenberg’s Theme and Variations was carried off by a remarkably solid brass section. From the very first expositions of the main theme, articulations were clean and precise, highlighting an essential feature of the work. Each section offered distinctive sonic spaces, allowing the orchestra to reveal all the finesse of the counterpoint and the elegance of the orchestration. 

The concert ended with Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations, taking us into a subtle and mysterious interplay. Each of the 14 variations sketches a sonorous portrait of someone close to the composer, blending tenderness, playfulness and depth, culminating in a final variation in which he reveals himself. The most striking variation was the ninth, Nimrod, in which Alexis Hauser brought a poignant intensity to the musicians. Another impressive moment was the tenth variation, named Dorabella, where strings and woodwind perfectly captured the mischievous laughter of Elgar’s friend Dora Penny, offering a moment of lightness and humor. Finally, perhaps in some passages the trombonists overdid the power of their instrument, but we forgive them. 

Altogether, it was a magnificent concert, in which the musicians seemed to be fully inspired by the grandeur of the venue. Before plunging into the holiday spirit, this afternoon put a balm on our November blues. 

photo : Tam Photography

Classical / Modern Classical / période romantique

OSM | Alpine Symphony: When Woods Become Sherpas

by Alexis Desrosiers-Michaud

These are the last concerts this week for the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM) before its forthcoming tour, which will take it to the finest concert halls in Europe over the next few weeks. For the occasion, it was the turn of Richard Strauss’s Alpine Symphony to be broken in, conducted by Rafael Payare.

As a curtain-raiser, the OSM also presented Jeden Baum spricht “Chaque arbre parle” by Iranian-Canadian Iman Habibi. According to the program note, this work would have had everything to gain from being included in last month’s OSM Beethoven Marathon. It ticks all the boxes of how the composition competition was presented at the concerts, or, roughly speaking, how the composer can express today the influence that Beethoven has had on his life. To take things a step further, it is written that the very title comes from one of Beethoven’s diaries. And that’s what we hear! Habibi skilfully uses the dramatic, country aesthetics of the Fifth and Sixth symphonies, without quoting them, in a tripartite structure, with agitated brass and percussion, but calmer strings and woodwinds. This leads to a grandiose, hopeful finale. In short, something more interesting than the two creations we personally attended at the Sunday, October 20 concerts. We can’t help smiling when we recall that the OM competition dates back to before the pandemic, and when we read that Jedem Baum spricht was premiered in 2020 as a commission from the Philadelphia Orchestra, which is conducted by… Yannick Nézet-Séguin!

24 hours before the concert, the OSM announced that Scriabin’s Piano Concerto would be replaced by Ludwig van Beethoven’s Third Concerto , still performed by Bruce Liu. The latter will thread the concerto with finesse and fluidity. He never forces, picks or over-stamps. His right hand is so agile that trills are almost imperceptible, and his nuances are breathtaking. Liu has the ability to suspend notes at the last moment to dampen a phrase or change character. The beginning of the second movement transports us into another world, with a comforting left hand and a melody barely touched by the fingers of the right hand. No one gave an explanation for the change of work, but this performance was well worth it.

The Alpine Symphony is impressive in terms of length (45-50 min.), dense instrumentation (abundant brass and percussion sections, unusual instruments) and thematic flourishes, but you have to delve into the details to really impress. With more or less 130 performers, playing loud is child’s play, but it’s not always easy to measure out the nuances. As Payare prioritizes the instrument family most likely to be buried, namely the woodwinds, everything balances out. As experienced guides, they were brilliant, individually and collectively. From the very first note, bassoonist Stéphane Lévesque and his colleagues set the calm mood of dawn, against a background of imperceptible violins. Then, new principal oboist Alex Liedtke distinguished himself in a distant solo. Later, the same Liedtke, with clarinetist Todd Cope and the legendary Timothy Hutchins on flute, literally had us on the edge of our seats on the eve of the storm, not quite sure when the sky was going to fall. The Post-GoldenElegy was even better. The abyssal gulf in orchestration (from full orchestra to intimate, chamber formation with woodwinds, horn and trumpet solos on organ pedal) doesn’t affect the playing in the slightest. The trap of excitement and agitation of the previous section is avoided, and we swim in a moment of zenitude. Throughout the symphony, the horns were present without being overpowering. In fact, they could have taken up more space in a few places, such as each time the chorale motif is repeated from the outset. The volume of the banda was good, and the horns made a real impact in their long Summit melody, but it wouldn’t have been as excellent without the contribution of the strings below, which dictate the phrase without releasing the tension in the long notes. In short, the Alpine Symphony may tell the story of an adventurer’s ascent alone, but this magnificent performance is the work of a collective perfectly aware of the role each must play to reach the summit.

Photo Credit: Antoine Saito

Classical

Jason Xu, first saxophonist to win top honors at the OSM Competition

by Alexis Desrosiers-Michaud

For the first time in its history, the finale of the OSM Competition featured not one, but two saxophonists, in addition to a trumpeter and a bass trombonist. And for the first time in its history, the top prize went to a saxophonist, Chinese-Canadian Jason Xu.

It was with him that the final of the competition opened, with a performance of André Waignien’s Rhapsodie for alto saxophone. This piece gave him no respite. There aren’t many lyrical passages, but he’s able to make the lines sing in a virtuosic way. Xu has a beautiful, expressive and silky sound. However, we lose him a little on the soft nuances, but the orchestra, conducted by Jacques Lacombe, could have played less loudly. Otherwise, one of his qualities is to make a whole with the latter. You can quickly sense the chemistry between soloist and orchestra.

The second candidate was Ottawan trumpeter Charles Watson in Franz Joseph Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto. Stoic, he took up the challenge of playing with a rounded sound, without force or flamboyance, using finesse and clean articulations. However, there was a slight lack of nuance and phrasing. No one knows if concentration earns points, but he was occasionally disturbed, notably by applause in the wrong places, despite the warnings, and by the cries of a toddler. Also, a concerto cadenza is not a jazz solo: you don’t applaud at the end of it and when the orchestra resumes! Despite this, Watson remained unperturbed.

After the intermission, it was Malena Lorenson’s turn to perform John Williams’ Concerto for Tuba (yes, him), but adapted for bass trombone. Despite a few cracks at the start, her performance was breathtaking. The sound is even throughout the instrument’s vast register, and Lorenson easily rises above the orchestral ensemble. It should not be forgotten that the concerto is designed to be played by a valve instrument, whereas on the trombone, it is the arm alone that moves a slider to make the note changes. Lorenson renders these complex gymnastics with impressive ease, and also outdoes herself in the articulations of the lower register. A native of Alberta but currently studying in Montreal, she was roundly applauded by the audience.

The afternoon line-up concluded with Bingchen He. The second saxophonist of the evening chose to perform Henri Tomasi’s Concerto for alto saxophone. There are plenty of notes, but little added value in virtuosity. As in Williams’ Concerto, the orchestration is very dense and, unfortunately, the saxophone is eaten alive on several occasions. He takes up more space on stage than the others, and there’s a sense of less symbiosis with the orchestra. After lengthy deliberation, the results were as follows:

1st prize: Jason Xu

2nd prize: Malena Lorenson

3rd prize: Bingchen He

4th prize: Charles Watson

The international jury, chaired by Aline Sam-Giao, General Director of the Orchestre philarmonique royal de Liège, was comprised of : Leone Buyse, Ida and Joseph Kirkland Muller Professor Emeritus of Music at Rice University, Manon Lafrance, trumpeter and teacher, Louise Pellerin, oboist and professor at Zurich University of the Arts, Rafael Payare, Music Director of the OSM, Jacques Lacombe, conductor and Peter Sullivan, principal trombone with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

photo : Antoine Saito

classique

Orchestre de l’Agora: Émile Proulx-Cloutier Symphonique

by Rédaction PAN M 360

L’univers musical d’Émile Proulx-Cloutier, aux textes foisonnants et aux musiques envoûtantes, adapté en version symphonique le temps de deux concerts événements!

Deux soirées à la Maison symphonique de Montréal qui s’annoncent aussi prodigieuses qu’excitantes, alors qu’Émile sera magnifiquement accompagné de l’Orchestre de l’Agora, dirigé par les chefs Nicolas Ellis (22 novembre) et Julien Proulx (7 décembre). Les arrangements seront signés par Francois Vallières et Guido Del Fabbro.

The musical universe of Émile Proulx-Cloutier, with its abundant texts and spellbinding music, adapted to a symphonic version for two concert events!

Two evenings at the Maison symphonique de Montréal promise to be as prodigious as they are exciting, with Émile magnificently accompanied by the Orchestre de l’Agora, conducted by Nicolas Ellis (November 22) and Julien Proulx (December 7). The arrangements are by Francois Vallières and Guido Del Fabbro.

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Ce contenu provient de l’Orchestre de l’Agora et est adapté par PAN M 360.

Classical

OM Beethoven Marathon, Evening 2: On Human Nature

by Alexandre Villemaire

Second stop on Friday October 18 for the Orchestre Métropolitain on its Beethoven marathon at the Maison symphonique with Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

After a heroic introduction the day before, the next kilometer to be covered by the metropolis’ orchestra was devoted to symphonies no 6, known as “Pastorale”, and no 7, preceded by a premiere by young composer Francis Battah, already the recipient of several distinctions in Europe and Canada. His Prelude to Urban Landscapes, which opened the evening, was specifically conceived to precede the first movement of Symphony no 6. In this short piece, Battah reuses several thematic materials from the “Pastorale”, deconstructing and modifying them through complex language and writing. The use of several playing modes (arco for strings, flatterzunge for winds) lends the work a dynamic character and a strong timbral dimension. The piece ends with a ghostly string glissando, before moving straight into the first movement of the Sixth Symphony. The transition is naturally astonishing and fluid, so much so that the musical quotations, which we do not necessarily recognize immediately, but which we distinguish by the evocation of timbre, have prepared our ears for “l’Éveil d’impressions agréables en arrivant à la campagne”.

One of the most descriptive pieces in Beethoven’s symphonic catalog, Symphony no 6 is also one of the composer’s best-known works, in which it can be easy to fall into easy listening and autopilot, so familiar are its themes that they have been played and heard over and over again. Yannick doesn’t take the easy way out. Conducting the entire symphonies by heart, the conductor calls on every musician in his orchestra to sculpt meaningful phrasing and lines. After the luminous energy of the first movement, the second (“Scènes au bord du ruisseau”) plunged the audience into a soothing, restful state with ethereal sonorities. The third movement exuded a genuine village festive spirit, with the winds standing out overall, despite a few minor inaccuracies. After the festivities, thunder is heard in the fourth movement, heralding the storm. A storm that YNZ gently initiates, as if in the distance, before building in intensity to the point of eruption. With careful control of dynamics, the pastoral song that follows concluded the symphony with serenity.

The second part of the concert, dedicated to the Seventh Symphony, offered a contrast in its bright, rhythmic and vital character. The first movement was regal in character, with a tempo that Nézet-Séguin deployed with elegance. Magisterial was the transition from attacca to the famous second movement, a dramatic funeral march, in which everything, from dynamics to nuances, was just right and balanced. The exposition of the movement architecture was finely constructed by the conductor, in particular by highlighting the interaction between the violin and viola lines. The third and fourth movements, marked Presto and Allegro con brio, were a fantastic, breathless ride in which the rider Nézet-Séguin had great fun, almost dancing on the podium, infusing the various sections of the orchestra with a festive, captivating vitality. This performance was the highlight of the evening. At the end of the run, the orchestra received long applause from a relatively large, jubilant audience.

Addressing the crowd, Yannick Nézet-Séguin issued this invitation: “Sunday, 11am. Tell your friends!” The invitation is made. And we’ll be there for the rest of the tour.

Choral Music / classique / noël

OSM : Festivités en chants et musiques

by Rédaction PAN M 360

Le temps des fêtes est un moment intense de partage et de paix. Pour le célébrer en musique, participez à ce concert exceptionnel lors duquel vous serez invités à chanter avec le Chœur de l’OSM : une expérience galvanisante! Après l’hiver, le doux printemps célébré par Rimski-Korsakov dans La fille de neige vous conduira jusqu’à la ville éternelle au son des grandioses Pins de Rome de Respighi.

The holidays are a special time for sharing and peace. Join us for this musical celebration in a soul-stirring concert where you will be invited to sing along with the OSM! Winter gives way to the sweetness of spring with Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Snow Maiden, then transports us to the Eternal City in Respighi’s spectacular Pines of Rome.

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Ce contenu provient de l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal et est adapté par PAN M 360

classique / noël / trad québécois

OSM : Le Vent du Nord souffle sur l’OSM

by Rédaction PAN M 360

De la féérie de Casse-Noisette à l’entrainante musique traditionnelle du Québec, c’est à un concert très stimulant que vous convient l’OSM et le groupe Le Vent du Nord. Ce dernier proposera des œuvres de son cru et des pièces traditionnelles dans une version orchestrale. Reels, gigues et autres airs enlevés « swingueront » avec la musique scintillante de Tchaïkovski.

From the fairy-tale world of The Nutcracker to toe-tapping Quebec folk music, you’re invited to a rousing concert given by the OSM and Le Vent du Nord. This folk group will perform their own music as well as orchestral versions of traditional songs, and reels, jigs, and other lively tunes will swing alongside Tchaikovsky’s scintillating music.

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classique / Piano

OSM : L’impérial Concerto pour piano no 5 de Beethoven

by Rédaction PAN M 360

En y introduisant d’audacieuses innovations, Beethoven engage son ultime Concerto pour piano dans la voie du romantisme. Quant à la relation qui s’instaure entre le soliste et l’orchestre, elle reflète la position du compositeur dans la société du XIXe siècle, un artiste indépendant s’opposant parfois au monde qui l’entoure. L’énergie et la puissance présentes chez Beethoven animent également la Symphonie no5 de Sibelius, une œuvre lumineuse, au ton souvent conquérant.

Through its bold innovations, Beethoven’s last piano concerto opened a new path to musical Romanticism. The relationship he instilled between soloist and orchestra mirrors his social status in the 19th century: that of an independent artist sometimes at odds with the world around him. The drive and intensity of Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto also enliven Sibelius’ Symphony no. 5, a radiant work that is often triumphant in character.

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classique / noël

OSM : Le temps des fêtes avec Nagano

by Rédaction PAN M 360

Œuvre emblématique du temps des fêtes, Casse-Noisette de Tchaïkovski séduit petits et grands grâce à son ambiance féérique et ses sonorités scintillantes. Profonde et chaleureuse, la voix de Marie-Nicole Lemieux illuminera ce concert dans la création mondiale d’une œuvre du compositeur canadien Matthew Ricketts. En cadeau, les célèbres Quatre saisons de Vivaldi données dans une orchestration tout à fait innovante!

That emblem of the holidays, Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, delights all ages with its air of magic and its sparkling sounds. The rich, warm voice of Marie-Nicole Lemieux as she performs the world premiere of a work by Canadian composer Matthew Ricketts also lights up the concert. And yet another gift, Vivaldi’s beloved Four Seasons, will be played in a completely new orchestration!

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Ce contenu provient de l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal et est adapté par PAN M 360

classique / Contemporary / période romantique

OSM : L’impressionnante Symphonie no 2 de Rachmaninov

by Rédaction PAN M 360

Des couleurs automnales contrastées, des mélodies gorgées d’un lyrisme débordant et la continuelle alternance entre intimité et exubérance caractérisent la somptueuse Symphonie no 2 de Rachmaninov. De son côté, la Sinfonia concertante pour orgue et orchestre de Salonen évolue dans une ambiance onirique soutenue par une fabuleuse orchestration. Il mettra à l’honneur Olivier Latry, organiste émérite de l’OSM et titulaire du grand orgue de Notre-Dame de Paris.

Rachmaninov’s sumptuous Symphony No. 2 is characterized by contrasting autumnal colors, melodies bursting with lyricism and a continuous alternation between intimacy and exuberance. Salonen’s Sinfonia concertante for organ and orchestra, meanwhile, evolves in a dreamlike atmosphere underpinned by fabulous orchestration. It will feature Olivier Latry, OSM organist emeritus and titular of the great organ of Notre-Dame de Paris.

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classique / Piano

OSM : La grandiose Symphonie alpestre de Richard Strauss

by Rédaction PAN M 360

De retour à la Maison symphonique, Bruce Liu interprétera l’unique Concerto pour piano de Scriabine, une œuvre d’une veine poétique très romantique. Un contraste s’établit avec la Symphonie alpestre de Richard Strauss, dont l’amplitude sonore est à l’image de l’immensité des Alpes bavaroises. Iman Habibi se livre à une réflexion sur la crise climatique tout en mettant Jeder Baum spricht en perspective avec les 5e et 6e Symphonies de Beethoven.

For his return to the Maison symphonique Bruce Liu will perform Scriabin’s sole Piano Concerto, written in a poetic and highly Romantic style. In contrast to this, the vast soundscape of Richard Strauss’ Alpine Symphony evokes the colossal grandeur of the Bavarian Alps. Iman Habibi reflects upon the climate crisis by placing his Jeder Baum spricht in perspective with Beethoven’s 5th and 6th symphonies.

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Ce contenu provient de l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal et est adapté par PAN M 360

classique

OSM : Finale de la 85e édition du Concours OSM

by Rédaction PAN M 360

Issu d’une longue tradition de l’Orchestre, le Concours OSM a révélé quelques-uns des plus grands solistes du Canada, dont James Ehnes, Angela Hewitt et Bruce Liu. Lors de cette 85e édition consacrée aux bois et aux cuivres, venez encourager la nouvelle génération d’interprètes virtuoses durant l’épreuve finale. Chaque finaliste interprètera un concerto avec l’Orchestre, et le suspense se prolongera jusqu’au dévoilement du premier prix du Concours OSM!

One of the Orchestra’s long-held traditions, the OSM Competition, has revealed many of Canada’s leading soloists to the public, including James Ehnes, Angela Hewitt, and Bruce Liu. For this 85th edition devoted to woodwinds and brass, come out and support a new generation of virtuoso performers as they play in the final round. Each finalist will perform a concerto with the Orchestra, and the suspense will continue until the OSM Competition’s First Prize winner is announced!

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Ce contenu provient de l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal et est adapté par PAN M 360

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