Baroque / Classical / Classical Period / Contemporary

Gemma New conducts I Musici de Montréal

by François Vallières

I Musici de Montréal, under the direction of the New Zealand-born conductor Gemma New, presents a string program dedicated to three major composers of their respective eras. First, an adaptation of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Fantasy and Fugue BWV 542, originally for organ. Next, the ensemble tackles Shaker Loops, by the American John Adams, a minimalist work in four linked sections. To close the concert, Felix Mendelssohn’s 7th of 12 symphonies for strings, in D minor, composed when the German was only a teenager. As part of the I Concertini Series, this concert, which lasts approximately 60 minutes without a break, will be presented twice, at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. The musicians are seated in the middle of the hall, not on the stage, so this series of concerts creates an intimacy with the audience.

PROGRAMME

I Musici de Montréal

Gemma New: conductor

J. S. Bach: Fantasy and Fugue in G minor, BWV 542

John Adams: Shaker Loops

Felix Mendelssohn: Symphony for Strings in D minor No. 7

PLUS D’INFORMATIONS

Baroque / Classical

Les Violons du Roy and Bach cantatas

by François Vallières

For this concert, part of the series organized by Arte Musica of the complete cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach, Les Violons du Roy present three of them. Under the direction of Jonathan Cohen, the Québec ensemble will open the evening with Sehet wir gehn hinauf gen Jerusalem, BWV 159 (See, we go up to Jerusalem), written for the last Sunday before Lent. The group will then play Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, BWV 2 (O God of heaven, look down here below), written for the second Sunday following the feast of the Holy Trinity. The third cantata, Ein Herz, das seinen Jesum lebend weiss, BWV 134 (A heart that knows that its Jesus is alive) was written for Easter Tuesday. The soloists for this concert will be countertenor Alex Potter, tenor Nick Pritchard and baritone Tyler Duncan. Please note that a rehearsal is scheduled 45 minutes before the concert to allow the audience to practice singing the final chorale of one of the cantatas.

ARTISTS AND PROGRAM:

Les Violons du Roy

Jonathan Cohen: conductor

Alex Potter: countertenor

Nick Pritchard: tenor

Tyler Duncan: baritone

J. S. Bach : Cantatas

Sehet wir gehn hinauf gen Jerusalem, BWV 159

Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, BWV 2

Ein Herz, das seinen Jesum lebend weiß, BWV 134

MORE INFORMATIONS

First Nations

Constantinople: « Souffles »

by Michel Rondeau

Constantinople has been part of Quebec’s musical landscape for 10 years now, guiding its audiences on a journey through time and culture. Back from a tour of Senegal, Mauritania, Algeria and France, Kiya Tabassian and his band present Souffles, where the songs and prayers of the Mi’kmaq and Innu throat-singing mingle with the diphonic chants of Tuva, a republic in eastern Russia bordering Mongolia. Adding to the dialogue are the ensemble’s signature instruments – setar, frame drums and viola da gamba – as well as the oldest and most emblematic instrument of the Sufis and Persian music, the reed flute called the ney.

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Contemporary Jazz / Jazz

Aaron Parks • Ben Street • Damion Reid

by Alain Brunet

Seattle native Aaron Parks has an impressive track record. The New York-based pianist demonstrates superior technique and open-mindedness, leading him to the most creative projects in new American jazz. Accustomed to Montreal stages and close to his community of musicians, this excellent instrumentalist brings on board double bassist Ben Street and drummer Damion Reid, this time around. Some of the material on the program could be from his most recent album Little Big, released on Ropadope, recorded with a different band than the one on the program at Salle Bourgie.

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Experimental / Contemporary / Free Improvisation / Soundtrack

« Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ »

by Rupert Bottenberg

Packed with palace intrigue, pirate attacks, white-knuckle chariot races and a cameo appearance by Christ himself, the 1925 silent-film version of Ben-Hur offers plenty for musicians to play around with. Accompanying a pristine 16mm film print (care of Montreal’s Cinéclub/The Film Society) of director Fred Niblo’s epic Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ are Zoé Dumais on violin, Guillaume Bourque on clarinet, Joanie Labelle handling percussion, and at the piano, Guillaume Martineau, leader of the cinematically suggestive Lucioles collective and bearer of bona fides in both classical and jazz. Strap your sandals on tight, this promises to be a musically memorable evening worthy of the Circus Maximus.

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