Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

BACH, J.S.: Little Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach (selecti

Classical Music

Classical Music

A Cappella 101

Beethoven: Gods, Heroes, And Men

PIATIGORSKY / MENOTTI / BEGLARIAN: Remembering Piatigorsky

It is with great pleasure that I worked on this classical album focused on the melodies of Simon & Garfunkel. Three months have elapsed between the start of this project and its recording, three months of creative adventure in the country of these monuments of song that the works of Paul Simon represent. The wealth of the harmonies on the violins, the grace of the harp, the depth of the bass and the nobility of the horn will, I hope, delight you and do justice to these melodies which have lived though time and continue to move us today.
— Antoine Bareil

Angele Dubeau and La Pieta take us around the world in a sparkling selection of Christmas themes for small string orchestra. Some tunes are familiar, others are new to us but ring with the essence of timelessness as they are surely international favorites bound for familiarity here through many repeated listenings. One characteristic every work on the program shares... simply beautiful melodies and the sound of shimmering, silken strings. This is a joyous and festive celebration sure to become a new holiday classic. - ArkivMusic

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Silent night! Holy night! Hearing just a few notes of this eternal carol is enough to envelop us in a sweet tranquility and inner peace that goes well beyond the meaning of the words written by Joseph Mohr and music famous song by Franz Xaver Gruber. Jumbled memories arise of snow-covered countryside, crackling fires, delicious aromas filling the house, the joyful shouts of excited children unwrapping presents. Has Christmas turned into mere nostalgia, or can we rediscover the true meaning of this celebration? Angèle Dubeau thinks we can and, through both popular songs and carols works associated with the Nativity, she offers here a voyage through a world with diverse origins and traditions. This musical tour and celebration of the Nativity will take you to Finland, Italy, France, Germany, Austria, the United Kingdom, Russia, and, closer to home, Mexico and Canada, with the Huron Carol.

God Jul!

In Scandinavia, Christmas celebrations begin on December 13, the feast day of Saint Lucy, when a young girl is chosen in each village to represent her. Clothed in white and a crown of candles, she goes from house to house—along with a retinue of girls in white dresses and boys with pointy, star-spangled hats—bringing light, the symbol of life and renewal, for the coming year. In Finland, the official festivities begin with a declaration of “Christmas Peace” broadcast live on December 24 from Turku Cathedral. A few moments later, Christmas bells ring out across the country, as conveyed by Joulun Kellot (“Christmas Bells”), an interpretation written by Armas Toivo Valdemar Maasalo. Juleniss, the Finnish equivalent of Santa Claus, rewards good children during the night that follows; one wonders if he is tempted to hum the song Julvisa (“Christmas Song”, subtitled Give me no Splendour, Gold or Pomp), written by a young Jean Sibelius.

Buon Natale!

While Christmas in Italy might first bring to mind panettone, a Christmas sweet bread invented in Milan around 1490 that is served stuffed with cream, topped with a sauce or covered in chocolate, the country is above all the cradle of the Nativity scene. Indeed, Francis of Assisi created one of the first “living” nativity scenes in 1223, with villagers playing various character roles. Whether miniature or almost life size, these reproductions of the manger scene quickly became a tradition, with Italian families setting them up nine days before Christ’s birthday. It is not surprising, then, that two of Italy’s most well-known Baroque composers, Antonio Vivaldi and Guiseppe Torelli, dedicated idyllic concertos to “the holy birth.”

Joyeux Noël!

In France, cantiques de Noël remain the most important part of popular celebrations of the Nativity. By the 16th century, numerous versions of these carols existed in a variety of regional dialects, and they were distributed by door-to-door salesmen who also carried “Christmas Bibles” and engraved prints (often with a carol on the back). Here, Angèle Dubeau performs Noël nouvelet, Laissez paître vos bêtes and La Vierge à la crèche, set to a text by Alphonse Daudet.

Fröhliche Weihnachten!

In Germany, Christmas is Weihnachten (holy nights), and this is where the tradition of the Christmas tree originates. Legend has it that Saint Boniface (ca. 680–754) used the triangular shape of the evergreen tree to explain the concept of the Trinity to the pagans. The first mention of the modern Christmas tree dates back to 1521 in the Alsatian town of Sélestat. Even before this, however, the Christmas mystery plays performed in church squares frequently made use of trees decorated with fruit, offerings, decorations and candles (the candle tradition being attributed to Martin Luther). Two centuries later, Johann Melchior Molter wrote a delicate concerto grosso, inspired by the scene of the adoration of the shepherds.

¡Féliz Navidad!

In central America, Mexicans celebrate Las Posadas (the inns) which, starting December 16, commemorates Joseph and Mary’s search for lodging. As night falls, a procession sets off, led by children carrying a small decorated platform bearing statues of Joseph and Mary, who is riding a donkey. As the procession of villagers winds through the streets singing litanies, they knock at various doors along the route. Each time they are turned away with the cruel words “There is no room,” until the procession arrives at the appointed house or church. Then, the doors are flung wide in the open spirit of Christmas and the celebration begins, concluding with the breaking of a piñata, refreshments and dancing. The lullaby performed here, entitled “Sleep, Holy Infant”, comes from Dave Brubeck’s Christmas cantata, “La Fiesta de la Posada”, written to a text by his wife, Iola Brubeck and arranged by Russell Gloyd especially for Angèle Dubeau. Upon hearing the recording, Mr. Brubeck’s reaction was: “This is fantastic. She is playing from her heart.”

Hristos Razdajetsja!

Orthodox Russians have always liked to transform religious events into celebrations, hence the string quartet Jour de Fête by Alexander Glazunov, which evokes the festivities held on the night of January 6 to 7, Christ’s birthday on the Julian calendar. After the church service, everyone sits down to “Holy Supper,” which cannot be started until the first star appears in the sky, an homage to the star that guided the Magi. After the feast, tradition dictates that a plate of braided bread called kalach is left on the table between two candles, in honour of deceased members of the family. Angèle Dubeau offers here one of the rare recordings of this work.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is celebrated enthusiastically in the United Kingdom. Houses are decorated with bright lights, children sing Christmas carols (such as “Holy Boy” by John Ireland) in the street, collecting spare change for the poor, and Christmas pudding is the traditional post-Christmas-dinner dessert. Another important tradition began here: the sending of Christmas cards, a custom that began in the 15th century and expanded significantly in the 18th century with the development of lithography.

Jesous Ahatonhia

The Huron carol Jesous Ahatonhia (Jesus is born) was written by the Jesuit Jean de Brébeuf in 1641. Hoping to better convey the meaning of Christmas, the priest adapted the text to the reality of the First Nations people. Hence, Jesus is wrapped in rabbit skins, he sleeps in a bark lodge, the adoring shepherds are replaced with hunters, and three Indian chiefs take the place of the Magi. Canadian composer Kelly-Marie Murphy based her work Huron Carol Interlude on the carol. The interlude of the title refers to the third movement of her string quintet Dance Me Through the Panic, from which she borrowed shimmering colours and a sense of melancholy, imbuing the carol melody with a very particular mood and evoking, in her own words, an “imagery of ice, snow, solitude and prayer.” When she heard this Angèle Dubeau’s rendition of her work, the composer wrote: “This is a wonderfully performed and produced interpretation of Huron Carol Interlude. There is a rich, full sound, with a perfect sense of pacing and colour. It expresses my ideas beautifully. Heartfelt thanks and congratulations to Angèle Dubeau!”

© Lucie Renaud
Translation: Peter Christensen

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the chaconne was generally indistinguishable from the passacaglia, the two musical forms being so similar in nature. In both, the repetition of a single harmonic motif evoked a sense of time stretching far beyond the limits of our physical world, thus creating an illusion of eternity!

This recording collects some of the most beautiful examples from the literally hundreds of such pieces composed during the baroque period. Since the attempt to create the illusion of eternity in music was generally linked to the principle of melodic variations – whether it be variations on a theme or variations over a repeated harmonic motif – two famous examples of Folias composed by Falconiero and Vivaldi are also included.

Ensemble Caprice has made a habit of entering into dialog with composers of the past. For this recording, they have added several short vocal pieces written by the ensemble leader based on poems by the 17th century mystic Angelus Silesius. These brief verses in alexandrine meter are a perfect expression of the dichotomy experienced by the human being torn between life and death, between this world and the invisible world.

Classical Music

Wim Statius Muller, who came to be known as “the Chopin of Curaçao,” spent just over 30 years in various security and counter-espionage organizations! Although for the most part Wim Statius Muller’s music is based on folk dance rhythms, it is nevertheless garbed in the fine attire of concert music, with the waltzes and other dance tunes. The extraordinary musician Louise Bessette offers on this new album all 22 pieces from the Antillean Dances collection and gives these dances the “royal treatment,” offering precise and exceptionally clear performances.

The new album Schubert: Warmth by pianist Mathieu Gaudet is the fifth volume in his wonderful collection The Complete Sonatas and Major Works for Piano of the great German composer Franz Schubert. While it is true that Schubert’s music is often tinged with a hushed melancholy, at times it is suffused with an optimistic, bountiful light that ardently celebrates life, such as the radiant Sonata No. 16 in D Major, D. 850, the Sonata No. 5 in A-flat Major, D. 557 and The Variations in A Minor, D. 576 offered on this new album.

Buzz Brass inspired dreams with this new opus, Christmas. The quintet takes the listener out of the familiar with this majestic, elegant and refined arrangements to highlight the holiday season. The male vocal quartet Quartom joins as guest artists in ‘Noël canadien’ and ‘The 12 days of Christmas.’ The ensemble's latest volume, Inspirations, has been hailed as proof of their "testament to the ensemble’s sensational embouchure" by the prestigious Gramophone magazine. Since 2002, Buzz Brass quintet has been travelling all over the globe to captivate classical music lovers. Whether its concerts consist of brass quintet alone or together with guest musicians, the original artistic propositions it presents leave nobody cold. With over 1,600 appearances to its credit, the ensemble has reached more than 350,000 music lovers throughout North America, Europe and China. The numerous awards and distinctions that Buzz Brass has earned over the years (Opus, ADISQ, and Trille Or) attest to both the quality and the relevance of its musical performances.

The new album Darlings of the Muses by The National Arts Centre Orchestra under the direction of Alexander Shelley is the first of four albums to be released over the next two years. This series will explore the closely intertwined personal and artistic connections between three musical giants: Clara Schumann, Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms. The album includes Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms’ First Symphonies, Clara Schumann’s Piano Concerto Op. 7, her first (and last) multi-movement orchestral work, and Gabriela Montero offers original improvisations inspired by Clara’s music. Gabriela Montero’s visionary interpretations and unique compositional gifts have garnered her critical acclaim and a devoted following on the world stage. Anthony Tommasini remarked in The New York Times that “Montero’s playing had everything: crackling rhythmic brio, subtle shadings, steely power…soulful lyricism…unsentimental expressivity.” Recipient of the prestigious 2018 Heidelberger Frühling Music Prize, Montero’s recent and forthcoming highlights include debuts with the San Francisco Symphony (Edward Gardner), New World Symphony (Michael Tilson Thomas), Yomiuri Nippon Symphony in Tokyo (Aziz Shokhakimov), Orquesta de Valencia (Pablo Heras-Casado), and the Bournemouth Symphony (Carlos Miguel Prieto), the latter of which will feature her as Artist-in-Residence for the 2019-2020 season.

A highly sought-after musician not only for his virtuosity and the subtlety of his playing, Luc Beauséjour is never short of ideas when it comes to offering music programs imbued with authenticity and refinement. For his new album, Le rappel des oiseaux, the harpsichordist proposes a selection of works by French composers inspired by birdsongs. The extreme diversity of timbre, tune, and rhythm found in birdsong has always fascinated musicians. Even when the creatures in question are out of sight, their twittering, warbling, and chirping fill the air with sweet and pleasant music, both under the morning sun and at nightfall.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Ofra Harnoy has established herself as one of the greatest cellists on the world’s concert stage. She has won many awards and distinctions for her recordings, including 5 JUNO Awards, including Instrumental Artist of the Year and Best Classical Album of the Year in Canada. After taking a career hiatus to raise her children and then deal with a near career-ending shoulder injury, Ofra Harnoy started performing again in 2018. This album presents a number of tried and true Baroque favourites on the cello, like Bach’s “Air" from Orchestral Suite #3, “Bist Du Bei Mir”, as well as some slightly lesser known gems. An amazing recording and an inspiring comeback.

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REVIEW:

The well-chosen selections here include some material previously recorded by Harnoy from her 40-plus albums, as well as favourites such as Bach’s Air from Orchestral Suite No. 3 and Bist du bei mir, with the addition of more obscure, but stirring repertoire from Corelli and Allegri. This recording is a triumph, and a must-have for any serious collector.

– The Whole Note (CAN)

This a christmas card with a CD.