Toronto Early Music News

Volume 26, No. 4 December ’10 - February ’11

a quarterly bulletin of the Early Music Centre Distributed free to TEMC members - Cost to non-members is $2.00 Toronto Early Music News Contents of Vol. 26 no. 4 Calendar of Forthcoming Events is a quarterly bulletin of the Toronto Early Music Centre (TEMC) . Opinions expressed in December...... 2 it are those of the authors and may not be endorsed by the Toronto Early Music Centre . January...... 3 Unsolicited manuscripts, letters, etc . are welcome, as is any information about early February...... 5 music concerts, events, recordings and copies of recordings for review . The deadline for the March...... 6 the next issue (March ’11–May ’11) is February 8, 2011 . Musically Speaking 2011 ...... 7 Subscription is free with membership to the Toronto Early Music Centre . For rates and News Items other membership benefits, please call 416-464-7610, send e-mail to [email protected] Speak Up! ...... 8 or write to us at the Toronto Early Music Centre (TEMC), P.O. Box 714, Station P, Toronto Early Music Centre’s Telephone # 416-464-7610...... 8 Toronto, ON M5S 2Y4 . Web site: http://www.interlog.com/~temc . E-mail News And Updates...... 8 Toronto Early Music Centre Have You Been Wondering If Your TEMC Membership Has Expired? . . . . 8 Board of Directors Medieval & Renaissance Reference Website...... 9 The TEMC Vocal Circle...... 9 Frank Nakashima, President  Michael Lerner, Secretary Prima la musica ...... 10 Kathy Edwards, Treasurer CanadaCD .ca...... 10 John Edwards  Jenni Hayman  Paul Jenkins  Michael Lipowski Early Music Fair ...... 12 Sheila McCoy  Janos A . Ungvary The French Scene...... 13 The TEMC gratefully acknowledges the support of the City of Toronto through the CD Reviews by Paul-James Dwyer Toronto Arts Council, the Church of the Holy Trinity, Montgomery’s Inn, and its own members and the following generous donors: Le Roman de la Rose...... 16 Concert Chez La Reine...... 16 • $10-$49 • Sonates...... 17 Regina Bendig, Andrea Bizzotto, Penny Burrows, Katherine Cowan, Simone Desilets, Atys, Tragédie en musique ...... 18 Fred & Ursula Franklin, Katalin Gallyas, Patricia Hanley, Alison Healing, David & Lara Hunt, Tevot Violin Concerto, Three Studies From Couperin ...... 20 Marion Jewell, Barbara J. Kaye, David Keenleyside, Krystina Lewicki, Peter Newton, L’Amoureus Tourment...... 20 Jean Nichols, D.L. Parker, Scott Paterson, Paulette Popp, Helmut Rentschler, Stephen Ripley, Vespro della Beata Vergine da concerto...... 21 Joan Robinson, Kevin Skelton Le Concert Spirituel, Au temps de Louis XV...... 22 • $50-$99 • Del Sonar Pitoresco...... 22 Janet & Roger Beck, Jim & Rachael Boles, Linda Deshman, Margaret Huggett, Alison Befiehl du deine Wege...... 23 Melville, Roger D. Moore, Dr. Mary Sidgwick, Irene & Sidney Smith, Robert Temkin, Elaine Waddington Contributors: Frank Nakashima; Paul-James Dwyer 00 • $1 + • Editor: Frank Nakashima Graphic Designer: Karen Harkness Joyce Allen , Tamara Bernstein, Sara Blake, Elan Dresher, Bruce Ferreira-Wells, John & Pierrette Ferth, John Gillies & Anne-Marie Prendiville, Ron Greaves, Roger Greenwald, Christine Haggarty, Mary Enid Haines, Balfour Halevy, Jenni Hayman Patricia Hiemstra, David Klausner, Miep Koenig, Anie Lafrance, Michael Lerner, Michael Lipowski, Blair MacKenzie, Susan Middleton, Rodoljub. Milankov, Tim Moody, Frank Nakashima, Frank Nevelo, John Newton, Christopher Palin, Greg Pastic, Bruno Ramirez, Stuart C. Rogers, J.L. Schachner, Merrilea Shields, Walter & Caryl Sinclair, Peter Solomon, Karen Waisglass, Shaunie Young 10 Friday 8:00 Toronto Consort “Praetorius Christmas Vespers” – Calendar of Forthcoming Events The Toronto Consort has established one of Toronto’s most beloved Christmas traditions – the Praetorius Christmas Vespers . Singers, violins, cornetti, sackbuts, theorbos and December keyboards are arranged around the balconies and stage • of Trinity-St . Paul’s Centre, as they create the joyful 1 1 Wednesday 7:00 Tafelmusik “Mozart and Haydn: Concertos and Symphonies” celebration of Christmas Vespers as it might have been – Richard Egarr, guest director & soloist . Hear why the heard under the direction of Michael Praetorius in 17th- mature Haydn was such an inspiration to the young Mozart, century Germany . In the spirit of celebration, the audience and why Haydn immediately recognized the genius of joins in with the assembled musical forces in singing Mozart – all brilliantly demonstrated by Tafelmusik and favourite early Christmas carols . Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, the vivacious and charismatic English fortepianist, Richard 427 Bloor Street West, just west of Spadina . 416-964-6337 Egarr . Mozart: Symphony no. 1 in E-flat major K 16,. Mozart: Toronto Consort “Praetorius Christmas Vespers” – Piano Concerto in A major K 414,. Haydn: Piano Concerto in D 11 Saturday 8:00 see above major, Haydn: Symphony no. 44 in E minor. Trinity-St. Paul’s Toronto Consort “Praetorius Christmas Vespers” – Centre, 427 Bloor Street West, just west of Spadina . 12 Sunday 3:30 see above 416-964-6337 . 15 Wednesday 7:30 Tafelmusik “Handel Messiah” – Christine Brandes 2 Thursday 8:00 Tafelmusik “Mozart and Haydn: Concertos and (soprano), Daniel Taylor (countertenor), Rufus Müller Symphonies”– see above (tenor), Brett Polegato (baritone), Trinity-St. Paul’s 3 Friday 8:00 Tafelmusik “Mozart and Haydn: Concertos and Centre, 427 Bloor Street West, just west of Spadina . Symphonies”– see above 416-964-6337 . 4 Saturday 8:00 Tafelmusik “Mozart and Haydn: Concertos and Symphonies”– see above 16 Thursday 7:30 Tafelmusik “Handel Messiah” – see above 17 Friday 7:30 Tafelmusik “Handel Messiah” – see above 4 Saturday 8:00 Toronto Chamber Choir “O Magnum Mysterium” – The Tafelmusik “Handel Messiah” – see above mystery of Christmas is movingly expressed by early Italian 18 Saturday 7:30 Tafelmusik “Sing-Along Messiah” – at Massey Hall with composers . Three of the greatest dominate this concert: 19 Sunday 2:00 “Maestro Handel” conducting . Palestrina, once choirmaster at St . Peter’s in Rome; Monteverdi, with his daringly expressive harmonies, and most famous of all, Vivaldi, the “red priest ”. Welcome the season with Hodie Christus, Magnificat, O magnum mysterium • January and more . Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St . (at 1 Saturday 8:00 Musicians in Ordinary (soprano Hallie Fishel and Heath, north of St . Clair) . 416-763-1695 . Website: lutenist John Edwards) – Their immensely popular www torontochamberchoir. ca. Pre-concert talk 7:00 celebration of the New Year with music of 17th and 18th century Vienna, with cantatas and sonatas by Conti, 5 Sunday 1:30-4:00 Toronto Early Music Players Organization workshop – Vivaldi and Caldara . An instrumental ensemble will be Focus on the national music of England, led by Scott led by Christopher Verrette . Paterson . Lansing United Church, 49 Bogert Avenue, just SW of Yonge & Sheppard . 416-537-3733 . non-members $20 2 Sunday 2:00 Musicians in Ordinary (soprano Hallie Fishel and lutenist John Edwards) – see above 5 Sunday 3:30 Tafelmusik “Mozart and Haydn: Concertos and Symphonies”– see page 2

 Toronto Early Music News Volume 26, No. 4 Volume 26, No. 4 Toronto Early Music News  13 Thursday 8:00 Tafelmusik “Bach at the Coffee House” – Savour music • February selected by J S. . Bach for his concert series at Zimmerman’s Coffee House in Leipzig, including Bach’s own Brandenburg 5 Saturday 8:00 Scaramella “Birds Bewigged” – Inspired by the culture of Concert no. 5 and a concerto for flute, violin and cello the natural world, this elegant avian-themed programme from Telemann’s collection of instrumental works titled is structured around musical improvisations based on Tafelmusik . Also features Charlotte Nediger and Olivier readings of haiku, and poetic readings of texts by Mary Fortin in Bach’s Concerto for 2 harpsichords in C major. Oliver, Wendell Berry, Thomas Hardy, Billy Collins and Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor Street West, just west Lorna Crozier . Alison Melville (traverse and recorders), of Spadina . 416-964-6337 colin Savage (recorders), Charlotte Nediger (harpsichord), Joelle Morton (gamba), Katherina Hill (soprano), Kathleen 14 Friday 8:00 Tafelmusik “Bach at the Coffee House” – see above Kajioka (narrator) . Victoria College Chapel, 2nd floor, 15 Saturday 8:00 Tafelmusik “Bach at the Coffee House” – see above room 213, 91 Charles Street West, Toronto, ON M5S 2C7 16 Sunday 3:30 Tafelmusik “Bach at the Coffee House” – see above 5 Saturday 8:00 Musicians in Ordinary “Songs Without Words” – 18 Tuesday 8:00 Tafelmusik “Bach at the Coffee House” – see above . With soprano Hallie Fishel and lutenist John Edwards . Note different location: George Weston Recital Hall, John plays lute solo arrangements of vocal music of 5040 Yonge Street . 416-733-9545 the 16th century . Highly decorated versions of mass 30 Sunday 2:30 The Toronto Early Music Centre presents “Musically movements by Josquin Desprez, French chansons, and Speaking,” a one-hour enlightening program of historical English ayres will be heard . performance at the Church of the Holy Trinity, 9 Wednesday 7:00 Tafelmusik “Bach Mass in B Minor” – Bach’s great 10 Trinity Square (near the Eaton Centre, on the west monument to the human spirit, featuring the Tafelmusik side) Toronto, ON M5G 1B1 . For more information, Chamber Choir and Orchestra, Dorothee Mields (soprano), please call 416-464-7610 . “Frederick’s Friends” – Baroque Laura Pudwell (mezzo-soprano), Charles Daniels (tenor), music for one, two, three and five baroque flutes, featuring Brett Polegato (baritone), directed by Ivars Taurins . music from the courts of Versailles and Potsdam . Music Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor Street West, just by Hotteterre, Dornel, Boismortier, and others, played by west of Spadina . 416-964-6337 . baroque flutists Kathie Stewart, Alison Melville, Emma Elkinson, Giles and Jacob Farnsworth . 10 Thursday 8:00 Tafelmusik “Bach Mass in B Minor” – see above 11 Friday 8:00 Tafelmusik “Bach Mass in B Minor” – see above Vocal Circle – Recreational reading of early choral music . 31 Monday 7:30 12 Saturday 8:00 Tafelmusik “Bach Mass in B Minor” – see above Ability to read music is desirable but not essential . 13 Sunday 3:30 Tafelmusik “Bach Mass in B Minor” – see above NEW – 96 Barker Avenue, Toronto M4C 2N6 . TEMC members free, others $5 . For more information, 13 Sunday 2:30 The Toronto Early Music Centre presents “Musically call 416-464-7610 . Speaking,” a one-hour enlightening program of historical performance at the Church of the Holy Trinity, 10 Trinity Square (near the Eaton Centre, on the west side) Toronto, ON M5G 1B1 . Admission by donation . For more information, please call 416-464-7610 . Sara-Anne Make A Donation? Churchill, harpsichordist, in recital . Music by Byrd, Bach, Did you know that you could make a donation to the Toronto Early Frescobaldi, Balbastre, Louis Couperin, and Scarlatti . Music Centre while online at the website: www.canadahelps.org

 Toronto Early Music News Volume 26, No. 4 Volume 26, No. 4 Toronto Early Music News  18 Friday 8:00 Toronto Consort “The Marco Polo Project: Part 2” – Two years ago, the Toronto Consort embarked on one of Musically Speaking 2011 their most exciting musical journeys – a creative imagining of the music Marco Polo might have heard on his journey he Toronto Early Music Centre presents “Musically Speaking,” a one- across Asia to China! For Part 2 of this Project, they hour enlightening program of historical performance at the Church continue travelling with the famous 14th-century Venetian T of the Holy Trinity, 10 Trinity Square (near the Eaton Centre, on the as he begins to make his way home, sailing up the coast of west side) Toronto, ON M5G 1B1 . For more information, please call 416-464-7610. India . Two special guests join them to create this evening: vocalist extraordinaire Suba Sankaran, and Sampradaya January 30, Sunday - 2:30 Dance Creations in a new work by Lata Pada . Frederick’s Friends – Baroque music for one, two, three and five Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor Street West, baroque flutes, featuring music from the courts of Versailles and just west of Spadina . 416-964-6337 . Potsdam . Music by Hotteterre, Dornel, Boismortier, and others, played by baroque flutists Kathie Stewart, Alison Melville, Emma Elkinson, 19 Saturday 8:00 Toronto Consort “The Marco Polo Project: Part 2” Giles and Jacob Farnsworth . – see above February 13, Sunday - 2:30 28 Monday 7:30 Vocal Circle – Recreational reading of early choral music . Ability to read music is desirable but not essential . Sara-Anne Churchill, harpsichordist, in recital – Music by Byrd, Bach, NEW – 96 Barker Avenue, Toronto M4C 2N6 . Frescobaldi, Balbastre, Louis Couperin, and Scarlatti . TEMC members free, others $5 . For more information, March 6, Sunday - 2:30 call 416-464-7610 . The Coffeehouse Collective – Chamber music by Telemann, Marais, Philidor, Fasch, and Hotteterre, for large ensemble and featuring an array • March of diverse instrumental colours . Washington McClain (oboe), Alison Melville (traverso/ recorder), Tatiana Chulochnik, Alexander Gulin 2 Wednesday 7:00 Tafelmusik “The Galileo Project” – Back by popular (pardessus de viole/ bass viol), Colin Savage (chalumeau/ recorder), demand – Tafelmusik’s “out of this world” (Toronto Star) Laura Jones (bass viol/ cello), Ondrej Golias (bassoon), and others . multi-disciplinary stellar concert experience, conceived and programmed by our own Alison Mackay as an April 10, Sunday - 2:30 homage to Galileo . Gorgeous, celestially-inspired baroque A Modern Troubadour – Singer/instrumentalist Benjamin Stein music, stunning visuals, and seamlessly-woven literary accompanies himself on lute and theorbo in Baroque and Renaissance and historical excepts, narrated by Shaun Smyth . Trinity- songs from France, England and Italy, and also plays his own theorbo St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor Street West, just west of transcription of a Bach cello suite . Spadina . 416-964-6337 . May 15, Sunday - 2:30 3 Thursday 8:00 Tafelmusik “The Galileo Project” – details above Bach Solo – Elena Spanu, violin, and Kerri McGonigle, cello, perform 4 Friday 8:00 Tafelmusik “The Galileo Project” – details above solos by J .S . Bach . 5 Saturday 8:00 Tafelmusik “The Galileo Project” – details above 6 Sunday 3:30 Tafelmusik “The Galileo Project” – details above June 5, Sunday - 2:30 Musathena – a concert of baroque music by women composers – Valerie Sylvester & Sheila Smyth (violins), Rebecca Morton (cello), Sara-Anne Churchill (harpsichord), and Katherine Hill (soprano) .

 Toronto Early Music News Volume 26, No. 4 Volume 26, No. 4 Toronto Early Music News  News Items • Medieval & Renessance Reference Website http://www.medieval.org Speak Up! The web’s largest reference for European Medieval and Renaissance music • since 1994 offers the answers to many diverse questions relating to early music, The Toronto Early Music NEWS welcomes your commentary! Please include complete lyrics of Guillaume de Machaut; explanations of Pythagorean tuning and your name, city of residence, e-mail address, and phone number with all hexachords; listings of scores, sources, instrument builders; CD reviews and some correspondence . Send to: Toronto Early Music Centre, P.O. Box 714, Station P, performer and composer discographies, not to mention a discussion forum . Wow! Toronto, Ontario M5S 2Y4; e-mail: [email protected] . The Toronto Early Music NEWS reserves the right to edit letters for clarity, style, • The TEMC Vocal Circle and length. The Toronto Early Music Centre’s “Vocal Circle” usually takes place on the last Monday of the month, at 7:30 p .m . • Toronto Early Music Centre’s Telephone # 416-464-7610 NEW Location: 96 Barker Avenue, Toronto, M4C 2N6 Please note, if you haven’t already, that the NEW telephone number for the 2 blocks N of Mortimer, 1 block W of Woodbine . Toronto Early Music Centre is 416-464-7610 . Looks familiar? It’s my telephone number . The plan is to save some money for the organization . Feel free to call Admission to this circle is FREE to members of the TEMC . Otherwise, the cost me anytime! ~ Frank Nakashima is $5.00 per session for non-members . In this season, the Vocal Circle read through quite an assortment of mostly • E-mail News And Updates Renaissance music, both sacred and secular – French chansons, Italian frottole, If you would like to be notified of upcoming concerts, early music news, and English madrigals from The Triumphs of Oriana, and partsongs; the music of updates, by e-mail, just let me know by contacting me at my NEW address – Palestrina, Josquin, Gibbons, Gabrielli, Morley, Weelkes, Monteverdi, Jannequin, [email protected] – and I’ll add you to my list . Try it . Just make sure to name a few . that my e-mail address is included in your list of “contacts” so that the junk mail Theoretically, the Vocal Circle was meant to be a symposium or forum for filters don’t block me out . Keep up to date with this special service . If you don’t like historical choral/vocal performance but, in actuality, it is a non-performing, it, or if there’s more than you can handle, don’t worry . It’s just as easy to cancel . recreational reading group . This is intended to be a certified stress-free, musically- friendly environment . While musical training and vocal ability is helpful, anyone • Have You Been Wondering If Your TEMC Membership who has an interest in this fascinating, little-known, and rarely-performed Has Expired? repertoire to drop in and try singing, or even just listen! If you can’t remember, or if you’ve lost your membership card, just give me a call If you have any questions, please feel free to call me, Frank Nakashima, 416-464-7610 and leave a message, or send me an email: frank.nakashima@ anytime at 416-464-7610 . Also, please try to keep me informed as to your gmail.com – I’ll check your membership status and then let you know . If your voice type and your intentions to attend (or not) so that I can conscientiously membership has expired, and you would like to renew, please fill out the form plan the evening’s singing . at the back of this newsletter and mail it to: Box 714, Station P, Toronto ON M5S 2Y4 – making sure to include your cheque or credit card number . We now Please make note of these 2010-2011 dates: accept American Express . If you would like to make a payment by telephone December – no meeting; January 31; February 28; March 28; April 18 (25th is (using any credit card – Visa, MasterCard, or American Express), please call me, Easter Monday); May 30 and June 27 . Frank Nakashima, at 416-464-7610, leave a message to tell me the best time to call you back . Thank you very much! Please note that this is a scent-free environment. Please refrain from wearing cologne, perfume, aftershave, or scented products. Thank you.

 Toronto Early Music News Volume 26, No. 4 Volume 26, No. 4 Toronto Early Music News  Prima la musica Or, enter an artist’s or composer’s name ( e .g . Manze, Hewitt, Hamelin, • Herreweghe, Rameau, Beethoven) or an instrument (e g. . lute, piano, gamba, Please allow me to quickly introduce you to a fantastic new catalogue of “urtext” sitar, trumpet) in our ‘FIND’ box and browse hundreds of new titles and performing editions of Renaissance (soon to include music by de la Rue, Josquin, back catalogue recordings . And coming soon … browse by genre: medieval, Clemens non Papa and Gombert), Baroque (17th-century Italian church music) renaissance, baroque, classical, romantic, 20th century, etc . and early Classical music – the company is “Prima la musica” (Brian Clark & Create your own account on CanadaCD! You can use our ‘basket’ feature Carlos Munoz Cutino) and the website is: http://www.primalamusica.com . to create as many ‘baskets’ as you like, save them and name them for future Reasonably-priced and faithfully computer-set, these editions are an reference . For example, create baskets called ‘CDs I must have’ or ‘gift ideas’ excellent source of beautiful early music . Please visit the website . Look at the and save them for later reference, purchase, or deletion . catalogue . Order directly from the publisher, or from me . Our staff of music experts are always here to help you find that elusive “There are many fine musicologists and editors out there, but only a few of them recording or offer advice on what to buy . We accept VISA and MasterCard, and our site maintains the highest levels of security possible . have a gift for finding the pieces that really live in a concert; Brian has got that.” – Simon Carrington, former King’s Singer, founder and director of the Yale Visit us today at www .CanadaCD .ca Schola Cantorum .

Frank T. Nakashima 416-464-7610 [email protected] distributor for: Theodore Presser Co. – www .presser .com King’s Music – www .kings-music .co .uk Ann Fuzeau Productions – http://annefuzeau .com Studio Per Edizioni Scelte – www .spes-editore .com Prima la musica – www .primalamusica .com John Walker Tuning Forks – www .granton .co .uk Making Music With The Recorder Paraclete Press – www .paracletepress .com After 30 years at The Royal Conservatory, • CanadaCD.ca - Attention Serious Music Lovers And Scott Paterson has opened his own studio . Collectors Of Fine Recordings! All ages; private lessons and ensembles . Since 1980 SRI has been supplying the retail trade with the finest independent imported and Canadian labels . Labels like Hyperion, Harmonia Central location . Mus . Bac . Perf . (U of T), Mundi, Chandos, BIS, Channel Classics, ATMA Canada, Gimell, Alpha and ARCT, member ORMTA . Ricercar, and dozens more . Finally, a music website for audiophiles and serious collectors! No ads, no Contact: Scott Paterson pop-ups, no banners, no bull! Now all of these great recordings are available direct from our secure consumer website at www.CanadaCD.ca 416-759-6342; or cell: 416-268-1474 Our specialty is Classical music, but we have a great selection of jazz and [email protected] World music too . Over 20,000 titles from the world’s premier labels – in stock! New Releases listed every month before they hit the street . Browse through our main categories: ‘New Releases’ – ‘Award Winning call 416-759-6342 Recordings’ – ‘May we recommend…’ – ‘Collector’s Corner’ containing out-of-print, rare, and hard-to-find recordings at amazing prices – and ‘Music for Christmas’ .

10 Toronto Early Music News Volume 26, No. 4 Volume 26, No. 4 Toronto Early Music News 11 Early Music Fair The French Scene

hanks to all of you, the 26th annual Early Music Fair, despite several by Paul-James Dwyer Tlast-minute cancellations, was a tremendous success . There were almost 200 people in attendance on Saturday afternoon (September 25) Les Arts Florissants – certainly higher than previous years, and almost twice as much as last year . This www.arts-florissants.com could be attributed to additional publicity generated by the Culture Days campaign, www.artsflomedia.com posting in Live With Culture, and advertising in the Toronto Symphony program . The Toronto Early Music Centre greatly appreciates the kind hospitality and es Arts Florissants celebrates its 30th season in 2010/11 . What better generous support of Montgomery’s Inn and its manager, our host, Mike Lipowski; way to celebrate than to revive the legendary and iconic 1987/1993 and for our fundraising, a wonderfully generous donation of CD recordings from L st production of Lully’s Atys . Starting March 31 in their home town of Greg Pastic, the president of SRI Canada Ltd . A special ‘thank you’ to Patricia Caen, Normandy, and running until July 17, dates will be in Paris, Bordeaux and Hiemstra who creatively and lovingly coordinated the performance schedule . Versailles, with a total of 16 performances . This fall saw the group mount a restaging We welcome and thank Den Ciul and Dawn Lyons of Claviers Baroques, of Canadian Robert Carsen’s 1996 Aix production of Handel’s Semele, with Cecilia “Harpsichord wranglers to the stars,” for their informative presentations and Bartoli back in the title role . There were four dates in Vienna, at the Theatre an der boundless good humour . While it was unfortunate that featured artist Ilya Wien . Les Arts tours to Spain, Russia, Holland, China, Belgium, Hungary and USA Poletaev could not attend, the remarkable Ron Greidanus, who just happened this season . You can catch them in NYC, March 11-12 at the Lincoln Center, Alice to drop by while on his way to do some shopping, played Bach’s D-minor concerto Tully Hall, where they’ll perform Rameau’s two operatic masterpieces Anacréon and from memory to the delight of the surprised audience in the Tea Room . Pygmalion (www lincolncenter. org). . The big news for the group’s conductor, William Singer-lutenist Benjamin Stein made his Fair debut, accompanying his own Christie, has to be the invitation to conduct the Metropolitan Opera in Cosi fan tutti singing, a rare, if not historical first, for a TEMC presentation . Thomas Georgi (with Danielle de Niese & Wolfgang Holzmair in the title roles), from November 9 and his student, Chris Kowalczyk, demonstrated the exotic viola d’amore and to December 2 . The Met has long been a hold out to baroque opera and the early talked about his scholarly research into a newly-discovered manuscript using music star conductors, though they have hired countertenor voices in the last two video projection . Mylene Guay graciously stepped in at the last minute to fill a decades for their own productions . Long overdue! Christie also continues his 3-year few holes in the schedule, playing unaccompanied solo baroque flute . contract at the NYC’s Juilliard School of Music . The fledgling viol ensembles The Cardinal Consort (Sara Blake, Linda Christie has divided up the conducting of productions between two younger Deshman, Sheila Smyth, and Valerie Sylvester) and Le Noci Marroni (Margaret English aspiring conductors, tenor Paul Agnew and Jonathan Cohen (who began Huggett, Simone Desilets and Patricia Hiemstra) are clearly emerging as a as Assistant in 2004), and himself . All the smaller projects have been assigned to significant force on Toronto’s early music scene . The Musicians in Ordinary these two . Can he be thinking of retiring, in the near future? Surely, the French (Hallie Fishel and John Edwards) presented suave and stylish interpretations in would want a French national to lead the group, if that transpired . Unfortunately, tribute to the great John Dowland, among others . the brilliant former French bass François Bazola, who was choir director for many Thanks again (I hope I haven’t missed years, and directed the group when Christie took a break in the past, has not been anyone) for your continued support and your promoted like Agnew and Cohen . help in keeping early music alive . Check out the new group website www artsflomedia. com. for state of the ~ Frank Nakashima art research, media, videos, texts, photos, audio samples, 30 years of history and interviews in an internet extravaganza befitting ’s greatest acclaimed early music orchestra and choir .

12 Toronto Early Music News Volume 26, No. 4 Volume 26, No. 4 Toronto Early Music News 13 Les Talens Lyriques www .musiciansinordinary .ca – Musicians in Ordinary, lute and voice www .operaatelier .com – Opera Atelier – internationally acclaimed opera company www.lestalenslyriques.com www .ossia .org – Stephen Fox, historical clarinets www .chass .utoronto .ca/~plspls – Poculi Ludique Societas (medieval drama) y the end of the 2010/11 season Christophe Rousset and his group www .scaramella .ca – Scaramella – old and new music on period instruments th Bwill be celebrating their 20 anniversary . Last season, the group www .pims .ca/sinenomine .html – Sine Nomine Ensemble for Medieval Music was involved in six staged operas . This season will see only two, www .tafelmusik .org – Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra an obvious tightening-of-the-belt measure . The 2010/11 pair include Lully’s www .tallischoir .com – Tallis Choir, Renaissance to early Classical choral music Bellérophon (1679, Libretto by Thomas Corneille), his least known tragedy, www .geocities .com/torontochamberchoir – Toronto Chamber Choir which has not been produced in the modern era, for 4 performances, in France www .torontoconsort .org – Toronto Consort – Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque and Vienna . Bellérophon will be released as a 3-CD box set by the French www .chass .utoronto .ca/~dresher/TEMPO – Toronto Early Music Players label Aparté . The other is Rameau’s Castor et Pollux (1754 version) starring Organization, workshops Anne Sofie von Otter and directed by Mariame Clemént who led their smash www .torontomasquetheatre .ca – Toronto Masque Theatre success Platée this past April . There will be six performances in Vienna at the www .violadamore .com – Thomas Georgi, viola d’amore magnificent Theatre an der Wien, (www .theatre-wien .at) from January 20-30th . The composers who figure prominently in this season’s programming are J .S . Bach, Henry Purcell, Francois Couperin, along with a production, dedicated to the castrato Farinelli, which will feature the music of J .C . Bach, N . Porpora, Leonardo Leo and the little-known Ricardo Broschi (c1696-1756) . This last production will tour France and Norway . Celebrating the 300th anniversary of the birth of Pergolesi, Les Talens Lyriques is mounting a long-buried oratorio, St. William of Aquitaine (dated 1731), which tours to Poland after its premiere in Italy, at the festival Pergolesi Spantini . This is another world premiere recreation as the work hasn’t been heard for over 270 years . The full title of the work is surely prodigious: Li prodigi della Divina Grazia nella conversione e m orte de San Gugliemo Duca d’Aquitania. In addition, Rousset will give master classes in Italy, Russia, Germany and France, this season .

There’s really a lot going on in our city. Perhaps you would like to learn some more about Early Music, or music before our time? You can start by visiting some of these websites below: www .academyconcertseries .com – Academy Concert Series, classical music on period instruments www .aradia ca. – the Aradia Ensemble, Naxos recording artists www .claviersbaroques .com – Claviers Baroques, builders of historical keyboard instruments www .greatbassviol .com – Great Bass Viol, Joëlle Morton www .gregorian .ca – The Gregorian Institute of Canada www .ifuriosi .com – I Furiosi Baroque Ensemble, baroque music with an edge www .labelledanse com. – La Belle Danse, baroque dance company

14 Toronto Early Music News Volume 26, No. 4 Volume 26, No. 4 Toronto Early Music News 15 Les Ombres co-artistic director Sartre has focused his own specialized CD Reviews research on composers Destouches and de Blamont, making a clear case for a revival of the latter composers work . Most of the contemporaries of Rameau By Paul-James Dwyer have been greatly overshadowed by his favoured prominence, understandably . For many years in the current early music revival, Mouret, Mondonville, Destouches, Le Roman de la Rose Madin, Rebel, Leclair, Royer, Francoeur were totally dismissed as nonentities . Love Songs to the Romance of the Rose As Dratwicki writes: “Raised in the tastes of the Grand Siècle, all of them strove to Per-Sonat, Sabine Lutzenberger, Soprano conceive possible new paths of development for the French musical style. The rise of dance, Christophorus CHR77325 the birth of the public concert, the art of ‘orchestration’, the invention of the modern vein www.ars-poetica.info of vocal and instrumental virtuosity, were trails that each composer explored according to he repertoire of this new CD is French 13-14th century and features his own sensibility and expertise.” As for the quality of this CD itself; it is an excellent Tobie Miller on hurdy gurdy and recorders, Baptiste Romain on recording and a great introduction to this young group of the new generation of T French baroque performers and the undervalued composer de Blamont . vielle and bagpipes and Elizabeth Rumsey on vielle . The lone vocalist is Sabine Lutzenberger who also penned one of the CD essays, that sadly was not translated into English from the original German . The texts are Sonates also not translated into English, but only presented in their original French D. Scvarlatti and German . The song manuscripts utilized on the project are from Paris (2 Mathieu Dupouy, Clavecin Italien sources), Montpellier, New York, Chantilly, Torino . This is a young ensemble of Label-Herisson Production LH04 musicians who are deeply immersed in this medieval repertoire, well-rehearsed www.label-herisson.com and the instrumentation beautifully realized . his new CD is a real revelation and contains 24 Sonatas, masterfully Tplayed . Mathieu Dupouy is the younger generation star of the French Concert Chez La Reine harpsichord school and a graduate of the Paris Conservatoire, where F. Couperin, François Colin De Blamont he was awarded premiers prix, devoting himself to early keyboards – fortepiano, Les Ombres, Margaux Blanchard, Sylvain Sartre clavichord and harpsichord . He recently recorded a fine CPE Bach clavichord CD Ambronay Éditions AMY301 on the same label (LHO2) . www.ambronay.org The instrument shares top billing on this CD . This remarkable Italian ith its new Young Ensembles Collection, Ambronay Éditions have harpsichord-tiorbino is currently the only known example of an important class recorded Les Ombres (founded in 2006) by Blanchard (viola de of keyboard instrument to have survived with its original disposition intact . W An unusual disposition in that it is has a double rather than a single keyboard . gamba) and Sartre (flute) . The group specializes in integrated multi-disciplinary projects with actors, dancers, musicians and singers . This Although there is no clear signature, it has been possible to attribute the disc recreates a musical soiree at the court of Louis XV and his Queen Marie instrument to Gasparre Sabbatino, by comparing his single-manual, signed and Leszczynska, and includes a famous work by Francois Couperin recorded by dated 1712, now in the Beurmann Collection in Hamburg . Recently restored numerous groups, d’Apothéose pour Monsieur Lully and two unknown works of by Olivier Fadini, it is gut-strung along with the metal strings, and with it, Colin de Blamont (Les Festes Grecques et Romaines 1732 & Circé v .1729-1736) . being the only surviving example, makes it of paramount importance to the Blamont has been totally ignored until very recently and an excellent essay by understanding of the 18th century Italian school of harpsichord building and the brilliant CMBV musicologist and historian Benoit Dratwicki, is well worth the performance practice . Yet its originality does not stop there for it also has the price of the disc itself . The Blamont section utilizes the declamation of French actor two keyboards, very rare in Italy at that time . and director Manuel Weber, a specialist in Baroque theatre, whom Blanchard and The upper keyboard is without a coupling mechanism, it being reserved for Sartre met while working on a production of the La Fontaine fables . the tiorbino, and a lute stop on the first 8’ . This instrument’s configuration is the exact one would have had access to during his youth

16 Toronto Early Music News Volume 26, No. 4 Volume 26, No. 4 Toronto Early Music News 17 in Naples . This harpsichord has some of the diverse voices Scarlatti later Cybèle; the wonderfully-expressive tenor Romain Champion as Atys; and the utilized and favoured, as Italian harpsichords were also to be found in the royal burnished honey-toned Aimery Lefèvre as Célénus and Phantase . household of his principle patron Queen Maria Barbara of Spain . Interestingly the original principal cast of the Christie recording back in the The compass of the instrument is GG without GG# to f3, 2x8 ft brass late 1980’s were all young artists when they recorded and toured the original strung, stops on the lower manual, the back 8’ ft with buff stop slider; 1x8 ft production . They all later went on to international acclaim, not to mention gut strung-tiorbino stop on the upper manual . Length 8ft . 4 1/2” (255cm), the nest of conductors that also emerged from this production – Herve Niquet, A=450Hz . The sound is sonorous, extremely bright and rich, comparable to Marc Minkowski, Hugo Reyne . the Italian single manual in the Colin Tilney collection . Dupouy certainly has It must also be remembered that Christie’s original production was his own ideas on how to realize this repertoire but he plays the Scarlatti with censured by numerous critics and scholars for the liberties taken with Philippe strength, conviction and élan . Quinault’s complex libretto . Reyne has also restored the artistic integrity of the Lully/Quinault libretto . Atys, Tragédie en musique Recorded in Paris, August 2009, La Simphonie du Marais planned to release Lully Atys as part of their highly acclaimed Universal Accord Lully series, (currently La Simphonie du Marais, Le Choeur du Marais, Hugo Reyne 10 volume collection) Lully ou le Musicien du Soleil, but the project was declined Musiques à la Chabotterie, 3 CDs + 120 pg booklet by the label for economic reasons . Unfortunately, Universal never promoted this www.simphonie-du-marais.org excellent series outside of Europe . Musiques à la Chabotterie came to the rescue ully’s Atys is his now considered his most iconic opera . In the and produced Atys as volume 7 in a series of recordings devoted exclusively to composers own day, it was Louis XIV favourite, known as “the Hugo Reyne and La Simphonie du Marais and funded by the Region of Vendée . L In the past, they have released recordings of Rameau (2 vol ),. Handel, Rebel, king’s opera” . It is now enjoying a renaissance, with this new box-set release and Les Arts Florissants reviving their legendary fully-staged production Viennoiseries musicales, Musiques au temps de Richelieu, all definitive recordings for their 30th anniversary season (see my article on the French Scene, page 13) . worthy of your attention . More than 20 years have elapsed since the original premiere Christie recording . I can only echo the French critic Jacques Drillon when he penned the Reyne has put the final polish on this diamond of an operatic masterpiece, with following on Reyne’s Atys: “A marvelous recording, ferverent, delicate, noble, alive… his attention to detail, extensive research and mastery of the the style of Lully . He, a veritable rediscovery of the récitatifs très parlés”. (Le Nouvel Observateur, August 26, more than any other of the French early music conductors, has studied the musical 2010) . Sadly, there is still no North American distributor for this label, I suggest repertoire that was prevalent before Lully’s star ascended . Before Lully’s star rose as that you go to www amazom. fr. to acquire it . a composer/conductor, he was a dancer, violinist, and private personal secretary . The Musiques au temps de Richelieu, formerly released by Reyne and his group, focussed on the court music of the late 1630-40’s, which obviously heavily influenced the naissance of Lully’s style . This period has been a hole in the research of the French 17th­ century music – long overlooked . It is very important INSTRUMENT RENTALS and not worthy of the write-off that it has experienced . All this makes Reyne The Toronto Early Music Players Organization (TEMPO) well-placed to bring this composer, often-called “difficult,” to our attention . owns three (3) violas da gamba, a cittern, and a seven-course In 2005, I wrote a CD review (in the now-defunct OPUS Magazine) on lute that may be rented at reasonable rates . one of the Universal Accord Lully series, Reyne has become Europe’s number one conductor of the music of Lully . This new recording only puts the seal on If you are interested in a rental, please contact: Sara Blake at that statement . 416-932-8167 or at [email protected] The four lead role singers on this new definitive recording are all young early music specialists, well chosen by Reyne, as they universally excel – the sensitive soprano Bénédicte Tauran as Sangaride; the magisterial Amaya Dominguez as

18 Toronto Early Music News Volume 26, No. 4 Volume 26, No. 4 Toronto Early Music News 19 Tevot Violin Concerto, Three Studies From Couperin Vespro della Beata Vergine da concerto T. Adès b.1971 Missa in illo Tempore senis vocibus (1610) Berliner Philharmoniker, Sir Simon Rattle Monteverdi EMI 5099945781322 Ensemble La Pifaresha, Roberto Gini www.emiclassics.com Dynamic CDS656/1-3, 3 CDs www.dynamic.it he only reason this recording is reviewed in this publication is the Adès composition Three Studies From Couperin, a 13-minute modern he latest research on Monteverdi has totally changed opinions held for T many years . His now universally-famous publication of liturgical and masterpiece that has great integrity and respect for the genius of T François Couperin . The Chamber Orchestra of Europe plays the work, with the sacred music, the Sanctissimae Virgini Missa senis vocibus ad ecclesiarum composer conducting . Choros ac Vespere pluribus decantandae cum nonnulis sacris concentibus ad sacella This piece is the latest homage by Adès of his love for Couperin’s keyboard Principum cubicula accomodata (1610 Venice, Amadino) more commonly known as music . In 1994 he made an arrangement of Les Barricades mistérieuses. This 2006 the Messe e vespri della Beata Virgine, was dedicated to Pope Paul V . It was planned work was originally composed for the Basel Chamber Orchestra . as a means to achieve professional (a job in Roma) and personal goals (the free Each piece has the same number of bars as the original, and contains the admission of his son to the Roman seminary) and does not constitute a single work same harmonies and rhythms . So why are these three pieces “studies” and not as formerly thought . Despite being organized as a liturgical sequence for the Virgin arrangements? The composer takes nothing away from Couperin’s original Mary, it was not conceived for a single grand celebration, but an anthology of pieces pieces, but he adds to them . composed by Monteverdi over the course of two decades in Mantua . Using an orchestra-(really, two, since the heart of the ensemble is a double Musicologists Bowers, Paola Besutti and the conductor of this recording, string orchestra), Adès makes each piece an investigation of a different musical Roberto Gini, have lifted the curtain on the real background and original idea – for example, the textural amusements of the first – the way the melody melts performance configurations including tempi and ornaments . Essays from all from the alto flute to clarinet, from bass flute to bassoon; or the amplification of three scholars are included in the box-set release . It is high time that Italians, Couperin’s pain-racked soul in the third piece into a multi-faceted musical space . who have an intimate understanding of this repertoire, speak to the issue of The second, Couperin’s “magic tricks,” is the most spectacular of all, as Adès historical performance of this music which has too often been subjected to an own compositional sleight of hand creates a rhythmic tempest in the music’s final overtly English choral style and/or protestant liturgical realization in our time . movements . A beautiful composition that is true to its original muse, and a piece The late start (relatively speaking) of the Italian early music movement has now European early music groups would schedule within their own seasons . become a burgeoning glut of CDs of 16th-18th century repertoire coming from native soloists and early music groups . It is about time . Too long have American L’Amoureus Tourment and English scholars and musicians held sway on this repertoire . Machaut The various groups involved in the 3 CDs are Ensemble Concerto (singers Pierre Hamon, Marc Mauillon, Vivabiancaluna Biffi and instrumentalists) Ensemble La Pifarescha (cornetti & baroque trombones), Eloquentia EL0607 Concerto Palatino (cornetti & baroque trombones), Coro D .S .G . (choir) and www.eloquentia.fr Gruppo Vocale Laurence Feininger (choir), Sara Diece (organ), all conducted by his ravishing disc is the distillation of extensive and thorough research, Roberto Gini . The liturgical reconstruction is by Paola Besutti and Marco Gozzi Tgreat experience and youthful energy . Flute master Pierre Hamon (Les and the project was recorded in three cities (Bologna, Mantua, and Catania) Arts Florissants, Hesperion XX(I), Le Concert des Nations, Il Seminario between August 2006 and October 2009 . This is a ground-breaking release that Musicale, Le Poème Harmonique) directs and plays flutes, tambour, cornemuse, re-writes previous understanding of these works . Please be advised that the CD with two young musicians, singer Marc Mauillon, tenor, and Vivabiancaluna Biffi notes do not include any texts or translations but they are available on-line . on vielle . Recorded in La Chapelle Jesus-Enfant, Paroisse Saint-Clotilde, Paris in November 2005, this treasure has taken five years to inch its way to these shores . What a pity, for the beauty of this recording makes it a rare jewel . The sound quality of this recording is also intimately engaging .

20 Toronto Early Music News Volume 26, No. 4 Volume 26, No. 4 Toronto Early Music News 21 Le Concert Spirituel, Au temps de Louis XV world premiere recordings . The manuscript sources include three libraries in Le Concert Des Nations, Jordi Savall Germany and the British Library, London . The composers represented on this CD Alia Vox AVSA9877 all had contact with the Venetian Republic in their careers . An excellent CD, www.alia-vox.com from virtuosi exploring rare Italian woodwind repertoire . his new recording contains major works by Corelli, Rameau and Telemann . Telemann is the main course on this CD with three Befiehl du deine Wege T Johann Christoph Altnickol (1719-1759) major works – the Overture & Suite for 2 Flutes & Strings (premiere production) TWV 55:D6; Concerto for Flute, Viola da Gamba, & Strings TWV Norddeutscher Figuralchor, Musica Alta Ripa, 52;a1; and Overture for 2 Flutes & Strings from Tafelmusik TWV 55:e1 . Jörg Straube, Direction Carus 83.168 Corelli is represented by his Concerto Grosso, Op . 6,n .4 and Rameau with www.carus-verlag.com an Orchestra Suite taken from the opera Les Indes Galantes (6 movements) . As Savall and Josep Maria Vilar write in the copious (145 pgs) CD notes: “The ltnickol is not a known composer in North America though his present collection of works provides a fascinating account of the true Musical Europe Aworks have been revived in Germany, in the last generation . He which evolved around the remarkable characterization of individual nations and was a violinist, and a cellist, but primarily celebrated as a singer, their different temperaments, evoked through a robust musical language enriched by conductor and copyist of J S. . Bach’s scores in his own day . With his early death in national styles that were both clearly differentiated and at the same time integrated in Naumburg, his reputation seems to have slipped into eclipse almost immediately . a quest for a utopian reconciliation of styles, thanks to the ideal of rapprochement and As a young man he took part in Leipzig performances of Bach’s cantatas, lived synthesis so eloquently and beautifully championed by François Couperin the Great.” the masters home, studied with him, and eventually married his daughter . The The Corelli is a tour de force, with its crackling energy, intimacy and repertoire on this recording includes four world premieres: a Missa in D (Coro, sumptuous and lush sound . Usage of guitar in the Rameau section is a delight SATB, 2Vl, Va, Bc) two Sanctus (Coro Tenori, 4 Vi, BC & Coro SATB, BC) and and rarely used in French recordings of the same repertoire . It sounds right at Befiehl du deine Wege (Choralmotette/ Coro SATB, BC) . The only other work home, giving the overall sound a directness and intimacy for the listener . The on the disc Nun danket alle Gott ( a 6-minute piece) was formerly attributed by Telemann Tafelmusik TWV 55:e1 is a premiere production of the work . The musicologist Philipp Spitta to J S. . Bach . level of quality of Savall and his Le Concert Des Nations offerings is absolutely Jörg Straube founded the Norddeutscher Figuralchor in 1981, which is now stellar . Each and every musician is considered one of the best in his instrument considered one of the leading chamber choirs in Germany . Musica Alta Ripa in today’s Europe . was formed in 1984 and has explored the repertoire of Purcell, Steffani, Cavalli, specializing in French, Italian and German late baroque repertoire . Musica Alta Del Sonar Pitoresco Ripa has recorded with numerous European labels . CD texts are in Latin, English, French and German, an excellent introduction to this lost master . Ensemble Barocco Sancs Souci, Giuseppe Nalin, Direction Dynamic CDS637 www.dynamic.it nsemble Barocco San Souci was founded in 1986 by the Italian oboe Evirtuoso Giuseppe Nalin . Devoted to mid-17th to the late-18th century repertoire, they tour Europe and North Africa extensively . Their recent recordings on Dynamic include Caldara’s Cantate D’Amore (CDS166) and Vivaldi’s Aureo zeffirelli (CDS538) . This present recording includes the following instrumentation: 2 oboes, bassoon, archlute and harpsichord . The works are by Lotti, Platti, Vivaldi, Brescianello, Steffani and Montanaria, with a fine cross- section of repertoire not widely-known on these shores . Five of the pieces are

22 Toronto Early Music News Volume 26, No. 4 Volume 26, No. 4 Toronto Early Music News 23 Notes Notes

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