EMT 03 June-August 13 FEATURE Marie Fel - ALONE.Indd 21 22/05/2013 10:24:11
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Taking a chance on French baroque As financial pressures on the arts mount, the appeal of sticking to what sells grows ever more tempting. Tom Rhodes talks to Ex Cathedra about their new French baroque project, which definitely isn’t playing it safe … s the purse-strings tighten repertoire is difficult and not very well Ex Cathedra’s work come from further, orchestras, ensembles known is that it has to be performed Skidmore’s own artistic vision, which is and choirs are tempted to stylistically and accurately’. supported by a community of gifted and plump for repertoire they ‘Vocally, French baroque music is dedicated musicians committed to the Aknow will ensure bums on seats. interesting and challenging,’ adds Carolyn variety of the company’s work which Others though, prefer to keep the Sampson. ‘As singers, we spend much of spans performance, research, courage of their convictions and remain our time working on vocal technique and commissioning, training, education and committed to commissioning new works trying to sing in the healthiest way community engagement. and research that keeps them ahead of possible. Techniques like vibrato are useful Following the French baroque the curve. In May, Ex Cathedra showcased because it essentially relaxes the vocal showcase, Skidmore will once again focus the culmination of years of research in a chords, but when you want to sing his efforts on the next stage of the group’s celebration of the life and influence of without it, the challenge is in doing this exploration of eighteenth-century Latin eighteenth-century French soprano without sacrificing your vocal technique.’ American music. Having produced a Marie Fel at Birmingham’s Town Hall. She adds: ‘Jeffrey is a real authority on series of highly successful recordings of French baroque music and how to baroque music from Mexico and Bolivia perform it, which is partly why I was so for Hyperion, Skidmore is now Ex Cathedra keeps excited about being involved with the researching music from eighteenth- research at the heart of Marie Fel project.’ century Brazil. While this music will be It’s testament to Skidmore that the marginally more familiar to audiences, it its output group has successfully managed to stay may still be judged a gamble to return to true to its founding principles and keep the repertoire in the face of a looming The audience was treated to a selection of research at the heart of its output, as well further reduction in funds at council level sacred and secular music by Lalande, as bringing to life a host of educational in 2014. Mondonville and Rameau, in honour of programmes that seek to encourage This potential predicament is unlikely to the enlightenment heroine Marie Fel and singing in young children and harness the dampen spirits: having survived recessions with Carolyn Sampson starring in the benefits that it offers. since 1969, progressing from a regional, title role. With arts funding taking another small-scale amateur choir to a professional, Jeffrey Skidmore, Ex Cathedra’s battering in this year’s budget, it’s internationally respected organisation director, has returned to French baroque heartening that the group can even afford proves that Skidmore’s founding principles music after some years on the backburner. to keep such schemes alive. ‘Growing up were built on solid foundations. ‘It seems that Marie Fel has been part of in Birmingham myself, and not into a my research into French baroque music musical family, school was where I first www.excathedra.co.uk almost from the start,’ says Skidmore, ‘so discovered music,’ explains Skidmore. the fact that 2013 is the 300th anniversary ‘If children don’t have access to music at of her birth seemed like an excellent home, or at school, where will they get it? opportunity to celebrate not only her Music education is essential, not just for its extraordinary voice and lifestyle, but this own enjoyment, but as a tool to help wonderful repertoire.’ development and to improve social and French baroque music remains seldom life skills. That’s why good music performed, losing out on top billing to its education, and singing particularly, is so Italian, German and even English powerful for children and why we remain counterparts. Skidmore believes it’s a committed to it.’ Carolyn Sampson takes on the role of French baroque ‘diva’ Marie Fel matter of style: ‘One of the reasons this The distinctive strengths and values of www.earlymusictoday.com June–August 2013 21 EMT 03_June-August 13_ FEATURE_Marie Fel - ALONE.indd 21 22/05/2013 10:24:11.