Les Voix humaines (Canada)
Susie Napper & Margaret Little – violas da gamba
The extraordinary legacy of 17th century French chamber music introduces a deeply moving musical language invoking an intimate world of free expression and illuminating the private face of the Grand Siècle.
Ste Colombe’s brilliantly expressive Concerts à deux violes include sections with no bars lines or many, tiny, unmeasured notes. The performer is part of the creative process, re-inventing the music for each performance. Ste Colombe's pupil, Marin Marais, was the most influential viol player at Louis XIV’s court. However, this evening his music is arranged to suit the present artists’ fancy!
Arranging was normal in this period. Musicians, like Corrette, played several instruments and music was adaptable, limited only by the imagination of the performers. The Lebègue, Couperin, Corette and Marais pieces are arranged for equal viols, intertwining the musical lines so that the viols seamlessly share the parts equally. This liberty reflects common practice throughout the baroque period.
Concert is sponsored by Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Quebec
