Views
8 years ago

Volume 9 Issue 4 - December 2003

  • Text
  • Toronto
  • December
  • Jazz
  • Theatre
  • January
  • Symphony
  • Choir
  • February
  • Musical
  • Arts

EARLY MUSIC by Fra1,1k

EARLY MUSIC by Fra1,1k Nakashima Handel's Messiah is of course December's biggest story, quality and quantity-wise. At risk of giving it less than its due, I am simply going to refer you to the Quick List on page 18 which will enable you to discover the story for yourself in our concert listings.* J-Iere instead are some stories which might otherwise get lost, during December and beyond. The Christmas Oratorio is comprised of six c_antatas which tell the story of the nativity. Although meant to be heard on six different occa- . sions spanning the twelve days of Christmas, Tafelmusik will condense th~ experience for your Iisten­ 'ing pleasure and tell the story over the course of two nights! Directed by Ivar.s Taurins and featuring Rufus Millier as the J;:vangelist, the jubilant choruses and pastoral arias are sure to sweep you away as the choir and orchestra of Tafelmusik usher in the holiday season with one of Bach's great masterpieces (December 4 - 7). In one of the more creative programs this year; "Noels from France and New France" (December 6), the Aradia Ensemble has decided to use the noels as a focal point for their Christmas concert. In fact, the French noels will be presented in_ versions still alive in Ontario and Que~c. In addition, recent research has apparently brought to light 18thcentury versions (from French and English) translated _into the Cree language. The foatured work will be . *(For a unique spin on ihe seasonal Messiah-fest, you might want to check the "Further Afield" listings for what Nota Bene and Tactus are ·doing in Kitchener and Waterloo December 12 and 13. Their "alternate Messiah" . strings together various settings by Henry Purcell of se.veral of Handel's key texts.) Charpentier's Pastoral sur lanaissance de Notre Seigneur Jesus Christ. Imagine an early 19th-century · arrangement of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony for wind· octet! In the program "Ludwig: Seven for Eight" (January 10), presented by Baroque Music Beside Toronto Consort's latest Yuletide the Grange, you'll have the proj~ct. is to .rec.reate the joyful eel~- . rare opportunity to hear the globrat10n of Christmas Vespers as It rious and colourful sound of mig.ht have ?een heard u~de~ the di- period instrument wind octets . recuonofM1chael Praetonus m17_th- playing "the Seventh" as well century Germany. The Praetorius as music from Mozart's op­ Christmas Vespers (December l~, 13) assembles singers, recorders, v1- eras in contemporary arrangements. olins, cornetti, sackbuts, theorjJos and keyboards arranged around the The combined talents of Canadian balconies and stage of Trinity-St. Paul's Church (the centrepiece of the "service" is the sumptuous Magnificat for triple choir and instruments). The 6-member period ensemble grows to 63 when it is joined by guest vocal soloists Michele De Boer, Paul Grindlay, David Arnot and Kevin Skelton, The Toronto Chamber Choir, and a host of rarely heard period instruments, to recreate a 17thcentury soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian and the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra have.the makings of a fantastic concert program - see "Cleopatra with Isabel Bayrakdarian" (January 10, 11, 15, 16). The story of the legendary Cleopatra was the perfect vehicle for the baroque composers, Handel, Hasse, and Graun, the music of whom you will hear upon Lutheran Christmas service. this.occasion. · If you would like to compare it with a-Venetian Vespers, you might The Toronto Early Music Centre want to attend an actual service at begins another series of "Musically the Church of the Redeemer where Speaking" presentations, a onehour enlightening program of his­ The Musicians In Ordinary, the clergy, choir and guests, are developing an annual tradition of recreattorical performance. Admission is free to this event. The first presentation features the ensemble "Musick's ing a 17th-century Italian service (December 7) with music by Claudio Monteverdi, Alessandro Gran­ Hand-maid" (January 11) - Janet Scott (harpsichord) with Valerie Sylvester (violin), Sheila Smyth (violin) di, Adriano Banchieri and other conand Laura Jones (gamba). temporaries. 1 A week-long performance festial and The English romance "Sir Clege" educational symposium featuring retakes place in an atmosphere of nowned Bach specialist Helmuth almsgi~ing, . 9uest, :"1d the miracu- Rilling, soloists Darryl Edwards, Jous,. m which mmstrels feature Lorna MacDonald (Lois Marshall pro~mently · Around the fi;amework ·Chair in Voice Studies), violinist Scott of ~1s rom~ce, Tor?nto. s ensem- St. John, the MacMillan Singers, ble ,or medieval music, Sme Norn- members of the Elmer Iseler Singine, has cre~ted a programme of ers the Bach Festival Orchestra and delig.htful I.4th and l?th cen~ry sp;cial guests Russell Braun and Engl.1sh Christmas ~us.IC for v01ces Daniel Taylor. "J.S. Bach in the and mstruments - Minstrels at a World Today" begins on January Christ~asCourt" (December 19~. 12 - see the website: http:// You ~mght want_to chec~ out th~tr www.utoronto.ca/music .-withparwebstte - www.pims.ca/smenomme ticular attention to Cantatas 140 JOHN FERTH Recorder Center · sheet music - recorders 984 Dovercou rt Rd. Toronto; Ont. M6H 2X5 ·(4·16) 534-7931 ·everything for the recorder player "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme", 105 "Herr, gehe nicht ins Gericht", 26 "A ch wie fluchtig, ach wie nichtig", 67 "Halt im Gedachtnis Jesum Chrisi" and 172 "Erschallet, ihr Lieder." In the late Middle Ages, the dukes of Burgundy created a domain which was the most powerful political entity in Western Europe, and a centre of exuberant cultural activity. At the pinnacle of this extravagance was the supreme musical master Guillaume Dufay whose music will be the focus of the Toronto Consort concert "The Splendour of Burgundy" (February 6, 7), featuring his masterwork, Missa Ecce Ancilla Domini, sung by a small ensemble of elite singers such as performed at the Burgundian court. The program also includes instrumental songs and dances from the early 15th century. Frank T. Nakashima (franknak@interlog.com) is the Pres" ident of the Toronto Early Music Centre, a non-profit charitable organization which promotes the appreciation of historically-informed performances of early music. PHILIP L. DAVIS Luth.ier formerly with ff Schroder: Frankfurt, West Gennany A Fine Selection of Small and Full Sized Instruments and Bows • Expert Repairs , (416) 466-9619 67 Wolverleigh Blvd., Toronto, Ontario, M4J 1 R6 DECEMBER 1 2003-:: FEBRUARY 7 2004

The Toronto· Consort p~esenrs HE PR.,AETOR}US CHR.-1 STMAS VESPERS \ . December 12 & i3, 2003 Singers, recorders, violins, cornetti, sackbuts, theorbos and keyboards arranged around the balconies and stage of Trinity-St. Paul's Church, recreating the joyful celebration of Christmas Vespers as it might have been heard under the direction of Michael Pr.aetorius in 17-th century Germany, this is the Toronto Consort's latest Yuletide offering. The centrepiece of the service is the sumptuous · Magnificat for triple choir and instruments, m1der ·the direction of David Fallis. HE SPLENDOUR OF BUR-GUNDY February 6 & 7, 2004 In the late Middle Ages the dukes of'Burgundy created a domain which was the most powerful political - entity in Western Europe, al)d a centre of exuberant cultural activity. At the pinnacle of~his extravagance was the supreme musical master Guillaume Dufay, whose music will be the focus of this concert, featuring his masterwork, the Missa' Ecce Ancilla Domini, sung by a small ensemble of efite singers such as performed at the Burgundian court. Instrumental songs and dances from the early 15th century complete the program. For Tickets call 416-964-6337 Trinity-St. Paul's Centre, 427 Bloor St. West Yarnaha carbon fibre bows co,nbine tr·adtional crafts,.nanship with rnodem technology: They offer the sarne superb response. balance, piayabiiity and tone that you '~xpect from pernambuco. without the cost and fra.gility. Their exceptional durabil;ty n·;eans that they are better suited to wr!.hstand aggressive piaying and extrerne clirnates while sUI

Volumes 21-25 (2015-2020)

Volumes 16-20 (2010-2015)

Volumes 11-15 (2004-2010)

Volumes 6 - 10 (2000 - 2006)

Volumes 1-5 (1994-2000)