Picture this: a cool summer breeze carrying the soothing scent of lavender through the air, warm sunlight sinking into your skin, and the captivating sounds of Argentinian tango performed by a cello and guitar duo. Joliette’s annual Festival Lanaudière presented this small concert, Brunch, Lavande, Tango !!! amid the Jardins Arômes et Saveurs lavender farm. As part of its Hors les murs (outside the walls) series, this concert highlighted music in an intimate outdoor setting, far from the conventional concert hall environment.
Photo by Gabriel Fournier
Guitarist Christ Habib and cellist Dominique Beauséjour-Ostiguy are talented local musicians who have been acknowledged internationally for their skills. In 2020, CBC named Habib as one of Canada’s Top 30 Classical Musicians Under 30. He has won several first-place prizes in competitions, such as the Pierre-de-Saurel competition and the National Music Festival in Saskatoon in 2019. Beauséjour-Ostiguy, who earned his place on the CBC’s “30 under 30” list in 2018, won the Peter Mendell prize in 2017, the Prix d’Europe in 2018, and the Choquette-Symcox prize in 2021. Together they skillfully performed music highlighting the life of the famed Argentine tango composer, Astor Piazzolla.
What you missed
The pair started the concert with a very familiar piece, Por una Cabeza by Uruguyan Carlos Gardel. Film buffs may recognize the dramatic tango from Schindler’s List, True Lies, or perhaps most infamously, Scent of a Woman. This piece was slow and sweet, and showcased a variety of their skills — playing arco (for the cello), pizzicato (for both), and strumming (for the guitar).
The duo proceeded to play a lovely variety of tango and jazz music, including works by Duke Ellington, Alberto Ginastera, Béla Bartók, and Nadia Boulanger. Between each piece of the afternoon, they provided insightful commentary into the evolution of tango and the composers’ influences on Piazzolla. The history lessons were short and palatable, providing extra depth to the music played.
Photo by Gabriel Fournier
The second half of the afternoon focused on the music of Piazzolla himself, in all of its varied rhythms and styles. Notable pieces included the summer and winter suites from Las Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas (The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires), Café 1930, and Nightclub. It is worth mentioning that many of the pieces were arranged for cello and guitar by Beauséjour-Ostiguy himself, a talented composer in his own right.
The two musicians were clearly passionate about both playing the music and honouring the legacy of the genre. Their ability to switch between modes of intensity within pieces, and their full-bodied and dynamic sound were especially impressive, particularly considering their small numbers. Habib added a vibrant layer of percussion to the music, and his deft fingers created complex plucking textures, essential for tango music. Beauséjour-Ostiguy’s warmth mirrored the forest backdrop, and his bow style was impressively haunting in Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances.
Gripes
Despite both musicians’ clear talent, there were a few instances in which they did not seem to play with as much synergy as expected. This was not a recurring theme of the afternoon; in those rare moments, however, they seemed to play at very cautious tempos, hesitating and waiting for each other.
An Immersive Experience
On the whole, the concert was very enjoyable, and demonstrated expert handling of various genres, moods, styles and techniques with only two instruments. Coupled with the beautiful ambience of the lavender field, the rustling forest, and the crisp air of the countryside, the concert was an immersive experience.
Photo by Gabriel Fournier
Music en plein air is a highlight of the Festival Lanaudière, demonstrated perfectly by Brunch, Lavande, Tango !!! The festival lasts until the beginning of August, so I highly recommend you reserve your seats for upcoming events.
