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Composers of Western music have long been torn between two contradictory forces: order and reason on the one hand and passion on the other. At their concert on Nov. 28, Les Boréades de Montréal will choose to side with reason, says Artistic Director Francis Colpron.
“On this occasion, I’d like to demonstrate a rather rational, almost scientific, approach to the art of music to convince people that music is a universal language—a product of human genius and, therefore, a science. It’s about understanding that sometimes this language can be obtuse, expansive, hermetic, scholarly. In any case, what’s important to remember is that it still makes a strong impression on human beings; it exerts a fascination that’s fresher and more mysterious than ever.”
In light of these reflections, Colpron set out to unite repertoires that, on paper, seem to clash. Les Boréades will feature several consorts—works for instrument families as varied as recorders and viols—from the English Renaissance. “Occasionally, a consort could be ‘broken,’ and was called a broken consort. In that case, they mixed instruments. Mixing Early and Contemporary music is also what I like to do at Les Boréades. The idea is to give the Baroque instrumentarium a contemporary flavour. In this concert, we’ll be concentrating on a few violas da gamba and flutes.”
What’s more, the artistic director of Les Boréades says he wants to offer a program alternating between well- and lesser-known composers. This is notably the case for contemporary composers Philip Glass and Chiel Meijering. “I discovered the music of this Dutch composer during my studies in the Netherlands,” Colpron says. “It’s music that’s excessively difficult to play and, therefore, interesting from my point of view. It’s based on rhythms that are complex to set up. With four flutists, it’s a challenge! This led to my collaboration with Philip Glass. The latter also wrote repetitive music, but his is certainly more melodious, which explains why he is much more well-known.”
For Les Boréades, the Baroque spirit lives on regardless of repertoire. “In the 17th century, composers wanted to detach themselves from church service, move away from religious themes, and get closer to what concerns us: humanity. Opera began to speak of everyday things—of love and betrayal. The Baroque spirit stems from this paradigm shift. It demands a great deal of effervescence and eloquence, and instills a wealth of imagination and artistic gesture. This is something that characterizes us quite well at Les Boréades.”
The Passion of Reason, Nov. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Grande Bibliothèque (BanQ). Works by Thomas Preston, William Cornish, Christopher Tye, Philip Glass and Chiel Meijering. For the full program, visit www.boreades.com
Translation: Heather Weinreb
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