Ensemble La Cigale - Agence Danielle Lefebvre

Ensemble
La Cigale
www.ensemblelacigale.ca
musique ancienne
early music
Photo: Chantal St-Pierre
ENSEMBLE LA CIGALE—QUIÉNES SOMOS
La cigarra se desarrolla lentamente, secretamente, por el período de algunos años antes de presentarse
a si misma con un estilo de canción que cada uno puede oír y apreciar. En la bien conocida
fábula, las hormigas concedían poca importancia a la cigarra por no hacer nada pero compartían su
música. Quizás olvidaban como la canción de la cigarra alivianaba sus labores y les permitía soñar,
regocijar, amar y también llorar…
Formado en 2006 en Montreal, el comienzo
de la música del grupo La Cigale toma su
nombre de este fenomenal insecto musical y
espera sucesivamente compartir su música con
cualquiera que le guste escuchar.
La Cigale se especializa en la música de la
era Barroca y del renacimiento en períodos
instrumentales, principalmente laúdes, arpa
barroca, flauta dulce y viola. El grupo crea
programas que yuxtaponen estilos formales y
tradicionales, explora las relaciones entre la
literatura y la música y destaca pequeñas piezas
maestras conocidas. Los músicos de La Cigale
han sido elogiados por lo cálido y frescor de
sus presentaciones y por la complicidad que
comparten entre ellos y sus audiencias.
En 2013, el conjunto lanza un primer CD, Tiorba Obbligata, con un programa inusual anticipado
de trabajos italianos presentando la tiorba como un instrumento obligado. Varias piezas en el CD
fueron grabaciones de estreno y La Cigale es uno de los raros grupos que hace suyo este repertorio.
Tiorba Obbligata fue nominada en Quebec con el premio “Prix Opus” en la categoría de disco del
año—música medieval, Renacimiento, Barroco y clásica.
El conjunto es presentado a menudo en una serie de conciertos y festivales y se dedica a una amplia
variedad de actividades musicales. El conjunto La Cigale ha sido presentado en el Festival Barroco de
Montreal, en una exhibición de apertura en el museo de la civilización Canadiense en Gatineau, y
para las festividades en los Jardines Botánicos de Montreal. En su búsqueda por compartir su pasión
musical, el grupo se ha presentado al aire libre en la montaña de Rigaud (Día internacional de la
caminata), en una galería de arte moderno y en el salón de la belleza en Montreal. Los músicos del
grupo han tenido el placer de introducir la música barroca a los amantes de la música (La biblioteca
grande del Quebec, en un concierto-conferencia) y se han presentado en conferencias literarias del
Círculo interuniversitario de estudios sobre la República de las letras (CIERL, Universidad de Laval).
También, La Cigale colabora regularmente con otros conjuntos, notablemente por varias temporadas
con el Proyecto Coral del coro. Para la temporada de 2014, el conjunto está produciendo una serie
de tres programas de música atravesando por la era desde la chacona española barroca hasta las
canciones de los Rolling Stones.
ENSEMBLE LA CIGALE—PAGE 2
ENSEMBLE LA CIGALE—WHO WE ARE
The cicada develops slowly, secretly, over a period of years before presenting itself in style with a
song which everyone can hear and appreciate. In the well-known fable, the ants belittled the cicada
for doing nothing but share its music. Perhaps they forgot how the cicada’s song lightened their
labour and allowed them to dream, to rejoice, to love and also to weep…
Formed in 2006 in Montréal, the early music ensemble La Cigale takes its name from this most
musical insect and hopes in turn to share its music with anyone who would like to listen.
La Cigale specializes in music of the Renaissance and Baroque eras on period instruments. The
group creates programmes that juxtapose formal and traditional styles, explore the links between
literature and music, and bring to light little known masterpieces. The musicians of La Cigale have
been praised for the warmth of their performances and for the complicity they share with each other
and their audiences.
In 2013, the ensemble released a first CD, Tiorba Obbligata, with an unusual programme of early
Italian works featuring the theorbo as an obbligato instrument. Several pieces on the CD were world
premiere recordings and La Cigale is one of the rare groups to make this repertoire their own. Tiorba
Obbligata was nominated in Québec for a “Prix Opus” in the category of Disc of the Year—medieval,
Renaissance, Baroque and Classical music.
The ensemble is often featured in concert series and festivals and pursues a wide variety of musical
activities. Ensemble La Cigale has been featured at the Montreal Baroque Festival, at an exhibition
opening at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, and for festivities at the Montreal
Botanical Gardens. In their quest to share their musical passion, the group has performed outdoors
on Rigaud Mountain (International Walking Day), in a gallery of modern art and in a Montréal
beauty salon. Musicians from the group have also had the pleasure of introducing music lovers to
Baroque music (La Grande Bibliothèque du Québec, in a concert-conference) and have performed for
conferences of the Cercle interuniversitaire d’étude sur la République des Lettres (CIERL, Université
Laval) devoted to interdisciplinary research bringing together literature, iconography and music.
As well, La Cigale has collaborated for several seasons with the Projet Choral choir. For the 2014
season, the ensemble is producing a series of three programmes
of music traversing the ages from Spanish Baroque chaconnes to
songs by the Rolling Stones.
MADELEINE OWEN
lute, theorbo, Baroque guitar
Described by critics as “a breath of fresh air” (Le Droit) and
praised for her “excellent theorbo continuo playing” (The Ottawa
Citizen), Madeleine Owen began playing the guitar at the age of
seven. After university studies in classical guitar, she has gone
on to specialize in early music, performing on Renaissance lute,
theorbo, and Baroque guitar. Her musicality and energy on these
instruments makes her a favourite with audiences.
ENSEMBLE LA CIGALE—PAGE 3
Madeleine Owen performs regularly as a soloist, chamber musician and accompanist and is artistic
director of the Montréal based early music group La Cigale. She can be heard in concert series such
as the Montréal Symphony’s Virée classique, Orgue et couleurs, the Lamèque, Montréal and Boston
early music festivals and with groups such as La Nef, Les idées heureuses, Appassionata Chamber
Orchestra, Helios Baroque Opera (Boston), the Toronto Masques Theatre and the Central City Opera
(Colorado).
In spring of 2003, her duo Celia’s Fansye participated in the modern day premiere of the Montréal
lute manuscript at the Festival du luth de la Nouvelle-France. Madeleine Owen has been featured
on local and national television and radio as well as on National Public Radio in the United States
and she has been recorded on the Productions XXI label. In the fall of 2006, as a member of the
broken consort The Queen’s Trouble, she competed as a finalist in Early Music America’s Medieval
and Renaissance Competition in New York.
SARA LACKIE
Baroque triple harp
Sara Lackie is one of the few harpists in Canada to specialize in the
Baroque triple harp, a lesser known historical instrument which
has only been revived in recent years. Based in Montreal, she is
in demand as a continuo specialist and accompanist both locally
and beyond. Her recent projects include performances with Les
Voix Humaines, Les Voix Baroques, Ensemble La Cigale, TENET
(New York), Helios Opera (Boston), and the Studio de Musique
Ancienne de Montréal; she has been heard nationally on CBC
radio, and has recorded for both the ATMA and Analekta labels.
In 2009, she made her solo debut with an acclaimed recital at the
Sackville Early Music Festival.
After her initial training in piano, conducting, and modern harp, Sara pursued further studies in
music history and historical performance practice at Carleton University and McGill University. She
is also a veteran participant in numerous summer workshops, including the Amherst Early Music
Festival, the Seattle Academy of Baroque Opera, the Corso Internazionale di Musica Antica (Urbino,
Italy), and the International Baroque Institute at Longy. Sara
gratefully acknowledges the inspirational guidance and support
of her principal teacher, renowned harpist Maxine Eilander.
VINCENT LAUZER
recorders
Recorder virtuoso Vincent Lauzer is one of Canada’s most
exciting young musicians. He has gained recognition as RadioCanada’s Révélation 2013-2014 and as Breakthrough Artist of the
Year (2012) in Québec’s Prix Opus. He graduated from McGill
University, where he studied with Matthias Maute. His first solo
CD, Passaggi, was released in September 2013.
ENSEMBLE LA CIGALE—PAGE 4
Vincent Lauzer has won an astonishing number of prizes in national and international competition
including the Guy-Soucie Award at the Prix d’Europe, 2013, and the First Prize in the Stepping Stone
of the Canada Music Competition and the Career Development Award from the Women’s Musical
Club of Toronto (2012).
Vincent is a member of the recorder quintet Flûte Alors! with whom he toured Eastern Canada as
part of Jeunesses Musicales du Canada’s 2012-2013 season. In August 2009, the ensemble was
awarded 1st Prize in the chamber music division at the National Music Festival in Saskatoon. Vincent
is also a founding member of Les Songes and of the ensemble Recordare, which was one of the
five finalists in the Early Music America/Naxos Recording Competition.
Recently, Vincent has performed in numerous concert series including Clavecin en concert and
Musique Royale (Nova Scotia) and with the ensembles La Cigale, Les Idées Heureuses, Arion,
La Bande Montréal Baroque and La Follia Austin Baroque (Texas). He has also played for the Montreal
Baroque Festival, the Festival international de musique baroque de Lamèque, the “Concerts aux Îles
du Bic” Festival, the Indian River Festival (Prince Edward Island) and the Boston Early Music Festival.
Vincent can be heard frequently on Radio-Canada’s Espace Musique and on CBC Radio 2.
ELIN SODERSTROM
viola da gamba
Captivated by the sound of the viol during a recital given by Jordi
Savall, Elin Soderstrom discovered in this instrument sounds of
which she had only dreamed. Pursuing her love of the viol, she
graduated with honours from McGill University, and received a
post-graduate degree from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague
(Netherlands) where she studied with Wieland Kuijken.
Now based in Montreal, Elin has performed throughout Canada,
the United States, Europe and the Near East with ensembles such
as Constantinople, Masques, Capriccio Stravagante, the Toronto
Consort, Les Boréades and Arion. A special interest in consort
playing has been fostered through many years of collaboration with the Dutch viol consort The Spirit
of Gambo and, more recently, the Montreal-based Voix Humaines Consort of Viols. She is heard
regularly on CBC and Radio-Canada, and has recorded for the ATMA, Analekta, Dorian, Astrée and
Wereldomroep labels.
A dedicated teacher, Elin communicates her passion through private instruction as well as at various
workshops. She has been invited by the Viola da Gamba Society of North America, Cammac, the
Toronto Early Music Society, the Belles-Soirées series at the Université de Montréal and the Faculty
of music of the same institution to teach on the viol, with a special emphasis on improvisation.
Continually searching for artistic renewal, Elin has received grants from the Canada Council for the
Arts, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, and the FCAR and FQRSC foundations which
have enabled her to develop her skills as a musician.
Currently, Elin is dedicating more and more of her time to contemporary and improvised music,
two lifelong interests that were the subject of a doctorate degree (Université de Montréal, 2010).
ENSEMBLE LA CIGALE—PAGE 5
ENSEMBLE LA CIGALE—REVIEWS
For Tiorba Obbligata:
The principal value of a release like
this, aside from the obvious one of
hearing good music well played,
is that it brings to us a delightful
slice of early Italian repertoire, the
composers of which are unfamiliar to
anyone who doesn’t study the music
of the early and mid-17th century in
considerable detail. The works in this
lovely collection are by Giovanni
Pittoni Ferrarese (1635-1677),
Alessandro Piccinini (1566-1638)
and Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger
(c.1580-1651). It’s beautiful stuff, if
not particularly profound.
The Ensemble La Cigale is headed by lutenist Madeleine Owen whose instrument
in these performances is the Theorbo, a kind of super-lute that has a number of very
long courses in addition to those of a regular lute. The combination allows the player
a very wide compass, allowing deep bass notes to be used creating the possibility
of providing a basso continuo somewhat in the manner of a harpsichord. The other
members of the ensemble are Baroque harpist Sara Lackie, recorder player Vincent
Lauzer and viola da gambist Elin Soderstrom, all of whom play their instruments
expertly.
I’m not sure that this is what the musicians would like to hear, but I find this collection
wonderful as bedtime music. It’s not that it’s boring, in fact it engages the listener
quite nicely. But without wide dynamic contrasts or a surfeit of drama that might
claim the listener’s attention too insistently. As it is, one can let go peacefully as
slumber comes on.
—Richard Todd
The Classical Music Sentinel, November 2013
www.classicalmusicsentinel.com
This colourful recording is dedicated to the art of the obbligato theorbo—a style of
composition for the theorbo as a solo instrument, with and without accompaniment,
from 17th-century Italy. The mastery and sensitivity of Madeleine Owen’s performance
on theorbo are highlighted by the nuanced support of the ensemble members: Sara
Lackie on Baroque harp, Elin Soderstrom on viola da gamba and Vincent Lauzer on
recorders. The selections presented on the disc, by theorbo masters Giovanni Pittoni
ENSEMBLE LA CIGALE—PAGE 6
Ferrarese, Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger and Alessandro Piccinini, are rarely heard
today, and several of these works have never before been recorded.
It is very gratifying to hear a recording in which a good half of the ensemble is
comprised of plucked strings (theorbo and/or harp). This instrumentation is certainly
justified by the choice of composer-lutenists, but even more, it enhances the flute
(and the viol) when it appears. At the same time, the continuo is for once richer and
more sonorous than the treble, as if a colourful carpet were rolled out beneath
the melody. The plucked strings complement each other harmoniously: the harp
lends a legato quality to the theorbo, and the theorbo supports the ensemble with
well-accented steadiness, even if the solo theorbo sounds perhaps a bit deliberate
for the whimsy and sprezzatura of the Italian seicento. The best moments of the disc:
the arrangement of Piccinini’s Chiccaona in partite variate for theorbo, harp and
recorder, and the pieces on ostinato bass by Kapsberger—rhythmic, unaffected and
dance-like.
—P. Boquet
Le joueur de Luth (Journal of the French
Lute Society), September, 2013
(Translation: Sara Lackie)
This CD is very charming indeed. La Cigale are a young Canadian ensemble, uniting
the skills of Madeleine Owen (directing) on theorbo, with Sara Lackie on baroque
harp, Vincent Lauzer on recorders and (playing Kapsberger grounds on last few
tracks of the CD) Elin Soderstrom on bass viol. As the title of the album suggests,
the recording explores the world of the solo theorbo in Italy in the early baroque.
Not surprisingly, we hear some Piccinini, mostly played solo: his lovely Toccata VI,
the slightly less well-known ‘il Mercatello’ and the famous ‘Chiaconna in partite
variate’, in the ensemble’s own arrangement, with the ground played on the harp, and
melodic contributions from the recorder. There are also four tracks by Kapsberger:
Preludio X, the disconcerting ‘Capona’ (both played as solos) the famous, eponymous
‘Kapsberger’ with bass viol and harp taking the written ground (and a few melodic
additions on the viol too) and a final ‘Canario’ again with the ground shared.
‘So far so good, but I already have several good recordings of these pieces’ I hear you
cry. Fear not, the disc does have a ‘unique sales proposition’, in performances of three
suites by a totally ignored composer, Giovanni Pittoni Ferrarese (1635–77), whom
Madeleine Owen believes has never been recorded—certainly there is no mention
of him on Amazon! He published two sets of sonatas for theorbo and continuo (organ
specified as the continuo instrument for one collection and harpsichord for the other).
Violin transcriptions of the treble parts by an unknown hand were published around
the same time; the suites can be performed with or without a treble instrument
doubling the melodic line of the theorbo. Whatever Posterity’s reasons for leaving
Pittoni’s music by the wayside, the four-movement major-key suites in particular
are pure charm, full of Italian sunshine, a delight from beginning to end, by turns
lyrical and stately. There is some quirkiness too, notably in a G major gigue in 12/8
time, and one in E minor with a melodic line that rolls on and on. The ensemble
have chosen to perform these with continuo realised on baroque harp, making the
ENSEMBLE LA CIGALE—PAGE 7
recording a plucker’s delight, and just some of the staff notation treble lines played,
on recorder.
It is hard to find anything critical to say about this disc. At 45 minutes it hardly outstays
its welcome; might we not have been treated to some more Pittoni? And it would be
interesting to hear other combinations of continuo instruments, and perhaps some
of the treble parts played on violin. The recorded sound is good throughout, as is the
intonation, and all the playing is musical, with good light and shade. Madeleine Owen
is capable of both full-blooded and passionate playing (evident in the Piccinini), and
of delicacy (for instance in a sensitive rendition of the Kapsberger Preludio), perhaps
just occasionally I would have liked the interpretations to lean more towards the
latter; some chords on strong beats seem to land a little heavily, though perhaps that
is just the consequence of close-miking. I assume from the CD number (CIG001) that
this is the ensemble’s first disc. Let’s hope for more, before too long; there are still
plenty of treasures of the early baroque to be unearthed. A very enjoyable disc.
—Chris Goodwin
Lute News 109, The Lute Society Magazine,
April, 2014
For Madeleine Owen:
In the context of Culture Month, students at
Papillon-Bleu school in Vaudreuil-Dorion
will have the chance to experience various
cultural activities.
On February 7th and 8th, renowned
concert artist Madeleine Owen presented
very rare musical instruments, including
the theorbo and the lute, to the children.
As well, she gave workshops on the music
of the Renaissance and the Baroque eras.
The fascinated students were delighted to
sings canons in several voices with her and
to discover music from musical periods so
different from their own.
Throughout Culture Month, the youngsters will participate in different workshops.
The coming weeks hold other delightful cultural surprises in store.
—Parlons culture (“Let’s talk culture”)
L’Étoile (Vaudreuil-Dorion), February 20, 2013
(Translation: Madeleine Owen)
ENSEMBLE LA CIGALE—PAGE 8
ENSEMBLE LA CIGALE—PROGRAMMES
Tiorba Obbligata: Italian instrumental music
of the early Baroque
In this colorful and flamboyant programme, La Cigale presents Italian instrumental music of the early
Baroque with a special focus on the theorbo as an obbligato instrument. La Cigale is one of only a
few groups to make this rarely-heard repertoire their own. The Italian composers of the seventeenth
century wrote masterpieces of stunning virtuosity and expressivity for the instruments of La Cigale:
recorders, lutes, viol and harp. The contrast of moods in this repertoire, from fiery and virtuosic to
intimate and delicate, as well as the mix of sophisticated writing with free improvisation surprise and
engage audiences. The concert includes works by Kapsberger, Piccinini, Pittoni Ferrarese, Castaldi,
Castello and Frescobaldi.
Improvisation on La Ciaccona
Sonata Prima
Sonata No. 3 for Theorbo, Basso Continuo and Treble
(Grave, Sua Corrente, Sua Sarabanda, Sua Gigue)
Ensemble La Cigale
Dario Castello (c. 1590–c. 1658)
Giovanni Pittoni Ferrarese
(1635–1677)
Pieces for Two Basses and Continuo (from Primo libro delle canzoni, 1628)
Canzona quintadecima, detta la Lievoratta
Canzona decimarquarta, detta la Marina
Pieces for Theorbo and Continuo
Capona
Kapsberger (arranged by Elin Soderstrom)
Canario
Canzon terza a canto solo
Girolamo Frescobaldi
(1583–1643)
Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger
(c. 1580–1651)
Frescobaldi
—INTERMISSION—
Partite sopra la Chiaccona
Frescobaldi
Partite sopra la Chiaccona
Kevin Morse*
Sonata No. 8 for Theorbo and Continuo
(Grave, Sua Alemanda, Sua Corrente, Sua Sarabanda)
Pieces for theorbo and tiorbino
Capriccio detto hermafrodito
Cappriccio detto bischizzoso
Pittoni Ferrarese
Bellerofonte Castaldi (c. 1581–1649)
ENSEMBLE LA CIGALE—PAGE 9
Sonata for Flute, Guitar and Continuo
La Bernabea
Giovanni Battista Granata (c. 1620–1687)
Giovanni Antonio Pandolfi Mealli (c. 1630–c. 1669)
La Castella
Pandolfi Mealli
Chiaccona in partite variate
Alessandro Piccinini (1566–c. 1638)
arranged by Ensemble La Cigale
*Kevin Morse is a young composer from Prince Edward Island, currently based in Sackville, New
Brunswick. We have been in discussion with him regarding composing this piece and expect that it
will be ready by the end of 2014.
The Rocky Road to Dublin: Celtic instrumental music
of the Baroque
Audiences around the world enjoy traditional Celtic music, but many do not realize that the familiar
sounds of this repertoire have been popular for centuries. In fact, Celtic music inspired some of
the best composers of the Baroque, including Purcell and Geminiani. The rich harping tradition in
Ireland spawned its own stars including Turlough O’Carolan whose works are still widely performed
today. Come and hear the roots of Celtic music as La Cigale proposes seventeenth-century Scottish
lute repertoire, variations on reels and jigs, traditional airs, Irish harp music and Baroque music
inspired by the Celtic traditions.
Scots Lament by Mr Oswald
The Berks of Endermay
Belsie Bell
Sonata Prima
(Largo e nobile, Allegro, Largo, Allegro non troppo)
James Oswald (1710–1769)
Traditional Scottish
William McGibbon (1690–1756)
Francesco Maria Veracini (1690–1768)
Auld Bob Morrice
Lady Ann Bothwell’s Lament
Sleepy Body
Diverse bizzarrie sopra la Vecchia Sarabanda o pur Ciaccona
Carolan’s Farewell to Music
Thomas Burke
The Fairy Queen
Mrs Power (Carolan’s Concerto)
Francesco Geminiani (1687–1762)
Geminiani
Geminiani
Nicola Matteis
(fl. c. 1670–after 1714)
Turlough O’Carolan (1670–1738)
O’Carolan
O’Carolan
O’Carolan
—INTERMISSION—
ENSEMBLE LA CIGALE—PAGE 10
I never knew I loved thee
Untitled
Gypsies Lilt
The Canaries
Rowallan MS (17th century)
Rowallan MS
Rowallan MS
Straloch MS (17th century)
Chaconne
Henry Purcell (1659–1695)
Preludio-Prestissimo
Sarabanda-Adagio
Gavotta con divisioni
Bizzarie all’Umor Scozzese
Matteis
Matteis
Matteis
Matteis
Spancil Hill
The bonniest Lass in a’ the world
The Foggy Dew
The Rocky Road to Dublin
Traditional Irish
McGibbon
Traditional Irish
Traditional Irish
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS AND STAGE SET-UP
We require:
• 4 armless chairs
• 4 music stands
• lighting enough to be able to read music (either hall lighting or stand
lights)
• 4 bottles of water
• access to the performance area a minimum of 1 hour before show
time
We generally perform without amplification, but in a hall which is
habitually amplified or outdoors we require:
• 1 microphone and stand per musician and 1 microphone for
speaking (5 in all)
The sound engineer must be provided by the concert producer. The
amplified sound should be as close as possible to a natural, acoustic sound,
and not too loud.
For any further information please contact Madeleine Owen
at (450) 455-8194.
ENSEMBLE LA CIGALE—PAGE 11