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Courses and ensembles
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Renaissance instruments |
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Depending on the teacher with whom I was currently working, I've attended different kind of courses in different places : in various regions of France, and in Urbino (Italy).
And, for several years now, I've gone to Evolene, a pleasant old-fashioned village in the Swiss region named Valais. There I've met Marcos Volonterio, concertist and teacher of early music in Geneva, with whom I keep friendly and interesting musical relationships.
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More recently came Christina Omlin from Bern, and Andel Strube from Luzern ; they're now teaching this course organized by Claude Bonzon (who is also teaching in Geneva). |  |
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| Claude Bonzon, artistic director |
Andel Strube, recorder teacher Jean-Christophe Aubert, choir conductor |
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Daniela Numico, harpsichord teacher |
Claire-Lise Coste, teacher of vocal technique |
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Summer 2002 : a second course near Labeaume, in the south of France,
clic to see photos
essentially based on Les Indes galantes by Mister Jean-Philippe Rameau!
My discovery of renaissance instruments was a great schock. Small fingering problems are nothing when compared to the wonderful sound you get when playing these instruments, which react in such a way that they teach you how to blow in them!
After each course I was so sad not to be able to play such instruments when back home, that I ordered a set from the Italian maker Francesco Li Virghi. I've got them on the 30th of May 2000, after a delay of nearly two years that I don't regret: music sounds really better on these instruments! You might wish to look at a few photos of this set...
After having downloaded the Audacity software, I've made my first steps in multitrack recording. It will sound better if you put some reverberation while listening, I've failed to include it in the files...
Mon coeur se recommande à vous, Gérard de Turnhout (2 voices - 1,35 MB)
Helas, Dame que j'ayme tant, Anonymous (3 voices - 0,55 MB)
Hanacpachap cussicuinin, Anonymous (4 voices - 0,69 MB)
| A good course gives you a chance to work thoroughly a few scores: intonation, details of articulation, phrasing. What I like so much is to play with persons stronger than me ; this helps me to play better too, I don't know exactly why... |
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On the other hand it's also interesting to be the leader in a weaker group. When the course has a fair level you may experience both situations! |
Excerps from the final concert, Evolène 1998:
(several instruments, mainly by Henri Gohin)
Excerps from the final concert, Evolène 2000:
(instruments by Francesco Li Virghi, excepted contrabass)
- John Dowland: First Lachrymae (without repeats - 2,7 MB);
- G. F. Haendel: a piece the name of which I've forgotten (7,1 MB).
Friendly meeting, Avully temple (CH), May 2002
(Li Virghi consort + gamba + organ)
Christiane, Isabelle, Lise, Martine, Alain, Brigitte, Jeannie, Pierre :
- William White : Pavan (2 MB).
You may listen to other excerpts of concerts given with instruments by Li Virghi on Niklas Saers's site.
Like most of you, I suppose, I began to play only baroque pieces : Telemann, Loeillet, Matheson, etc, I imagine you know this quite well!
Recently I felt in love with the 16th century repertoire, from Josquin to Gabrieli, and Obrecht, Isaac, Mouton, Senfl, Lassus, Ferrabosco, Bassano, Byrd, etc, in between - speaking of ensemble music.
When some harpsichordist is available, I take my soprano recorder for some canzon or sonata by Frescobaldi, Biaggio Marini, Castello, Riccio.
And recently, since I'm able to make them live, I've discovered again the wonderful preludes, suites and sonatas by Hotteterre - a composer who would deserve to be more famous than he is, in my humble opinion (if we except the recorder fans who do know him, of course).