PRESS  RELEASE    

 

                                                                                           

ENSEMBLE CAPRICE Matthias Maute

CHACONNE Voices of Eternity

Release date : October 16th, 2015

Montreal,  October  16th,  2015  -­‐  On  Chaconne  -­‐  Voices  of  Eternity,  Ensemble  Caprice  gathers  some  of  the  most  beautiful  chaconnes  and  passacaglias  from  the  hundreds  of  composed  during  the  Baroque  period.  In  the  chaconne  and  the  passacaglia,  repetition  of  the  same  harmonic  formula  allowed  for  the  representation  of  a  notion  of  time  that  transcended  that  of  day-­‐to-­‐day  experience  –  in  other  words,  eternity!    As  a  geometrically  variable  group,  Ensemble  Caprice  here  draws  on  the  talents  of  seven  musicians  playing  period  instruments,  who  are  joined  by  organist  Jean-­‐Willy  Kunz,  sopranos  Dawn  Bailey  and  Jana  Miller  and  mezzo-­‐soprano   Maude   Brunet.   In   addition   to   the   instrumental   pieces   judiciously   selected   from   a   vast  repertoire,  Matthias  Maute   (conductor   and   composer)   has   rearranged   certain   others   for   two   recorders  and  bass,  including  Johann  Sebastian  Bach’s  famous  Chaconne  BWV  1004  for  solo  violin  and  Monteverdi’s  Chi  vol  che  m’innamori  (with  its  closing  “Today  we  are  light,  and  then  tomorrow,  shadow”).  The  album  also  contains   hauntingly   beautiful   16th-­‐century   Czech   folksongs.   Everything,   in   a   program   of   heightened  feeling,  takes  us  to  this  indescribable  notion  of  eternity.    As  in  the  Passacalle  (1650)  and  the  renowned  and  emotion-­‐laden  Folias  by  Andrea  Falconieri,  for  example,  or  Antonio  Vivaldi’s  Sonata  La  Follia  Op.  1,  No.  12  (1705),  these  works  refer  to  an  out  of  the  ordinary  state  of  mind,  one  characterized  by  unbridled  rhythms  and  harrowing  dissonances.    And  Ensemble  Caprice  complement  this  array  of  instrumental  gems  with  short  vocal  pieces  composed  by  Matthias   Maute   to   texts   from   The   Cherubinic   Pilgrim,   the   work   of   17th-­‐century   mystic   poet   Angelus  Silesius.   “These   short   poems   in   Alexandrine   couplets   perfectly   express   the   dichotomy   experienced   by  human  beings  –  between  life  and  death,  between  this  world  and  another  one  of  invisible  dimensions.”        

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 Ensemble  Caprice  Mathias  Maute:  music  director,  flutes  Sophie  Larivière:  recorders  Olivier  Brault:  baroque  violin  Lucie  Ringuette:  baroque  violin  Susie  Napper:  baroque  cello  David  Jacques:  baroque  guitar  Ziya  Tabassian:  percussion  Jean-­‐Willy  Kunz:  harpsichord,  organ  Dawn  Bailey:  soprano  Jana  Miller:  soprano  Maude  Brunet:  mezzo-­‐soprano    ______________________________________________________________________________    Ensemble  Caprice,  a  baroque  ensemble  which  performs  on  period  instruments,  was  founded  by  acclaimed  conductor,  composer  and  recorder  soloist  Matthias  Maute  and  has  become  known  for  its  innovative  and    In  November  2009,  the  New  York  Times  published  a  lengthy  article  hailing  the  musicians’   innovative  and  by  being  selected  “People’s  choice”  and  was  a  finalist  in  the  music  category  for  the  Montreal  Arts  Council’s  Grand  Prix  de  Montréal.  The  group  also  earned  a  nomination  for  the  Echo  Klassic  award  in  Germany  and  the   acclaimed   publication   Gramophone   magazine   chose   the   group’s   CD   Telemann   and   The   Baroque  Gypsies  as  one  of  its  recommended  recordings.  ______________________________________________________________________________    

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