Dear music lovers,
It is with immense joy and great pride that I invite you to the spring concert of the Chœur philharmonique du Nouveau Monde – Montréal. This musical evening will be an opportunity to mark, in a completely unique way, the double centenary of the deaths of Gabriel Fauré and Théodore Dubois (1924). On the program, works by these two French composers involved in promoting the music of young composers from the end of the 19th century.This in memoriam concert is part of the Classica festival and will be presented on June 15 in the grounds of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church in Montreal. Faithful to tradition, the choirs and orchestra of the Société philharmonique du Nouveau Monde will offer fans and connoisseurs of classical music a highly emotional performance. Soloists, choristers and musicians will be able to offer you, as always, a great concert under the skillful and inspiring artistic direction of Michel Brousseau, known for his vibrant and intense interpretations.
In the first part, you will hear the enveloping work that is the Cantique de Jean Racine, composed by Gabriel Fauré at the age of 19. This work of infinite beauty occupies a precious place in the repertoire of sacred and secular choirs and will open this evening in a sublime way. Subsequently, we invite you to discover or rediscover the Messe Solennelle de Saint-Remi by Théodore Dubois, a composer who fell into oblivion for reasons that remain obscure and whose works are anything but banal. Dubois is portrayed as a man of great simplicity but whose writing is always effective and sincere, catchy and imbued with generosity.
During a visit to the family of Théodore Dubois, our conductor Michel Brousseau was dazzled by the reading of his music. He reconstituted, with the authorization of Dubois’ descendants, the orchestral material, a task which certainly proved delicate but also rich in emotions, according to Francis Dubois, great-grandson of the composer. The passion that his discovery inspires in him is so great that he made known, in North American world premieres, the Solemn Mass of Saint-Remi and the Mass of Deliverance. A recording for choir, brass and organ made in 2009 under the Atma Classique label testifies to the artistic quality of the composer’s works, but also that of Maestro Brousseau.
In the second part of our program, we will present the extraordinary Requiem by Fauré. This work, recognized as the composer’s masterpiece, is considered one of the most beautiful Requiems of the 19th century and certainly one of the most moving in choral singing. It is impossible not to be touched by Fauré’s harmonies which invite interiority and express all the purity and beauty of a musical style that is both intimate and luminous, imbued with great serenity. A grandiose evening to experience!
This is therefore an event not to be missed, next Saturday, June 15 at 8 p.m. at the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church in Montreal!
Josée Gardner, President, CPNM – Montreal
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