A celebration of Canadian Composers
For its final performance of the season the Stratford Concert Choir will take the audience on an eclectic musical tour of the country in a celebration of homegrown composers.
Artistic director Stephane Potvin programmed O Canada to reflect Canada’s musical diversity, both geographically and spiritually. “I chose these composers because I love their work,” said Potvin. When asked what defines Canadian music, he said “There’s not one specific thing that makes it Canadian. There are idioms unique to each composer, qualities found in various regions, rather than a general Canadian style of music.”
Potvin’s starting point for the concert was the music of Srul Irving Glick, one of Canada’s most prolific composers. In 1993, in a seemingly random act of violence, Glick was shot in the leg. The SCC will perform A Triumph of the Spirit, a collection of five pieces that grew out of that experience. When the work was published in 1995, Glick said, “I realized….that everybody in some way or another struggles against the hardships and adversities of life, and that each personal and spiritual success becomes a ‘triumph of the spirit’.”
Also on the program are three arrangements of folk music by Quebec composer Donald Patriquin, Un Canadien Errant, The Wreck of the S.S. Ethic and The False Young Man. “Patriquin is one of my favourite composers and arrangers. He has an incredible talent for making music interesting. Folk songs are by nature repetitive but he finds ways to make each verse different and unique so more engaging. One of the things I also admire is his ability to create an intricate, demanding piano accompaniment. Performing his music is a real joy for the choir, the accompanist and the director.”
For some lighter music the choir will also sing two other Canadian folk classics, written in the 1960s: Gordon Lightfoot’s Pussywillows, Cattails and Ian Tyson’s Four Strong Winds both arranged by Larry Nickel.
One important goal for Potvin is to encourage young artists and promote their work. The choir will premiere Low Tide on Grand-Pre, composed by David Archibald, a student at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick. Archibald shares some personal reminiscences
“Growing up in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley and living a mere fifteen minute drive away, I visited Grand-Pré on numerous occasions. In writing this piece at a time when I was away from the Annapolis Valley, I shared in Carmen’s nostalgia and longing for a place whose landscape was so important in my upbringing. The poem’s natural imagery of grass fields, dykelands, winding streams, elm trees, and of course the tides, were intimately familiar to me and were perfect for setting to music.
In juxtaposing Carmen’s Confederation poetry, very much of a British Romantic tradition, with jazz-like harmonies and a contemporary setting I intended to bring a new meaning and perspective to this powerful portrayal of landscape and loss.”
David’s music is set to the text of Bliss Carmen’s poem of the same name, first published in 1887. The piece, that was a class assignment, first caught the eye of the maestro, who saw it as a perfect fit for the Stratford Concert Choir. It has the right balance of beautiful yet spicy chords, with flowing melodies and beautiful poetry. It had enough similarities with the other pieces on the programme to make it a great complement to the concert.
This is a program that will have appeal to many musical tastes. From lively folk tunes to rich harmonies and popular melodies. “We are excited to be bringing this unique collection of our Canadian music to the people of Stratford.” said Potvin
O Canada Avondale United Church, May 13, 2023, 7:00 p.m.
Tickets $40, available at stratfordconcertchoir.org or Blowes Stationery
For more information, contact Stéphane Potvin at [email protected], Linda Whiting [email protected] or Christine Dowdell [email protected]
Founded in 1981 the Stratford Concert Choir shares its passion for choral music by presenting a diverse program of great works, developing singers to a high standard of performance and collaborating with other arts organizations.
- This event has passed.