AN INSPIRING ANALEKTA WINTER-SPRING SEASON

In the company of recognised Canadian artists, at the Monument National, François Mario Labbé announced the list of recordings that mark Analekta’s winter-spring season.

Launched today, Alain Lefèvre’s new album offers a rare recording of André Mathieu’s Trio and Quintet with Piano, two particularly accomplished works, as well as Chausson’s Concert. The pianist is accompanied by his brother, violinist David Lefèvre, and the members of the Alcan Quartet.

Johann Sebastian Bach will be particularly well represented this season, since four recordings are dedicated to him. On March 1, we will discover the new album of harpsichordist Luc Beauséjour performing his great Passacaglia in C minor and other works on pedal harpsichord, an instrument composed of two independent yet linked harpsichords, devised here by the harpsichord maker Yves Beaupré.

A re-edition of Bach’s suites and partitas, transcribed for harpsichord, played by Dom André Laberge, will also be issued on that date. Among Dom Laberge’s masters are found Bernard Lagacé, Kenneth Gilbert, Xavier Darasse and Gustav Leonhardt. In addition to his duties as a monk and organist at Saint-Benoît-du-Lac Abbey, Dom Laberge spends his time teaching and recording.

On March 8, Helen Callus, judged by American Record Guide as “one of the greatest artists in the world,” for her first Analekta recording, offers a re-reading for viola of Bach’s Suites for Unaccompanied Cello, well-known and cherished works that remain at the very heart of the repertoire of all cellists and violists.

Let us recall that Bach was also one of the composers highlighted in violinist James Ehnes’ recent compilation, launched last January 25. It includes works by Kreisler, Saint-Saëns, Dvořák and Massenet.

On March 22, we will also find the harpist Valérie Milot in her third recording on the Analekta label, conceived as an invitation to span the 20th century and discover the harp’s multiple aspects. You will hear her play solo in Tailleferre’s Sonata, a key work of the harp repertoire, in duo in works by Philippe Hersant and the Canadian composer Murray Schafer, as well as in an arrangement for quintet of Ravel’s Sonatina and in Jean Françaix’s Second Quintet.

It is also on that day that the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, under the direction of Music Director Kent Nagano, will once again explore Beethoven’s universe in a recording under the topic of “Gods, Heroes and Men,” that includes his Symphony No. 3, “Eroica” and extracts from the music of the ballet The Creatures of Prometheus. As a complement to the album, the text by renowned author Yann Martel inspired by this work and narrated by French actor Lambert Wilson, will be downloadable exclusively on the ANALEKTA.COM digital store. This recording is the fifth by the Orchestre on the Analekta label and the second dedicated to Beethoven. 

Acclaimed on the world’s greatest opera stages, Joseph Rouleau has sung with the greatest stars of his time: Luciano Pavarotti, Joan Sutherland, Maria Callas and many others. Drawing from the imposing record archives of the bass from Matane, on March 15, Analekta will offer a 3 CD box intended as a retrospective of his dazzling career. You will, in particular, be able to hear Joseph Rouleau sing the title role in extracts from Boito’s Mefistofele, in Ravel’s Don Quichotte à Dulcinée, in songs by Duparc and Fauré, in Brahms’ Four Serious Songs and Mussorgsky’s Songs and Dances of Death.

Although the chamber music repertoire is rather vast, the grouping of violin and cello is not the most patronised by composers. Yet, some, especially in the 20th century, were inspired by the complementary tones of those two instruments. On March 29, we will discover four of the most beautiful achievements in the genre, written by Honneger, Schulhoff and Martinu, and performed by violinist Olivier Thouin and cellist Yegor Dyachkov.

The Ensemble Constantinople will launch its first album, Early Dreams, a dialogue among the baroque guitar, Persian setar, voice, viola da gamba and percussion. Intermingled will be baroque music, Mexico and the singular destiny of the first great Latin American poetess, Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz.

Before Easter, the oboist John Abberger and the ensemble Four Centuries of Bach will offer a series of re-readings inspired by Overtures BWV 1067 and 1069.

In May, just in time for the 10th edition of the Montreal International Musical Competition, you will hear the previous edition’s First Prize winner, the young violinist Benjamin Beilman, demonstrating remarkable maturity, in Prokofiev’s sonatas.

Last January 25, Analekta was equally proud to welcome the Duo Gaulin-Riverin among its artists. In the album Brillance, recently issued, the duo performs seven 20th century works for saxophone and piano, revealing how the tonal colours of the two instruments complement each other.