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Transposing Tradition
by HÉLÈNE BOUCHER
november 2 nd saw the release of the second album
by Trois-Rivières duo Antoine Bareil, violin, and
Sébastien Lépine, cello. In Works for violin and
cello based on old folk melodies, available in
January 2012 on the XXI-21 label, the virtuosic duo
take up the melodies that inspired the likes of Bartók, Dvořák, Smetana,
and Stravinsky to introduce popular culture into classical music.
Bareil and Lépine, crazy virtuosi
The most recognizable thing about the Bareil-Lépine duo is
the obvious pleasure they take in playing on stage. Their famous
‘Soaring Strings’ concert impressed audiences in Quebec
and Italy in 2008. Perfectly in sync, yet still fresh and
impulsive, they thrilled 120 different audiences, both amateur
and seasoned. Their first album, Works for violin &
cello, was critically acclaimed, winning them the Prix Opus
for disc of the year.
The two performers established their duo in 2006, brought together
by a common outlook on music and performance, and by a desire
to stray from the beaten path. “It’s important for us to find and
adapt a repertoire that will take the public where it wouldn’t otherwise
go,” Antoine Bareil says. This public keeps coming back for more of
Bareil and Lépine’s brand of fun, as well as the accompanying musical
education. The non-conformist spirit of these “crazy strings” is
also seen in their direct contact with the audience.
A tribute to the 20 th century
The rapport between the violin-cello duo is also tied to their mutual
affection for 20 th century repertoire. This is an affection born of necessity,
relates Bareil: “We had to find compositions which featured
violin and cello equally. That took us away from Beethoven and
Mozart. The 20 th century furnished the sound we were looking for.”
Ravel’s Sonata for Violin and Cello, written in 1920 and dedicated to
Debussy, was the duo’s first project.
Back to the people’s folk music
The idea for the second album took shape during Bareil and Lépine’s
latest Canadian tour. “Our concert, Soaring Strings, made us realize that
the public has a real feeling for folk melodies. Those songs clearly draw
on a deep, collective sense of belonging,” Bareil explains. This path of
exploration led the way toward new compositions. Their research was
successful, opening up varied musical horizons. At the head of the album
is Béla Bartók’s Hungarian Folk Melodies for Violin and Cello. Bartók’s
undertaking from 1905 to 1908 greatly inspired the duo in their own research.
“Bartók travelled throughout Hungary to collect his country’s
songs and melodies from the peasants. Oral tradition played a major
role in his compositions,” the duo explains. The album circles around
the works of Belgian Joseph Jongen (1873-1953), Norwegian Johan
Halvorsen (1864-1935), German Helmut Lipsky, and American Mark
O’Connor.
A musical journey through the folk music of other
times and places, Works for violin and cello based on old
folk melodies is a harmonious whole, as Antoine Bareil
attests: “Touches of the American and Irish musical heritage
can be heard, as well as influences from the waves
of immigrants of the 20 th century.” Transposing traditional
music from another century does not seem to pose
much of a challenge for the duo. Through their style of
playing and their approach to repertoire, the pair sees an easy way to
connect with music lovers of all ages. Music will always be “that wonderful
escape, that last refuge to stop everything, think things over,
and dream,” stated the violinist-composer. The album includes one of
his pieces, composed in 2009, Variations sur “Mon merle.”
Soaring Strings, which won the Louis-Philippe-Poisson Performing
Arts award, will continue into 2012. The crazy virtuosi will then prepare
themselves to tour their new album across Canada and eventually
Europe, bringing along their joyous and impulsive stage presence.
The pair have a few visual surprises up their sleeve, but nothing that
will compromise their treasured contact with their audience. The musicians
are looking forward to showing their skill on some extraordinary
instruments: an 1800 Vuillaume violin and a Stradivarius cello
from 1699. Is there a second Prix Opus (oh, how they wish!) in the
duo’s future? As long as music brings them joy, the duo will happily
continue.
For the December/January Discovery CD, La Scena Musicale and XXI-21 Productions
present Antoine Bareil and Sébastien Lépine playing works for violin and
cello duo. The Discovery CD is available free to our subscribers, or you can
contact us directly for individual purchase.
TRANSLATION: KARINE POZNANSKI
LSM
PHOTO Duchesne Côté
10
DECEMBER 2011 / JANUARY 2012