Without going into the extravagant details of why I attended this evening. I'll simply say that it was a pleasure to attend the event that is Les Musicales de Colmar 2018. An intimate encounter in a grandiose festival, and one that also takes place in one of Alsace's most beautiful cities. So join me in discovering this evening, and even a little more!
Les Musicales de Colmar, chamber music festival
Yes, chamber music... What is it? Well, it's simply music written for small instrumental ensembles. Technically, each part is played with a single instrument.
On the one hand, this limits the power of the orchestra. But it's also an excellent opportunity to get up close and personal with the musicians and their instruments. It's a real opportunity to experience music at close quarters.
The musical program
Presented like an exquisite corpse, the program perfectly illustrates the eclecticism of the artistic director, none other than Marc Coppey. I invite you to find out more about this Strasbourg-born cellist with an international solo career. You'll find plenty of information here.
His passionate attraction to chamber music and intimate ensembles fits perfectly with the spirit that drives Les Musicales de Colmar. That's why his appointment to this position was an obvious choice.
I invite you to enjoy these video extracts, a retrospective of Saturday's action!
1 - Concerto for harpsichord in D major
There's nothing like a Johann Sebastian Bach concerto to start the evening. It is led by an ensemble of bowed strings evolving around the harpsichord. Velvety, hushed, a delight for the ears before embarking on the rest of the program.
Kenneth Weiss was on harpsichord, accompanied by Martin Beaver and Emmanuel Coppey on violins, Adrien La Marca on viola and Chu Yi-Bing on cello. Last but not least, Bernard Cazauran was on double bass.
2 - Pieces for viola, clarinet and piano
In this composition created by Max Bruch in the form of eight miniatures. We find a series of interlacing strings and reeds. Numerous facets of romantic lyricism respond to each other over a harmony led by the piano, which is never in the background.
Adrien La Marca, Ronald Von Spaendonck and José Gallardo played viola, clarinet and piano respectively.
3 - Sonata for violin and cello in C major
Written by Maurice Ravel in memory of Claude Debussy. This string duet between father and son was very moving. In fact, it was the piece that touched me most during the evening, and the dialogue between the two instruments was striking. Minimalism at its best, even though the sonata was originally written for a large orchestra.
Emmanuel Coppey played the violin and Marc Coppey the cello.
4 - Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
To round off the evening, a dozen musicians accompaniedAnna Reinhold 's voice as she recounted Gustav Mahler's love affairs.
Rich in color and texture thanks to the presence of a voice and numerous instruments, this piece is rooted in deep romanticism. In addition to a full string ensemble, there are clarinet, flute, piano, harmonium and percussion. Nothing less was needed to illustrate these vast musical poems.
Anna Reinhold, the mezzo-soprano, was surrounded byEmmanuel Coppey, Martin Beaver, Adrien La Marca, Chu Yi-Bing and Bernard Cazauran on strings. Then we find Philippe Bernold, Ronald Van Spaendonck, José Gallardo, Guillaume Nussbaum and André Adjiba on their respective instruments: flute, clarinet, piano, harmonium and percussion.
Discover Musicales de Colmar
Even though this year is already over, the next edition will once again be full of surprises. That's why I'd like to invite you to keep up to date with festival events. You can find them on our website, or on our Facebook page.
You can also become a member of the association and benefit from a whole host of advantages(from €25 per year).
Free tickets for under-18s!
Yes, you read that right. For all children and teenagers under the age of eighteen, a limited but nonetheless significant number of seats are available free of charge at each concert. It's a great initiative, and one that's sure to encourage even the youngest concert-goers.
Meeting Chu Yi-Bing
Chance sometimes works in funny ways, and I had the immense pleasure of meeting the very friendly Chu Yi-Bing, who was playing on the evening.
Born in China and a cello prodigy, he first recorded his cello at the age of 10. He went on to study at the Paris Conservatoire(where he met Marc Coppey). After winning the Geneva competition, he became principal cellist of the Basel orchestra. Over the past fifteen years, he has returned to China, where he gives numerous concerts. He also teaches cello at the Beijing Conservatory.
He's a truly talented musician, and a kind-hearted personality to boot. His passion for the cello is immense and naturally shared. That's why, even though I've never had a lesson with him, I feel that his pupils are very lucky. After all, I really want to take up the cello!
Supercello Festival
Despite his busy schedule, he is also the founder of the Supercello festival. This is a springtime event in Beijing devoted entirely to the cello. The third edition ended in early May, just before his departure for Alsace.
What is Supercello? In a few words, it's 200 musicians on stage spread over 18 concerts for this 2018 edition. They include 60 cellists from all over Europe, as well as the Romanian Youth Orchestra and the China Youth Philharmonic Orchestra.
Three intense days of masterclasses, demonstrations, exhibitions and, above all, exchanges. Lots of activities for young cellists from all over the world. An ideal opportunity to learn, discover and exchange with enthusiasts of all levels and ages.
The event was very well attended by the public, not only on site, but also in the media and on the Internet. A real success, and one that promises much for future editions.
