September 2009 - The Wholenote Magazine

September 12 from noon to 5pm at Montgomery’s Inn, where youcan encounter all sorts of early music performances, instruments,books and enthusiasts throughout the afternoon.For details of these and many other upcoming events, see TheWholeNote’s daily listings.Purcell and the Hart House ViolsOn October 30 and 31, The Toronto Consort will present a very specialpair of concerts – very special, in that the music presented is aniconic oeuvre in the history of music (Purcell’s complete Fantasiasfor viols); and in that they will be performed on a unique set of instruments– the Hart House viols.More will be said about the Purcell Fantasias in the next Early Musiccolumn. But for now, it’s worth noting that Torontois very fortunateto be called home to the six instrumentsknown as the “Hart House viols.” Ranging indates from c.1598(!) to 1781, they have recentlybeen re-appraised and restored fully to playingcondition, and are now recognized as a collectedtreasure of great historical and artistic value.It’s a bit of a mystery how they turned up inVancouver in the late 1920s, housed neatly in alarge wooden chest thought to be a dowry chest.Around 1930, the Massey Foundation presentedthem as a gift to Hart House, where they have res ded ever since.Their public appearances have been relatively few. Local musiciansLeo Smith and Wolfgang Grunsky played them during their earlyresidency, and Peggie Sampson’s Hart House Consort used them inperformance during the 1970s and 80s; more recently Joëlle Mortonsecured the loan of two of the viols for one of her innovative Scaramellaconcerts. Now we have the chance to hear all of them in TheToronto Consort’s October offering – incomparable Purcell playedby Les Voix Humaines – a musical experience to look forward toindeed.With this column I take over the early music beat from my colleague,Frank Nakashima, who has faithfully researched and reportedthe early music scene over the past eight and a half seasons. I will tryto follow in his able footsteps and will very much enjoy chroniclingthe fascinating spectrum of early music performance.PHOTO: CHRISTINE GUESTJEAN DEROMEWED SEPT 9JEAN DEROME& LES DANGEREUX ZHOMS + 7Quebec avant-jazz titan leads his 12-piece orchestraFeat. Lori Freedman, Joanne Hétu, Martin Tétreault, Tom WalshSAT SEPT 19THE WOODCHOPPERSASSOCIATION & JAH YOUSSOUFMalian vocalist collaborates with Toronto’s long-running improv collectiveCalvin Presbyterian Church26 Delisle Avenue, TorontoSaturday, October 10th, 2009, 8:00 pmGuests: MARCO CERA, JONATHAN ADDLEMANFriday, January 29th, 2010, 8:00 pmGuests: PATRICIA AHERN, CRISTINA ZACHARIASSaturday, March 20th, 2010, 8:00 pmGuest: LUCAS HARRISSaturday, June 5th, 2010, 8:00 pmGuests: KRIS KWAPIS, OLIVIER FORTIN12 WWW.THEWHOLENOTE.COM September 1 - October 7, 2009