Volume 21 Issue 2 - October 2015

Beat by Beat | Early Music
Where West
Meets East
DAVID PODGORSKI
Every so often, one
classical musician
or another will
mention, by way of
discussing career
options, that younger
emerging musicians
should consider
moving to Korea, China
or Japan if they want a
shot at a playing career.
Having never even
seen the Hellespont,
let alone ventured east
of it, I really have no
idea what to make of
this. I have very little if
any knowledge of the
classical music scene
over there, and still less
of an idea what their
early music scene looks
like. Still, the armchair
career counsellors have
a point. Asia does appear to be a fast-growing market for classical
music. Asian retailers will stock and sell a vast inventory of classical
music, including some of the most obscure recordings that would
go completely unnoticed here. And, moreover, their demand for live
music appears equally insatiable – Tokyo, for example, has six (six!)
symphony orchestras.
It’s a little disappointing, then, that this passion for Western music
doesn’t seem to extend to the early music movement. While there’s
much to give Canadian and American musicians cause for optimism
as far as an emerging market is concerned, East Asia does seem to be
a good half century behind the times, as far as historically inspired
performance is concerned.
Bach Collegium: The shining exception to this, of course is the Bach
Collegium Japan. Founded by harpsichordist Masaaki Suzuki in 1990,
seemingly with the single purpose of recording Bach’s entire catalogue,
the Collegium is an awe-inspiring group that boasts a roster of
some of the finest baroque players, both in Japan and on the international
scene. The Collegium is one of just a handful of ensembles
in the world that has recorded the complete cantatas of J.S. Bach and
Bach Collegium Japan
it has distinguished itself as the most renowned Japanese classical
ensemble in the world.
Besides committing Bach’s entire symphonic repertoire to disc,
their 99-disc output includes a recording of the Monteverdi Vespers,
a Mozart Requiem, a Messiah, a recording of Bach’s contemporary
Buxtehude and (why not?) an album of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony
arranged by Richard Wagner. They are prolific, they are experienced
and they are without a doubt some of the most exceptional musicians
in any category worldwide. But don’t take my word for it – you
can decide for yourself
when the group
comes to Koerner Hall
on October 28 at 8pm
for (what else?) an all-
Bach program. They’ll
be playing some standard
repertoire like
Brandenburg 5 and
the trio sonata from
the Musical Offering,
but the concert will
also include some
lesser-known hits of
the Bach catalogue
like the Concerto
for Oboe d’amore
BWV1055R and the
soprano cantata Mein
Herze schwimmt in
Blut BWV199. I have
no doubt that this will
be a fantastic performance
by an internationally
renowned ensemble and a rare chance to hear some of the finest
musicians in the world live in concert.
Ensemble Les Songes is another out-of-town group visiting
Toronto this month that’s well worth hearing, although their concert
will likely be a quieter affair than the arrival of a visiting Japanese
PETER MAHON
Sales Representative
416-322-8000
pmahon@trebnet.com
www.petermahon.com
JOÃO MESSIAS
EARLY MUSIC FAIR
Saturday, October 17, 2015
11:00 AM to 4:30 PM
FORT YORK National Historic Site,
250 Fort York Boulevard, Toronto ON M5V 3K9
mini-showcase concerts, CDs, displays/
exhibits, musical instruments and
presentations, period instruments played by
some of the finest musicians in the city
MAGNA CARTA
Also see... the
Magna Carta Exhibit -
at the Fort York
VISITOR CENTRE.
This major exhibition marks
the 800th anniversary of the
signing of the Magna Carta
in England, June, 1215.
www.torontoearlymusic.org • www.toronto.ca/magnacarta
32 | Oct 1 - Nov 7, 2015 thewholenote.com