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Jay Shah
DevOps\Aerospace Engineer & Journalist

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Hello Hello everyone! I hope this summer has been as wonderful & magical for you as it has been for me. Today, I’m thrilled to share my experience at the 2024 Summer Festival:

BACH UNTAMED!

hosted by Early Music Vancouver (EMV).

As an enthusiast of both classical and world music, I was particularly excited about this unique blend of Bach’s masterpieces with unconventional instruments and vocal styles. A vibrant celebration of creativity, bringing together nearly 50 international and Canadian artists, some of whom made their EMV debuts. Among these talented artists are Canadian cellist Cameron Crozman, pianist Meagan Milatz, Hindustani and Jazz vocalist Shruti Ramani(who made a special guest performanc at the concerto I atteneded!), and Lebanese-Palestinian Canadian tenor Haitham Haidar.

The highlight for me was:

Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610

performed at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts. This rarely-performed masterpiece, led by the Pacific Baroque Orchestra’s director Alexander Weimann, was a profound expression of spiritual and emotional depth. Featuring renowned artists such as Cree-Métis Two-Spirit baritone Jonathon Adams, tenor Charles Daniels, soprano Hana Blažikova, and cornetto virtuoso Bruce Dickey. The combination of brilliant instrumental writing and impressive choruses and solos created an opulent tribute to the Virgin Mary, showcasing Monteverdi’s attention to the expressive power of music.

In the upcoming sections, I’ll dive deeper into the event details, the background of EMV, and highlight the rich lineup of concerts and activities. Stay tuned for an immersive journey through BACH UNTAMED, where Bach’s timeless music meets the world’s diverse traditions.

A Symphony of Global Sounds

presented by :

Early Music Vancouver (EMV)

An innovative celebration that invites audiences to experience J.S. Bach’s music through a unique lens. Running from July 30 to August 8, 2024, this festival blends Bach’s timeless masterpieces with musical traditions from India and the Middle East, offering a fresh and adventurous approach to his work.

“Suzie LeBlanc“

EMV’s Artistic & Executive Director

expressed her excitement about this year’s festival:

“We are thrilled to offer audiences an adventurous program of some of Bach’s seminal works, but with a twist.”

This year’s festival features innovative arrangements and transcriptions of Bach classics for unconventional instruments, like the mandolin and oud, and introduces vocal improvisation inspired by Bach’s own customary practice of instrumental extemporization​ .

Community engagement is at the heart of EMV’s mission. They work tirelessly to make early music accessible to all, partnering with local schools, community centers, and cultural organizations. Their concerts are held in welcoming venues across the city, ensuring everyone can enjoy the magic of early music. Plus, EMV’s digital innovation means you can enjoy their concerts from the comfort of your own home, reaching a global audience and bringing the beauty of early music to listeners far and wide​. For more details, check out Early Music Vancouver’s official site.

Enchanting Venues: Where History Meets Harmony

Held at several iconic venues around Vancouver, each providing a unique atmosphere that enhances the listening experience. These venues include:

These venues are carefully chosen to complement the festival’s eclectic program, ensuring that audiences are transported into the world of early music and can fully appreciate the fusion of Bach’s compositions with global traditions.

Star-Studded Lineup: A Tapestry of Talents

One of the standout features of this festival is the diverse lineup of nearly 50 artists, both emerging and established, from around the world. These artists bring their unique talents and interpretations to the festival, creating a rich and varied program. Notable performers include:

One of the festival’s most anticipated events was the performance of Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610, a rarely-performed masterpiece that combines spiritual and emotional depth. Led by the Pacific Baroque Orchestra’s director Alexander Weimann, featured a stellar lineup, including:

Reimagining Bach with Global Flair

Not just a series of concerts but a thematic exploration that reimagines Bach’s music in innovative ways. This year’s festival includes:

• Vocal Landscapes of India and Italy: A concert that explores the art of vocal ornamentation and improvisation in Indian and Italian early music. This performance features Hindustani and Jazz vocalist Shruti Ramani and tenor Charles Daniels, creating a unique fusion of musical styles​​.
• Alon Sariel: Plucked Bach: A concert featuring mandolin virtuoso Alon Sariel, who performs Bach’s works on the mandolin, showcasing the universal character of Bach’s music through the lens of plucked instruments​.

• Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610: A grand performance at the Chan Centre that highlights the spiritual and emotional depth of Monteverdi’s masterpiece. The concert includes a pre-concert chat with insights from Charles Daniels and Bruce Dickey, providing valuable context for the audience.
• Bach Motets: Vanish! Spirits of Gloom: A program that juxtaposes the highly developed Indian classical and Middle Eastern styles of ornamentation with 18th-century German practices, featuring vocal soloists from the Monteverdi Vespers performance​.

Bridging Time with Musical Brilliance

One of the concerts I had the pleasure of attending was the awe-inspiring performance of

Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610

This was a personal highlight of the festival, showcasing the profound spiritual and emotional depth of Monteverdi’s work. Nestled in the heart of UBC at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, this performance was led by Alexander Weimann and featured an exceptional lineup of international soloists and instrumentalists (with a special guest performance by Shruti Ramani!) .

Historical Context and Significance

Monteverdi composed the Vespers during a time of significant change in the musical world. Officially titled Vespro della Beata Vergine, the Vespers was published in 1610 and marked a pivotal moment in Monteverdi’s career. At the time, Monteverdi was employed at the ducal court in Mantua, but he was looking for new opportunities. The Vespers was possibly written as an audition piece for prestigious posts in Venice or Rome. Indeed, Monteverdi dedicated the work to Pope Paul V and soon after secured the position of maestro di cappella at St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice in 1613​.

This composition combines a variety of musical styles and forms, demonstrating Monteverdi’s innovative approach. It includes traditional elements of liturgical music, such as Gregorian chants, but also incorporates the more expressive and dramatic styles of the early Baroque period. This blend of old and new made the Vespers a groundbreaking work that pushed the boundaries of sacred music.

This particular performance that i attended involved a fascinating Q&A…

Pre-Concert Chat

Before the concert even began, there was an enlightening pre-concert Q&A hosted by Suzie LeBlanc, featuring insights from Charles Daniels and Bruce Dickey. This session was a treasure trove of information, offering valuable context about the Vespers. Daniels and Dickey discussed the historical significance of the work and Monteverdi’s innovative compositional techniques. They explained how Monteverdi’s approach to setting text to music was revolutionary, using the words to guide the harmonic and melodic choices, a hallmark of the seconda prattica​.

Performance Highlights

Let’s talk about the all-star ensemble:

• Hana Blažíková & Sherezade Panthaki: These sopranos brought such clarity and purity to their performances, their voices soaring like angels.

• Nicholas Burns & Emma Parkinson: The altos provided a rich, warm middle range that beautifully balanced the ensemble.
• Charles Daniels, Haitham Haidar, & Oliver Dalton: The tenors added a layer of emotional depth with their powerful yet delicate harmonies.

• Steven Bélanger: Our baritone, whose robust voice added a grounded quality to the music.
• Drew Santini & Jonathon Adams: The basses, with their deep, resonant tones, anchored the performance.
• Bruce Dickey & Matthew Jennejohn: Master cornetto players whose intricate melodies added historical texture.
• Catherine Motuz, Maximilien Brisson, Ellen Marple & Jeremy Berkman: The trombone section provided a solid, sonorous foundation

Pacific Baroque Orchestra:

The talented musicians who brought the instrumental parts to life with precision and passion.

Suzie LeBlanc elaborated on the unique blend of Renaissance and Baroque elements in the Vespers. She pointed out how Monteverdi’s use of Gregorian chant as a cantus firmus (a fixed melody around which other parts are composed) anchors the work in traditional liturgical music, while his daring use of harmony and orchestration pushes it into new, expressive territory. This blend creates a rich tapestry of sound that is both historically significant and deeply moving​.

Charles also highlighted Monteverdi’s allowance for vocal extemporization, adding a personal and expressive layer to the performance. He shared fascinating anecdotes about Monteverdi’s life and his influence on subsequent generations of composers, making the pre-concert chat an engaging and informative experience​.

Musical Structure and Innovations

Notable for its ambitious scale and intricate structure; this work requires a large ensemble, including seven solo singers, a choir that can divide into as many as ten parts, and an orchestra with a wide range of instruments. These include strings, cornetts, sackbuts, recorders, and a continuo section with organ and harpsichord ading a rich variety of colors and textures to the music​​.

One of the most striking features of the Vespers is Monteverdi’s use of ornamentation (for those unfamiliar, ornamentation basically creates additional aural texture within lines and makes music sound fuller and richer. NO CAP!). Unlike many of his contemporaries who left the addition of ornaments to the performers, Monteverdi wrote detailed ornaments directly into the music. This approach elevated ornamentation from a mere embellishment to an integral part of the composition, showcasing his mastery of both the prima prattica (traditional counterpoint) and the seconda prattica (expressive, text-driven music)​

The Vespers can be divided into two main types of music: choral settings of the psalms and more modern, expressive motets and solo pieces. Monteverdi skillfully combines these elements to create a cohesive and compelling musical narrative. For example, the opening

“Deus in adjutorium“

sets the tone with its energetic and jubilant style, while movements like

“Nigra sum“

highlight the sensual and expressive qualities of Monteverdi’s vocal writing​ .

Personal reflections & Final thoughts

A summer evening in Vancouver, the city glowing in the golden light of dusk, the perfect ambiance for a performance that seamlessly melds the sacred beauty of Gregorian chant with the dramatic flair of early opera (heh how’s that for a word salad eh…i try…) The standout highlight for me was undoubtedly this Vespers of 1610 performance. Alexander Weimann and his talented ensemble, including stars like Hana Blažíkova, Jonathon Adams, and surprisingly Shruti Ramani delivered a visually stunning and emotionally charged show. The unique blend of Bach’s masterpieces with global musical traditions gave these classics a fresh, vibrant feel, making the evening truly unforgettable.

This reminded me of the Symphony earlier this summer at Sunset Beach, where the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) played under the open sky. Thousands gathered to enjoy movie scores and classical favorites as the sun set over the ocean, creating an unforgettable experience. Festivals like these as well as the Eastside Arts Festival, along with the enchanting “Glowin’ Vancouver: A Night at Mushroom Wonderland” and the heartfelt exhibit “Unearthed: Persian Artists’ Gathering,” about adobe architecture in Persia shows how art can truly brings us together in different creative ways, creating a sense of shared community.

From the doodle-filled zine-making workshop with Kaodraws to the fiery flamenco dance sessions with Jhoely Triana, every part of these festivals encouraged me to dive in and explore. Summer in Vancouver adds a magical touch to everything, and this was no exception. So, if you’re looking for a week full of artistic wonder and community spirit, mark your calendars for next year’s festivities. Trust me, you won’t want to miss it​.

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