Quebec

“Art Choral, Vol. 8: Québec” explores more than four centuries of Québec’s choral music history. The program combines 17th-century French sacred music by Henri Frémart and Artus Aux-Cousteaux with traditional songs such as “À la claire fontaine,” “Quand j’étais chez mon père,” and “Isabeau s’y promène” in arrangements by Jean-François Daigneault, as well as works by Claude Vivier, William Kraushaar, Maurice-Gaston Du Berger, and Matthias Maute. At its heart is the dialogue between different eras and musical traditions: Renaissance counterpoint, old modes, and traditional melodies are also reflected in the contemporary compositions.

The ArtChoral ensemble, consisting of twelve singers, performs under the direction of Matthias Maute. The result is less a chronological anthology than a musical portrait of Québec, in which traditional music and contemporary compositions meet.