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The Boston Camerata has been much in the news this summer.

As we have already noted, thousands attended our pair of outdoor Americana in Paris. Prior to those performances, Joel Cohen went on French TV to explain (in English!) what we were about to do; his segment begins at ~5:39 in the 12-minute program.

The respected Parisian daily La Croix also did a nice feature article/interview with Anne Azéma in anticipation of the events. And then read a rave review!

As a French-born American equally home in both cultures, Anne’s opinion is often sought after on general cultural/artistic issues affecting both sides of the Atlantic. A few days ago, Le Monde asked for her views on the state of the musical arts in America.

We expect more media coverage in the near future, and we’ll keep you up to date on the latest links.

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ClassiqueCamerata2011
The tempest (Irene) was raging back home. And, to be honest, the weather was pretty unstable in Paris, too. Chilly, windy, rainy weekend weather was, however, unable to dampen the enthusiasm of our Paris friends – about 2,600 of them over two days, filling the seats of the outdoor auditorium for the Classique au Vert music festival.

We gave the audiences generous helpings of early Americana, from Boston, Northern New England, and the South: hymns, patriotic songs and dances. They responded with cheers and bravos, and the events, partly because of the sheer size of the crowd, had something of a rock-concert ambiance. Thanks to Jesse, Ben, Anne, Joel, Susan, Thea, Dan, Tim and Don for creating such good energy for the listeners in Camerata’s second homebase! We consider ourselves primed for the upcoming fall season in Strasbourg, Bruges, Caen, Rouen, and of course Boston. Come and share with us!

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Head Tide church, Alna, ME
Thanks to our good friends (and newly-matriculated board members) Priscilla and Brett Donham, we spent an unforgettable August weekend in beautiful Alna, Maine — good food and fellowship, a swim in the river, and a concert of New England spirituals in the pristine, eighteenth century Head Tide church, before a wonderfully appreciative audience.Head Tide church, Alna, ME

It was the kind of marriage between music and architecture that we often dream about — but this time, it was reality, a perfect match between the “frozen music” of the old church vaults and the warm, living sounds of early American song. We salute our generous hosts for a very special experience, which was eloquently summed up in an email from one audience member: “Splendid, special, wonderful, spectacular, magical, glorious.”

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Copyright Yannick Coupannec
The magnificent medieval citadel of Cordes, in the southwest of France, has an important place in Boston Camerata history. And just a few days ago our Artistic Director and Director Emeritus paid a visit, after a long absence, to that beautiful place.

We are happy to post an interview with Joel Cohen (in French) on France Musique, recorded in Cordes, where Joel and the Camerata began teaching in Europe lo these many years ago…Joel was honored on June 18 by a concert dedicated to him, given in the town’s medieval church. The interview was done the next morning. The conversation begins a few minutes into the start of the program.

Many warm thoughts, as well, to those Camerata musicians who pioneered the workshop concept during those extraordinary seasons. And special remembrance to Alison Fowle, of the Camerata, and Lucienne Touren, of Cordes. Their work lives on!

Photo: Copyright 2011 Yannick Coupannec.

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Just as “L’Union,” the main newspaper of Reims, seemingly exhausted its supply of superlatives in its daily (sometimes, twice a day) article about the Boston Camerata, our musicians sang their last medieval air (a Cantiga by Spanish King Alfonse the Wise), acknowledged the standing ovation, toasted each other and the festival with a final glass of champagne, packed their bags and headed home.

It was an intense, unflagging and totally involving ten days for us. FIVE programs, all different, all drawn from the rich medieval repertoire of Reims and the Champagne country, to be presented over such a short time period….nobody will deny that it wasn’t stressful. But it was also immensely rewarding.

We were offered a bottle of bubbly to take home after each show….that’s quite a few bottles. We were also showered with laudatory adjectives by the local press, such a cloudburst of praise as we have rarely gathered in such a small interval. From our recent scrapbook, here are a few:

“A key personality of medieval music” (referring to our own Anne Azéma); “a feast;” “totally seductive;” “luminous…perfect equilibrium;” “music full of joy and hope;” “magnificent;” “a dazzling concert;” “brilliant;” “a marvelous ensemble;” “five concerts in ten days: a flawless achievement;” and, once again, “what a feast!”

Thank you, Reims. We are still somewhat tipsy with praise, good drink, beautiful music, and your unwavering support and enthusiasm.

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It was ladies’ night for the fourth event of the Boston Camerata Residency. Mesdames Azéma, Ellis-Kampani, Harley, Kammen, and Ansorg paid a tribute to the smiling Angel of Reims, and were rewarded with the following (excerpted) rave review the next morning:

“A dazzling concert last night by The Boston Camerata, which proved capable of adapting its performance style to the gamut of the works performed…In the oldest church of Reims, Saint Jacques, the group’s five women presented a program conceived as a witness to medieval devotion to the Virgin, and as a homage to the famous Angel of the cathedral, whose smile became newly visible.

“The program was organized in five sections, each one introduced in an informed yet accessible way by Anne Azéma….Religious music need not necessarily be austere, as the Boston Camerata so brilliantly demonstrated….one could imagine “Mainte chanson ai fait” as a round dance for young girls…Such a diversity within the repertoire calls for as variety in the interpretation, as Anne Azéma understood…

“How not to melt with tenderness at the magnificent interpretation of Jennifer Ellis Kampani? How not to be transported by Anne Azéma…or to resist tapping one’s feet at the dancing duets of the vielle players?…We await the next performance by this marvelous ensemble.”

An American booster who heard the performance in Reims has requested we bring it home, and so we shall. Stay tuned, please.

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machaut+peronne
“The third stop of the Boston Camerata’s marvelous itinerary,” in the words of the local newspaper, took place June 28 in the sumptuous, medieval reception hall of Reims’ Palais du Tau. Our third program of five, “Douce Dame Jolie,” devoted essentially to the secular music of Guillaume de Machaut, took the shape of a narrative love story. In the great poet’s own words, the audience heard the heart-rending essentials of his last love affair, with a very young woman named Péronne, interspersed with some of the most tender and passionate love songs ever penned by human hand.

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Anne Azéma et Shira Kammen ont offert un voyage riche et varié à leur public
Thibaut de Champagne, that is, Count of Champagne, King of Navarra, crusader, and wonderful trouvère/songwriter. The recital by Anne Azéma and Shira Kammen was a brilliant tour de force, and saluted as such by the press: “Rich and varied…light and gracious…music filled with joy and hope…a vielle full of energy…a clear and pearly voice…Bravo and thanks!”

The concert, number two in Camerata’s series of five commissions from Reims, was given in the Count of Champagne’s residency — just about the best location imaginable. And the post-concert bubbly, provided by old Thibaut’s modern descendants (the famous Taittinger brand) rounded off everything to a T (bad pun, sorry).

Our residency is at full steam, with three more programs to go. You can read the review of the Thibaut concert here.

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Anne and the Camerata musicians rehearse in the Reims cathedral
The honor was great indeed, as the Reims Festival invited an American ensemble (us) to celebrate the 800th anniversary of its mind-boggling cathedral with a series of five different musical programs.

And the awe and humility we felt was intense as we filed into the cathedral choir, five singers, two sackbuts, and director Anne Azéma, to sing the monumental Messe de Notre Dame, written circa 1365 for the cathedral by that greatest of geniuses, Guillaume de Machaut.

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