Rose & Flame
Desire in the Courts from the Troubadours to Machaut
Love and desire lie at the heart of the music and poetry of the troubadours (Occitan),
trouvères (Old French), and Minnesänger (German). These medieval poet-musicians crafted refined and often idealized expression of love, intertwining passion with feudal and religious imagery. Their songs were primarily monophonic, allowing the poetic text to take center stage. The interplay between words and melody was essential - intricate verse forms and melodic contours deepened the emotional resonance of their works. Guillaume de Machaut later expanded and refined these traditions, becoming the master of courtly love in both poetry and music. Though known for his innovations in polyphony, his monophonic works - such as the lay Pour ce qu’on puit - retain the intimacy and emotional intensity of earlier traditions.
This program traces the monophonic legacy of of fin’amor courtois (courtly love) and desire from 11th to 14th centuries, spanning Occitane, France, and Germany. Through these timeless melodies and evocative texts, we explore the enduring legacy of medieval love poetry and its profound union with music.
Musicians:
Len Torrie : soprano
Maria Gajraj : organetto
Isabelle Douailly-Backman : direction, vielle
Program notes here
Texts/translations here
Performances
1 Sept, 16h : BC – Before Chamber Music - The Quinte Society for Chamber Music
@ Stock & Row Cidery, 114 Gilead Road, Bloomfield, ON
3 Sept, 18h : St. Mark's Anglican
@ 51 King Street, Port Hope, ON
4 Sept, 18h : Macaulay Park - The Corporation of the County of Prince Edward
@ 23 Church St, Picton, ON
6 Sept, 15h : Hammer Baroque
@ The Rocke on Locke, 320 Charleton Ave West, Hamilton
Across the Channel
English and French Music of the Hundred Years' War
In collaboration with Diapente Renaissance Quintet, this program explores the musical evolution in France and England from the 13th to the 15th century, spanning the tumultuous Hundred Years' War (1337–1453). Through sacred and secular compositions, we trace how political strife influenced musical innovation, from the intricate polyphony of the Ars Nova to the emergence of the Contenance Angloise.
Featuring works by Machaut, Dufay, and anonymous masters, the program contrasts French and English styles while revealing surprising exchanges between them. This journey through medieval soundscapes in France and England illuminates how conflict and culture intertwined, and how music transcended borders even in times of division.
Musicians:
Diapente
Jane Fingler : soprano
Peter Koniers : countertenor
Alexander Cappellazzo : tenor
Jonathan Stuchbery : tenor & plucked strings
Alexander Cappellazzo : tenor
Martin Gomes : bass
COMTESSA
Len Torrie : soprano & citole
Maria Gajraj : organetto
Isabelle Douailly-Backman : vielle, rebec
Performance
5 Sept, 19h30 : Friends of Music at St. Thomas's
@ St. Thomas's Anglican Church, 383 Huron Street Toronto, ON