HausMusique : Spain!

HausMusique : Spain! a country of vibrant colours, enchanting aromas, and powerful emotions. HausMusique’s artistic directors, Meagan and Cameron, invite mezzo-soprano Caroline Gélinas — Radio-Canada Classical Revelation 2018-19 — to join them for a programme in search of the musical essence of Spain. Composer Manuel de Falla, inspired by the folklore of his country, gathered traditional songs from across Spain for his Seven Popular Spanish Songs, offering a taste of the country’s diverse regional traditions. Gaspar Cassadó was a celebrated cellist of the 20th century – a contemporary of the great Pablo Casals – who left behind a rich repertoire of music with distinctly Spanish colours. His Suite for solo cello showcases the full potential of the instrument, woven together with the rhythms and sonorities of spanish folk dances. Maurice Ravel, born in the French Basque Country, was fascinated by Spain throughout his life, a fascination he attributed to his childhood memories of the Spanish songs his mother used to sing. It is no surprise, then, that his catalogue frequently features music suffused with the colours of Spain, as in the Vocalise-étude en forme de Habanera or the movement “Alborada del gracioso” from his piano suite Miroirs. Here, Ravel’s Impressionist style and rich harmonies conjure an idealized vision of that vibrant, colourful Spain of our dreams. Musicians : Caroline Gélinas, mezzo-soprano Cameron Crozman, violoncelle Meagan Milatz, piano