The sounds of violin, cello and harpsichord will reverberate through the Anglican Church, May 24, during its third annual spring concert with La Folia, a Baroque string ensemble from Edmonton.
The live performance promises to transport listeners to the mid 17th and 18th centuries with songs from the Baroque era.
“The instruments are significantly different from their modern counterparts,” said Josephine van Lier, the group’s artistic director.
“The sound is really different. The gut strings make it a lot warmer than modern strings would,” she said, adding that the group will be mostly playing from the original manuscripts of each song.
Gut strings, also known as catgut strings, are made from the walls of sheep or goat intestines and are typically used for classical or Baroque string instruments.
“There’s always this persistent myth that it was made out of cat gut, but it never was,” she said, referring to the other term used to describe the strings.
“It gives [the instruments] a very beautiful, warm sound.”
The group is an ensemble of 11 musicians who work full-time jobs in Edmonton, but practice together at least once a week.
“The Jasper concert is just a fun thing to do, so everyone goes there on their own dime and stays somewhere in Jasper,” she said.
The group will be performing songs composed by Jean-Philippe Rameau, Jean-Marie Leclair, Pieter Hellendaal and Gregorio Allegri—all major European composers during the Baroque era.
“It covers a lot of different countries,” said van Lier.
Rameau was one of the most famous composers and musical theorists during the Baroque era in France, Leclair was also French and a violinist and composer. Hellendaal was an Anglo-Dutch composer, organist and violinist, while Allegri was an Italian composer.
In addition to the more typical instruments used during that era, van Lier said the group has also hired a professional harpsichordist to accompany the ensemble.
“A harpsichord is a precursor to the modern piano and rather than hammering the strings like a piano does, it plucks the strings.
“It’s a really fascinating sound. It’s a very mellow, soft and interesting sound.”
The show begins at 2 p.m. and is expected to last around two hours, including an intermission. Tickets will be available at the door and costs $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors.
Paul Clarke
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