Tafelmusik To Premieres Works By Two Baroque Women Composers This October

Violinist Emmanuel Resche-Caserta, the French-Italian concertmaster of Les Arts Florissants, makes his Tafelmusik debut as guest director and soloist with Vive la différence. These concerts take place on Oct 13 at 8pm, Oct 14 at 8pm, and Oct 15 at 3pm at Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul's Centre. Tickets are available at tafelmusik.org.  

Vive la différence is inspired by the rivalry between the distinct French and Italian baroque styles, with music by Lully, Corelli, Muffat, and Couperin. The dynamic energy and virtuosity of Corelli's concertos vie with the elegance and simplicity of Lully's dance music. Couperin and Muffat express their admiration for both in works that unite the two styles in “les goûts réunis.”

A special feature of Vive la différence is the inclusion of works by two extraordinary women composers whose talent caught the attention of Louis XIV: the Italian pioneer Antonia Bembo, who developed a singular musical language during her exile in France, and the French harpsichordist Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre, a remarkably successful composer whose works were renowned throughout France.

Emmanuel Resche-Caserta's own musical formation is a synthesis of French and Italian baroque approaches. “For centuries, French violinists were mainly the accompaniment for dancing, and they only began to write special sonatas for the violin at the end of the 17th century,” he says. “In Italy, the violin was used to express emotions as early as the 1640s, which led to more virtuoso performances with ornamentation. My teacher in Paris taught me the 'grammar' of baroque music, but in Palermo, I learned about the phrasing and the quality of the sound.”

Co-Artistic Director Cristina Zacharias says, “We can't wait to work with Emmanuel Resche-Caserta on this program and are especially excited to explore the music of Antonia Bembo and Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre with him. We look forward to sharing the artistry of these exceptional baroque women composers with our audiences.”