The ancient music society of Nice, composed of musicians and singers from the Alpes Maritimes, has been a significant presence in the cultural landscape of Nice since 1992. The concerts cover the period from the 16th to the 18th century, the Golden Age of this style in both music and architecture.
Can Baroque be defined? Can art be defined? We shall answer by quoting René Char: “In our darkness, there is no place for beauty. The entire place is for beauty.”
There are eight concerts, all held at the cultural center of La Providence in old Nice. We will explore the viola da gamba, which arrived in England in the 16th century with works by English composers little known to the general public; then there will be the games of love and chance of gallant Europe with Purcell, Handel… The harpsichord and its so-called plucked strings.
In late March, Telemann will make us forget the winter with the birth of spring, the Parisian encounters, as we find ourselves in 1737 with libertinism. Women too have composed. Donne Barocche will introduce us to these female musicians, one of whom was pensioned by Louis XIV.
In May, the Phoenix symbolizes the passage from shadow to light.
In June, a tribute to Scott Ross, an American harpsichordist who revolutionized the world of the harpsichord. This contemporary musician (1951-1989) arrived in Nice in 1964, where he met Pierre Cochereau, then director of the Nice conservatory. This final concert will be the curtain fall of a well-filled season.
Thierry Jan
