On March 23, I attended Guillaume de Machaut – Remede de Fortune / A Remedy for Fortune directed by Blue Heron at Christ Church Cathedral. This programme was performed by six people, each taking on more than one instrument or role such as countertenor & percussion, tenor & narrator, recorders & harp, lute & voice, fiddle & harp. The programme ran for about one and a half hour which was shorter than I expected. Within one and a half hour, the programme was divided into eight segments including an interval in the middle.
The lyrics and music are composed from the poem of the same name. Scott Metcalfe, the director of Blue Heron mentions that the narration part of the poem is mostly replaced with motets. The theme is about the courtly love in the medieval period and the story is about a “woebegone lover who is counseled by Lady Hope on how to be happy and persevere in the face of the ups and downs dished out by Fortune and her Wheel.” The excerpt from the concert mentions “it’s the women here who are wise, deft, and strong. Hope is all-knowing and comforting, Fortune is powerful and implacable, and the Lady is a slightly manipulative powerbroker who’s well aware that her position affords her the ability to extract favors and to grant or withhold happiness.” “The Lover, on the other hand, is naive and self-indulgent, a bit of a sot who is reduced to quivering and puddles of tears at the slightest glance from his Lady.”
I did not realize there is this gender role reversal in the tale until I read the excerpt. Personally, I find this fascinating that the poem was written in the 14th century and gender-reversing theme was employed back then in this type of poem. Being in the medieval period, I imagined this type of love themed song would be in troubadour style, but it seems to be the opposite as troubadour is etymologically masculine. The poem is written in motet style song and sung in alternating monophony and polyphony.
The concert started with a prologue in monophony of beautiful voice of countertenor by Martin Near. It was my first time hearing the voice of a countertenor and alternating voice between modal and falsetto felt flawless to me and it sounded as if sung in the same style voice. When the tenors, Owen McIntosh and Jason McStoots joined along in singing, the countertenor voice was certainly distinguishable in the polyphony and complimented the delicate nature of the theme and tale told by the “woebegone lover” seeking advice on love. Also I was able to experience that medieval vibe through the charming sound of fiddle and harp instruments throughout the entire concert.
Overall, I enjoyed the whole experience of attending Guillaume de Machaut’s Remede de Fortune concert. The atmosphere of the Christ Church Cathedral did help set the mood of being in the medieval times and I felt like I was part of a group listening to chamber music at the same time.
Source: http://www.earlymusic.bc.ca/events/machaut-le-remede/