Through Writing Lille
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This September 2021 school year marks the merger of two prestigious orchestras To Tourcoing (North) : The Grande Écurie and the Chambre du Roy, with Les Ambassadeurs, under the direction d’Alexis Kossenko.
Count on the national and international scene
With this new stage, Tourcoing is giving itself the means to count on the national and international scene. An opportunity to make a place for itself in the field of ancient music interpreted on period instruments and to affirm the tradition of excellence already carried in this field by the ATL, since its foundation in 1981 by Jean-Claude Malgoire.
Interview with Alexis Kossenko, a conductor for two orchestras that are one.
News: What does historically informed interpretation mean to you?
Alexis Kossenko : It is above all a philosophy of musical approach. Of course, claiming to play the works exactly as they were centuries ago would be presumptuous, but there are ways to come close. Understanding the context of the time, putting the different arts into perspective – we learn so much from painting, sculpture and architecture – reading old treatises, using period instruments, and above all, attending of this directory. Nothing replaces experience! You could compare it to learning a language.
Of course, the instruments, by their nature, by the technique they require, by their sonic essence, show us the way… they are the ones the composer had in mind when he was writing; but they are only the tool, and do not do everything. As for the treatises, they teach us a lot about musical grammar. But one does not make art by reciting a grammar lesson. It is therefore necessary to unite knowledge with experience, and with an… educated instinct.
All this has only one goal: to make musical works more eloquent, more touching, more convincing.
What is your state of mind when you take the reins of this new orchestra born from the merger of Ambassadors and La Grande Écurie?
IF : It really is a very exciting prospect. An important and delicate responsibility, because we have to bring together musicians who each have their own habits, their aesthetics. Confronting a young ensemble with an older one bearing an incredible heritage that must be honored. But I have confidence, because not only did the musicians of both groups want to work with me and therefore show comparable expectations, but I know them well and I already know their enthusiasm. We have to find cohesion, an exemplary homogeneity of play, but I already know that we have done a lot of work in this direction over the last few concerts. I am therefore excited, determined… and serene. Our main motivation in this merger is the desire to build richer and better structured, ambitious and varied projects. We will be able to put all our efforts at the service of the same cause!
What projects do you want to develop while in residence at Atelier Lyrique de Tourcoing?
IF : The situation has changed, of course. Previously, most of the Tourquennoise season relied on La Grande Écurie, since Jean-Claude Malgoire was both director of the orchestra and of the Atelier Lyrique de Tourcoing which he had made his laboratory. From now on, we cohabit with Les Siècles, as well as various invited groups. However, we are delighted with this new cooperation which is announced because we have already forged a relationship of friendship and trust with François-Xavier Roth and Enrique Thérain. We think about our programming in such a way that it is as complementary as possible by giving our orchestra a great wealth of experience and by offering the public a season as exhilarating as it is astonishing.
This residence allows us to give a solid framework to our projects. As a platform for our tours and our recordings, while having the pleasure of finding an enthusiastic, loyal and curious audience.
The Ambassadors – La Grande Écurie will be keen to respect the spirit of Jean-Claude Malgoire, his curiosity, his benevolence, his openness to youth, and his great eclecticism. Thus we will be opening some major cycles such as French baroque music – fruit of a beautiful partnership with Le Center de Musique Baroque de Versailles – which will allow us to revive spectacular operas by Rameau, Mondonville, Lully, the orchestral music of Mendelssohn, which is an invitation to travel and dreams, the exploration of Bach’s cantatas, an invaluable heritage of humanity without neglecting Mozart or Rossini, of which Jean-Claude Malgoire has made essentials of the Tourquennoise scene!
Interview by Françoise Objois
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