Product Description

Arion Baroque Orchestra
featuring :
Claire Guimond, baroque flute
Mathieu Lussier, baroque bassoon

Antonio VIVALDI (1678-1741)

See Programme notes here.

Concerto in a minor for bassoon, strings and continuo RV 497 (F.VIII no.7)

Concerto in D Major for flute, strings and continuo RV 428 (F.VI no.14)

Concerto in G Major for bassoon, strings and continuo RV 493 (F. VIII no. 30)

Concerto in a minor for flute, strings and continuo RV 440 (F.VI no.7)

Concerto in e minor for bassoon, strings and continuo RV 484 (F.VIII no.6)

Concerto in g minor for flute, bassoon, two violins and continuo RV 439 (F.XII no.5)

Concerto in B Flat Major for bassoon, strings and continuo RV 503 (F.VIII no.35)

MATHIEU LUSSIER, baroque bassoon

Mathieu Lussier is one of the most active early music bassoonists in North America. He is called upon to act as principal bassoon with such ensembles as Montreal’s Arion Baroque Orchestra, Quebec city’s les Violons du Roy and Cleveland’s Apollo’s Fire and he is frequently invited to perform with Toronto’s Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and the Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra. Mathieu Lussier teaches baroque bassoon at McGill University and modern bassoon as the Université du Québec à Montréal and is also very active as a chamber musician, notably with the Ensemble Pentaèdre of Montreal, Toronto’s Caliban Quartet of Bassoonists and the Musica Franca Ensemble.

His solo recordings include, among others, Vivaldi’s Oboe and Bassoon Concerto in G Major, the world-premiere recording of Christoph Graupner’s Bassoon Concerto in B-flat Major and a recording dedicated to Michel Corrette with the gamba duo Les Voix humaines. Mathieu Lussier has also recently published a recording of François Devienne’s bassoon and strings music, as well as a recording of sonatas for two bassoons and continuo by Joseph Bodin de Boismortier with Musica Franca.

Mathieu Lussier is also a composer and his works are regularly performed in concert in North America, Europe and Australia. His works Bassango and Valstango, for bassoon quartet, have been recorded by the Toronto Caliban Quartet for the Norwegian label BIS international. As well, his work titled Promenade à Venise, a commission by the ensemble Les Idées heureuses was premiered in Montreal in October 2003. His Five Caprices for bassoon, following their recording by bassoonist Nadina Mackie, were the subject of a master class at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Philadelphia.

Mathieu Lussier is a member of early-music.com, a site committed to the promotion of some of the world’s finest early music artists.

CLAIRE GUIMOND, baroque flute

Claire Guimond is a leading baroque flautist, recognised first in Canada and now well established on the world scene. She is a founding member and artistic director of the Arion Baroque Orchestra, with which she has frequently toured in North and South America and Europe. She performs regularly with Tafelmusik, features in radio and TV broadcasts and plays at many festivals in Europe and North America, performing under such distinguished conductors as Ton Koopman, Andrew Parrott, Barthold Kuijken, Jordi Savall, Nicholas McGegan, Philippe Herreweghe and Bruno Weil.

Ms. Guimond has an extensive discography of over 30 recordings distributed internationally. As well as Arion, these feature harpsichordists Gary Cooper and Luc Beausejour, cellist Jaap ter Linden and violinist Monica Huggett.

Claire Guimond is a member of early-music.com, a site committed to the promotion of some of the world’s finest early music artists.

Arion Baroque Orchestre

Arion is a Montreal-based baroque orchestra performing on period instruments. The ensemble was founded in 1981 by flautist Claire Guimond, violinist Chantal Rémillard, gambist Betsy MacMillan and harpsichordist Hank Knox. Claire Guimond has been Arion’s artistic director ever since its first concerts.

From the outset, Arion’s concerts were unanimously hailed for their clarity and gusto as well as their refined and expressive performances, chosen from a vast array of early music works. A meticulous attention to detail has placed Arion’s artistic achievements amongst those of the greatest current early music ensembles.

The orchestra calls upon world-renowned guest conductors to perform vocal and instrumental works in its high-profile series of concerts in Montreal. They include Barthold Kuijken, Monica Huggett, Jaap ter Linden, Daniel Cuiller and Elizabeth Wallfisch.

A recipient of numerous awards and grants, Arion has toured extensively throughout Canada, Europe, Mexico and the United States. The autumn of 2006 was the occasion for Arion to tour Japan during its first Asian tour.

Arion’s discography features 25 CDs, distributed internationally both as a quartet and in a larger setting with the collaboration of such fine artists sopranos Agnès Mellon and Suzie LeBlanc, mezzo Kimberly Barber, countertenors Matthew White and Daniel Taylor, baritone Max van Egmond, violinist and conductor Monica Huggett, Barthold Kuijken and Jaap ter Linden, as well as some of the country’s top baroque soloists.

Arion is a member of early-music.com, a site committed to the promotion of some of the world’s finest early music artists.

The instruments :
Claire Guimond, baroque flute
The flute used for this recording is a copy of an instrument by Rottenburgh (1672-1765), made by Alain Weemaels in 2000.
Mathieu Lussier, baroque bassoon
The bassoon used for this recording is a copy of Paris instrument maker Prudent, circa 1760, made by Peter de Koningh in 1995.

ARION’s musicians:

Chantal Rémillard, violin
Chloe Meyers, violin
Stéphanie Bozzini, viola
Isabelle Bozzini, cello
Nicolas Lessard, doublebass
Sylvain Bergeron, theorbo and baroque guitar
Hank Knox, harpsichord and positive organ

Recorded on 11, 12 and 13 July, 2006 at Saint-Augustin-de-Mirabel church in Québec.

Producer : Mathieu Lussier, all rights reserved
Executive Producer : Claudia Berardi
Recording Producer and Sound Engineer: Anton Kwiatkowski,
Assisted by : Joan Kwiatkowski,
Inside photos : nico-world.com
Outside photos : Emmanuel Joly
Photo Artistic Director : André Guimond
Graphic Design : Lucie Arsenault, Luz Design

Mathieu Lussier wishes to thank the following people, without whom this recording project could not have happened :

Claudia Berardi for the energy, expertise and exceptional support she invested in this project.
Claire Guimond for her trust and enthusiasm and most of all, for her extraordinary participation and the refinement of her performance. Jean-Pierre Lussier for his undying support since day one, and for his precious financial support without which this project could not have been carried through.

We would like to thank ING Insurance for its precious financial support.
The colour pictures were shot in Montreal’s Centre CDP Capital, to whom we express our deepest thanks.
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Music Fund for this project.

© Mathieu Lussier, MMVI under exclusive license with Les Productions early-music.com inc. Made in Canada

EMCCD 7764.