The Tafelmusik Effect
by Frank Nakashima
Tafelmusik’s extraordinary success has done much to nurture and support historical performance activity here—even beyond their ambitious annual concert series. Tafelmusik is Baroque Orchestra-in-Residence at the University of Toronto. They’ve established a Baroque Summer Institute, music education programs for youth, educational concerts, and award-winning children’s recordings. They’ve made over 70 recordings! When did they have time to do that? In 2006, Tafelmusik was awarded their 8th and 9th JUNO Awards (for Baroque Adventure: The Quest for Arundo Donax and Beethoven Symphonies Nos. 5 & 6). This season, they released their 75th and 76th recordings: Vivaldi’s L’estro armonico with Elizabeth Wallfisch (Analekta), and Gloria in Excelsis Deo (CBC Records), a musical celebration of the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir’s 25th anniversary.
Most important of all, they have employed almost twenty permanent members, each of whom is a specialist in historical performance practice. There are very few places in the world where these conditions exist, especially for an ensemble which specializes in Baroque music. Simply put, Tafelmusik has become our leading ambassador and advocate for early music, bringing it from the margins to the mainstream of the city’s concert life.
“Tafel”, as many of its devotees refer to it, was born in 1979, as the Toronto Chamber Music Collective. Shortly thereafter, at the invitation of its founders, Kenny Solway and Susan Graves, Jeanne Lamon arrived on the scene, becoming musical director in 1981. The chamber choir was established the same year, under Ivars Taurins, and the team was in place. In recent years, Jeanne’s influence has also been felt in modern Canadian orchestras (with modern instruments!) such as the Vancouver Symphony, the Calgary Philharmonic, and Symphony Nova Scotia. This is not only a sign of her stature among mainstream classical musicians but also the general (and growing) acceptance of the importance of historically informed performance, irrespective of instrumentation. In 2000, Jeanne was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada.
Just as important, in its way, in 2004 she was named Musician of the Year by the Toronto Musicians’ Association – indicative of her organization’s role in giving a whole cluster of top-flight performers the security to base themselves in Toronto. It’s interesting to look at some of the other things performers connected with Tafelmusik have brought to fruition over the years – not to say that all the credit goes Tafel’s way, but only that success incubates success.
Several former and current members of Tafelmusik’s orchestra and choir have created new early music ensembles. Larry Beckwith founded the Toronto Masque Theatre. Larry was also a founding member of the now dormant trio Arbor Oak, and of violinist Chris Reibling’s Aradia Ensemble. Once considered Toronto’s number two Baroque orchestra, the leadership of former Tafelmusik violinist Kevin Mallon has given Aradia a new impetus and an enviable reputation thanks to numerous recordings and ongoing projects on the Naxos label.
Singer Peter Mahon is now the conductor of The Tallis Choir of Toronto and also makes frequent appearances with Les Violons du Roy and The Toronto Consort. Lutenist Lucas Harris and harpsichordist Borys Medicky are co-directors of The Continuo Collective of Toronto. Singer Richard Cunningham is the conductor of the Renaissance Singers (Cambridge). Tafel violinists Julia Wedman and Aisslinn Nosky are founding members of the I FuriosiBaroque Ensemble, and the Kirby Quartet. Violinist Genevieve Gilardeau is a member of the Windermere String Quartet. Recorder player Alison Melville was co-founder of Baroque Music Beside the Grange, now also, alas, dormant, and of Ensemble Polaris (very much alive!) Other Tafel regulars perform with Opera Atelier, the Nota Bene Period Orchestra, the Toronto Chamber Choir, the Academy Concert Series, and in Joelle Morton’s Scaramella concerts. Who have I missed?
Obviously, there is a lot of musical talent here. In hindsight all we needed was a little push in the right direction. And clearly, when push came to shove, Tafelmusik was there! However it happened, we can be thankful that it did, and hope that early music performance continues to flourish in Toronto and beyond.
Frank T. Nakashima (franknak@interlog.com) is President of the Toronto Early Music Centre, a non-profit charitable organization which promotes the appreciation of historically-informed performances of early music. www.interlog.com/~temc
