A personal reflection on solitude and music, performed by Thomas Baeté, viola da gamba and voice. All through the ages, artists have had an intense and sometimes troublesome rapport with solitude and loneliness. As much as they have been attracted by the inspiration and concentration that solitude can provide, they have equally fled the exclusion and loneliness that comes with their art. Musicians especially have always led their lives between countless solitary hours of practice, many lonely miles on the road, and, on the other hand, the need for the company of fellow-musicians and audiences to share their art with. For the 12th Century troubadour, the absence and unattainability of the beloved is the very motor of his art. Baroque composer Henry Purcell was so inspired by the poet Katherine Philips’ eulogy O Solitude, that he composed one of his most hauntingly beautiful melodies to her words, and Monsieur de Sainte Colombe built a cabin in a mulberry tree so that he could practise far from the noise and crowds of 17th Century Paris. For singer-songwriter Barbara, like for Aristotle, solitude is like a curse or an illness to escape from. I hope that, as I embrace the viol, each listener can embrace his solitude and that we can thus ironically feel connected. Musical programme Thomas Baeté will pick from the following selection of works: M. de Sainte-Colombe le père, Prélude et Chaconne en ré mineur Richartz de Berbesieu, Atressi con l’orifanz M. de Sainte- Colombe le fils, Prélude en Mi mineur Philippe Hersant, Le Chemin de Jérusalem Henry Purcell, O Solitude Tobias Hume, Good Againe Anonymous Catalan (16th century), Soleta só jo ací Barbara (Monique Andrée Serf), La Solitude Sources of the spoken text E. Titon du Tillet, Sur Mr de Sainte-Colombe (Le Parnasse Français, 1732) Richartz de Berbesieu, Vida and Razó (Rome, Vat. 5232) Michel de Montaigne, De la Solitude (Essais,1580) Friedrich Nietzsche, Schopenhauer as educator, 1876
On Solitude
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