In Pursuit of Sébastien de Brossard

There are musicians whom history has unjustly forgotten. Sébastien de Brossard is one of them. A priest, composer, and insatiable collector, this man of the Grand Siècle devoted his life to music with rare passion, amassing a musical library so valuable that he donated it to King Louis XV in exchange for a pension, a treasure that is now preserved at the Bibliothèque nationale de France.

This concert invites you to rediscover him. Throughout the program, you will encounter several facets of Brossard: that of the church musician, contemplative and inspired, through his motet Quemadmodum desiderat cervus for bass voice, a magnificent work that has never been recorded; and that of the bon vivant, with his delightful drinking songs. For Brossard loved prayer as much as he loved celebration. Among his circle were Charpentier, whom he met in Parisian salons, and Carissimi, the great Italian master whose scores he collected with devotion.

A concert featuring the warm, expressive voice of Olivier Bergeron and the rich sonorities of the Clavecin en concert ensemble.

Chapelle des Hospitalières de l’Hôtel-Dieu

209 Pine Ave West, Montréal (Québec) H2W 2T2