Rachel Laurin: Festivals Chamber Music Works and Songs Anne Robert, violin Véronique Potvin, viola Michel Bellavance, flute Agathe Martel, soprano Marc Bourdeau, piano ACD2 2295 PHOTO - JEAN DE LA DURANTAYE ‘Festivals’ pays tribute to a series of events that play an important role in Québec culture.   The many different festivals, mostly held during the summer, bring a breath of fresh air into the province and offer many enriching opportunities to meet festival-goers from around the world. Each festival is unique, with its own theme and special atmosphere, and this is what Rachel Laurin has attempted to capture in the Suite.   The Fireworks Festival, the Jazz Festival, the Comedy Festival (Montréal), as well as the Hot-air Balloon Festival (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu), the Folk Festival (Drummondville) and the Médiévales (Québec) are represented in this opus!   Some other works on this recording inspired by Les Fables, by Jean de La Fontaine (1621-1695) and by poems from Le Bestiaire, by Guillaume Apollinaire (1880-1918). Rachel Laurin leads a brilliant dual career as organist and composer.   A disciple of Raymond Daveluy, it is with this teacher that she received her essential training.   Her concert activities have allowed her to perform in major Canadian, American and European cities. FESTIVALS opus 27 [16:52] pour violon et piano | for violin and piano [  1] I Festival des feux d'artifices (MONTRÉAL) 3:19 [  2] II Festival de jazz (MONTRÉAL) 3:02 [  3] III Festival des Médiévales (QUÉBEC) 2:17 [  4] IV Festival des montgolfières (SAINT-JEAN-SUR-RICHELIEU) 4:08 [  5] V Festival de l'humour (MONTRÉAL) 2:12 [  6] VI Festival de folklore (DRUMMONDVILLE) 1:54 Anne Robert • VIOLON | VIOLIN Marc Bourdeau • PIANO FABLES opus 9 [8:44] (JEAN DE LA FONTAINE) pour voix et piano | for voice and piano [  7] I Le Renard et les Poulets d'Inde 3:12 [  8] III Le vieux Chat et la jeune Souris 5:32 Agathe Martel • SOPRANO Marc Bourdeau • PIANO SONATE opus 29 [11:12] pour flûte et piano | for flute and piano [  9] Allegro moderato 2:19 [10] Più lento 0:50 [11] Tempo primo 4:06 [12] Meno mosso 2:59 [13] Presto 0:58 Michel Bellavance • FLÛTE | FLUTE Marc Bourdeau • PIANO LE BESTIAIRE opus 22 [9:42} (GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE) pour voix et piano | for voice and piano [14] I Le Lièvre 1:29 [15] II Le Lapin 0:39 [16] II L'Éléphant 1:50 [17] IV La Colombe 3:02 [18] V Le Bœuf 1:39 [19] VI Le Cheval 1:01 Agathe Martel • SOPRANO Marc Bourdeau • PIANO TRIO opus 17 [26:01] pour flûte, alto et piano | for flute, viola and piano [20] I Allegro ma non troppo 8:04 [21] II Allegro scherzando 5:04 [22] III Adagio 5:52 [23] IV Rondo: Allegro risoluto 7:01 Michel Bellavance • FLÛTE | FLUTE Véronique Potvin • ALTO | VIOLA Marc Bourdeau • PIANO ATMA Classique is distributed in Australia by Rockian Trading PO Box 44, Briar Hill, Vic, 3088, Australia Telephone +61 (0)3 9432 4149 ~ Facsimile +61 (0)3 9444 6879