Patrick Montan
Encyclopedia
Patrick Montan is a Swiss harpsichordist
and musicologist.
Born in Lausanne
, Montan studied piano from the age of eight at Geneva Conservatory.http://archives.tdg.ch/TG/TG/-/article-1998-07-350/conservatoire-de-musique-de-geneve--certificats-d-etudes-superieuresclasses-de-solfegemention-tres Fascinated by the works of Johann Sebastian Bach
, when he was seventeen he decided to study the harpsichord
and its huge repertoire.
In June 2000 the Conservatoire Supérieur de Musique de Genève, where he was in the class of Christiane Jaccottet, awarded him first prize in harpsichord virtuosity. He was the last of Jaccottet’s pupils to be entirely trained by her. In October 2000 he obtained a degree in literature, specialising in musicology
, from the University of Geneva
.
In June 2002 Patrick Montan obtained a post-graduate diploma in harpsichord studies with Bob van Asperen
at the Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten. He also followed the master courses of Christopher Hogwood
, Christiane Jaccottet, Bob van Asperen
and Gustav Leonhardt
. In 2003 the Leenaards Foundation awarded him a cultural scholarship.http://www.leenaards.ch/multimedia/docs/2010/11/Bourses_culturelles_1997-2010.pdf
Concurrently with his studies and teaching the harpsichord and the clavichord
, Patrick Montan has appeared in several European countries (France, Germany, Austria, Holland, Britain, Switzerland etc.) mostly as a soloist, but also as a continuo player of chamber music
. He recorded on the original harpsichord by Ioannes Ruckers
(Antwerp, 1624) in the Unterlinden Museum in Colmar
works by Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck
, Johann Jakob Froberger
, François Couperin
and Johann Sebastian Bach
.http://www.swissmusicfactory.com/
On the musicology side, Patrick Montan has written a monograph
entitled "L’Art de toucher le clavecin de François Couperin
. Autour du doigté", in which he succeeded in reconstituting Couperin’s original fingering
for the harpsichord pieces from Couperin's book of the same name
.
Harpsichordist
A harpsichordist is a person who plays the harpsichord.Many baroque composers played the harpsichord, including Johann Sebastian Bach, Domenico Scarlatti, George Frideric Handel, François Couperin and Jean-Philippe Rameau...
and musicologist.
Born in Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
, Montan studied piano from the age of eight at Geneva Conservatory.http://archives.tdg.ch/TG/TG/-/article-1998-07-350/conservatoire-de-musique-de-geneve--certificats-d-etudes-superieuresclasses-de-solfegemention-tres Fascinated by the works of Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
, when he was seventeen he decided to study the harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
and its huge repertoire.
In June 2000 the Conservatoire Supérieur de Musique de Genève, where he was in the class of Christiane Jaccottet, awarded him first prize in harpsichord virtuosity. He was the last of Jaccottet’s pupils to be entirely trained by her. In October 2000 he obtained a degree in literature, specialising in musicology
Musicology
Musicology is the scholarly study of music. The word is used in narrow, broad and intermediate senses. In the narrow sense, musicology is confined to the music history of Western culture...
, from the University of Geneva
University of Geneva
The University of Geneva is a public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland.It was founded in 1559 by John Calvin, as a theological seminary and law school. It remained focused on theology until the 17th century, when it became a center for Enlightenment scholarship. In 1873, it...
.
In June 2002 Patrick Montan obtained a post-graduate diploma in harpsichord studies with Bob van Asperen
Bob van Asperen
Bob van Asperen is a harpsichordist, organist, conductor, clavichordist and early music-specialist.After completing a conventional music course at university, in 1967 he studied under the harpsichord master Gustav Leonhardt. In 1968 he joined the group Quadro Hotteterre, of which he was a member...
at the Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten. He also followed the master courses of Christopher Hogwood
Christopher Hogwood
Christopher Jarvis Haley Hogwood CBE, MA , HonMusD , born 10 September 1941, Nottingham, is an English conductor, harpsichordist, writer and musicologist, well known as the founder of the Academy of Ancient Music.-Biography:...
, Christiane Jaccottet, Bob van Asperen
Bob van Asperen
Bob van Asperen is a harpsichordist, organist, conductor, clavichordist and early music-specialist.After completing a conventional music course at university, in 1967 he studied under the harpsichord master Gustav Leonhardt. In 1968 he joined the group Quadro Hotteterre, of which he was a member...
and Gustav Leonhardt
Gustav Leonhardt
Gustav Leonhardt is a highly renowned Dutch keyboard player, conductor, musicologist, teacher and editor. Leonhardt has been a leading figure in the movement to perform music on period instruments...
. In 2003 the Leenaards Foundation awarded him a cultural scholarship.http://www.leenaards.ch/multimedia/docs/2010/11/Bourses_culturelles_1997-2010.pdf
Concurrently with his studies and teaching the harpsichord and the clavichord
Clavichord
The clavichord is a European stringed keyboard instrument known from the late Medieval, through the Renaissance, Baroque and Classical eras. Historically, it was widely used as a practice instrument and as an aid to composition, not being loud enough for larger performances. The clavichord produces...
, Patrick Montan has appeared in several European countries (France, Germany, Austria, Holland, Britain, Switzerland etc.) mostly as a soloist, but also as a continuo player of chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
. He recorded on the original harpsichord by Ioannes Ruckers
Ruckers
The Ruckers family were Flemish harpsichord and virginal makers based in Antwerp in the 16th and 17th century whose influence stretched well into the 18th and to the harpsichord revival of the 20th.The Ruckers family contributed immeasurably to the harpsichord's technical development,...
(Antwerp, 1624) in the Unterlinden Museum in Colmar
Colmar
Colmar is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.It is the capital of the department. Colmar is also the seat of the highest jurisdiction in Alsace, the appellate court....
works by Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck was a Dutch composer, organist, and pedagogue whose work straddled the end of the Renaissance and beginning of the Baroque eras. He was among the first major keyboard composers of Europe, and his work as a teacher helped establish the north German organ...
, Johann Jakob Froberger
Johann Jakob Froberger
Johann Jakob Froberger was a German Baroque composer, keyboard virtuoso, and organist. He was among the most famous composers of the era and influenced practically every major composer in Europe by developing the genre of keyboard suite and contributing greatly to the exchange of musical...
, François Couperin
François Couperin
François Couperin was a French Baroque composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was known as Couperin le Grand to distinguish him from other members of the musically talented Couperin family.-Life:Couperin was born in Paris...
and Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
.http://www.swissmusicfactory.com/
On the musicology side, Patrick Montan has written a monograph
Monograph
A monograph is a work of writing upon a single subject, usually by a single author.It is often a scholarly essay or learned treatise, and may be released in the manner of a book or journal article. It is by definition a single document that forms a complete text in itself...
entitled "L’Art de toucher le clavecin de François Couperin
François Couperin
François Couperin was a French Baroque composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was known as Couperin le Grand to distinguish him from other members of the musically talented Couperin family.-Life:Couperin was born in Paris...
. Autour du doigté", in which he succeeded in reconstituting Couperin’s original fingering
Fingering
In music, fingering is the choice of which fingers and hand positions to use when playing certain musical instruments. Fingering typically changes throughout a piece; the challenge of choosing good fingering for a piece is to make the hand movements as comfortable as possible without changing hand...
for the harpsichord pieces from Couperin's book of the same name
L'Art de toucher le Clavecin
L'art de toucher le clavecin is a didactic treatise by the French composer François Couperin...
.
Further reading
- L’Art de toucher le clavecin de François Couperin. Autour du doigté. Peter Lang AG, Bern, Berlin, Brussels, Frankurt, New York, Oxford and Vienna, 2004. ISBN 3-03910-211-7