Medieval Minstrel Coming to TMR

Called “The Ministrel” (Le Ménétrier, in French), Gélinas will be dressed in period attire in the solo show about the life of a 15th-century travelling French musician. He will tell all about his life on the road as well as the 20 instruments that he can play and for which occasions – louder ones for processions and parades and softer ones for chamber music.

As a specialist in ancient music, Gélinas received classical training at McGill University, the Université de Montréal, and at Chicago’s Northwestern University before joining several local and regional ensembles. In 1989, he formed the Atelier du conte en musique et en images that has since given over 2,000 performances in Quebec, Ontario, and New Brunswick.

Thirty years ago, he became interested in medieval and Renaissance music when he was asked to join the Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal. “I got to hear some of those instruments and I just fell in love with that music,” Gélinas enthused.

The 20 instruments will include a fair number of stringed ones, including the lute, the cittern (similar to the lute, but with a longer neck), the harp, the viola, the lyre, and the hurdy-gurdy (in which a wheel turned by a crank replaces the bow).

Wind instruments will include the recorder, the traverse flute (originally with no keys), the sackbut (the predecessor to the trombone), the shawm (the ancestor to the oboe), the bagpipe, and the musette (a small, 17th-century French bagpipe). As probably the oldest instruments in the world, percussion will not be left out. They will include military drums, timpani (or kettledrums), and cymbals.

“The Ministrel” show will be performed this Sunday at 11 a.m. in French and at 1:30 p.m. in English. Gilles Rochette, the head of the Cultural Activities and Community Support division, said he was looking for an interesting show for youth between 6 and 12-years-old where they could also learn about these older instruments. It will also be the first time, he added, that one of its cultural shows will be presented in the Country Club’s chalet (1620, Graham Blvd).

The Minstrel / Le Ménétrier

Connaught Park Clubhouse

Sunday March 4th

11 a.m. (Français) and 1:30 p.m. (English)