Rencontres musicales Champéry | The German Requiem

It's only goodbye
"Rather than German Requiem, I should have titled it Human Requiem."
To close this edition, what more masterful and universal work could we have wished for? Brahms elaborated this opus over several years, inspired first by the mourning of his friend Robert Schumann and then of his own mother. A very particular requiem which, contrary to the Latin tradition, brings a message of hope: no, the end of existence is not the fear of the Last Judgment but the deliverance from all our earthly worries.
May this sublime music bring us peace and serenity until next year!

Polina Pasztircsák
Soprano Polina Pasztircsák introduces herself and talks about her art: "I was born in Budapest to a Russian mother and a Hungarian father. For me, being a singer is not only a profession, it is the most human way of life. Your body is your instrument, your sound reflects your soul. Your existence depends on your body and your soul, so you have to constantly take care of both. It is a journey to learn about yourself, to love yourself and to give love to others. I believe that love is the only reason we exist. Music keeps your mind awake and your soul harmonious and happy. As a singer, you travel around the world, which means you have to make many sacrifices. But it makes you learn different cultures and languages, each of which opens up a world to you. For all of that, I am very grateful."

Christian Hilz
Since the 1990s, Christian Hilz has been internationally recognized as a versatile singer with a diverse repertoire. Concert invitations and opera engagements have taken him to the musical centers of Europe and America. His artistic activities focus on late baroque, romanticism and the Lied repertoire of the 19th and 20th centuries. His own chamber music projects, which emphasize the balance and interaction between text and sound, are central to his artistic work. His discography reflects the diversity of his repertoire in over 40 CD recordings. Since 2009 he has been teaching voice and chamber music at the Bern University of the Arts and at the Swiss Opera Studio. In 2022, he was appointed member of the management team of the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis.

Cédric Pescia
Born in Lausanne, pianist Cédric Pescia gives numerous concerts and recitals throughout the world, is invited by prestigious international festivals and performs as a soloist with many orchestras. In addition to his solo activities, his love of chamber music leads him to play regularly with renowned partners. In 2006 he was a founding member of the Lausanne-based chamber music concert series Ensemble enScène. For Claves Records, AEON, La Dolce Volta, BIS, Genuin, he has recorded works by Bach, Bloch, Couperin, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Debussy, Busoni, Enescu, Messiaen, Cage, Suslin and Gubaidulina. CDs that have received the best reviews. His latest CD, Beethoven-Liszt: Symphony No. 9, transcription for two pianos, with Philippe Cassard was released by La Dolce Volta.
Cédric Pescia trained first in Switzerland, then at the Universität der Künste in Berlin and finally at the International Piano Academy, Lake Como. He won the First Prize (Gold Medalist) at the Gina Bachauer International Artists Piano Competition 2002 in Salt Lake City, USA. In 2012, he was appointed professor of piano at the Haute Ecole de Musique de Genève.

Philippe Cassard
French pianist Philippe Cassard was a finalist in the Clara Haskil Competition in 1985 and won the First Prize in the Dublin International Piano Competition in 1988. Invited from then on by the main European orchestras, he plays under conductors such as Sir Neville Marriner, Armin Jordan, Jeffrey Tate.... The duo he forms with the soprano Natalie Dessay from 2011 triumphs on international stages. Two albums of French Melodies (Erato) and a program of Schubert Lieder (Sony, 2017) mark their collaboration.
Philippe Cassard has published two essays on Schubert and Debussy (Actes Sud), a book of interviews on cinema and music "Deux temps trois mouvements" (Capricci); he has founded several festivals and has presented 430 programs of "Notes du Traducteur" on France Musique. His program "Portraits de famille" has been one of the best ratings since September 2015.

Pierre-Fabien Roubaty
Swiss conductor and pianist Pierre-Fabien Roubaty has directed numerous choral groups, including the Arsis choir, which he founded and has directed since 2006. As a conductor or coach, he has prepared choirs and soloists for numerous opera and oratorio productions. He has also had the privilege of working with renowned musicians such as Michel Corboz, Jean-Claude Malgoire, Raphaël Pichon, Marc Minkovski, Daniel Reuss, Christa Ludwig and Ramón Vargas. In September 2019, Pierre-Fabien Roubaty is appointed musical director of the Ensemble Vocal de Lausanne.

Ensemble Vocal de Lausanne
The Ensemble Vocal de Lausanne (EVL), was founded in 1961 by Michel Corboz, who successfully directed it for over fifty years. A professional vocal ensemble of excellence, the EVL competes with the best ensembles on the national and international scene while having a strong anchoring in Switzerland. Artistically, it is a chamber choir of variable geometry, composed of professionals to whom young artists in training may be added, depending on the work. Its repertoire ranges from the 16th to the 21st century, with an emphasis on French music, Swiss composers and new works.

Today, the Ensemble is directed by Anthony Di Giantomasso and is headed by a high-flying duo: Pierre-Fabien Roubaty, musical director of the EVL and Daniel Reuss, principal guest conductor.

The EVL's influence extends far beyond its borders, with requests for performances on international stages. In recent years, it has participated in many prestigious festivals such as La Folle Journée de Nantes, La Roque d'Anthéron, and the Festival of Aix-en-Provence. It plays at the Chapelle Royale de Versailles and at the Gstaad Menuhin Festival. In addition, the EVL regularly collaborates with renowned Swiss and international orchestras.

Musicians:

Requiem
Ensemble Vocal de Lausanne
Polina Pasztircsák, soprano
Christian Hilz, baritone
Cédric Pescia & Philippe Cassard, piano
Pierre-Fabien Roubaty, direction

Johannes Brahms
Ein deutsches Requiem, op. 45
London version (1871)

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