“Nadina was a crucial figure in my life and career, always inspiring and encouraging me as a bassoonist and composer,” says the composer. “This work is heavily influenced by baroque music, and is characterized by a redemptive and joyful spirit, celebrating the idea of forging a path through hard moments and finally finding a true way.”
“The bassoon so perfectly expressed how resilient and capable this bird now understood itself to be. The strings quickened their pace to match the bird’s flight and the chimes now sounded like joy. The piece ended with such a glowing, triumphant and satisfying flourish that the entire theatre leapt to their feet in applause.” Heidi Klepsch, letter to editor, Prince George Citizen [June 2, 2022] for Mathieu Lussier’s Oddbird Concerto
Here are Mathieu’s notes about the concerto which he wrote for our Juno-shortlisted album, Canadian Concerto Project, Volume I:
Odd Bird Concerto for Bassoon, String Orchestra, Bass Drum and Tubular Bells, Op. 37
Mathieu Lussier: Though I had long wanted to write a bassoon concerto, many other projects intervened. Nadina had been such a crucial figure in my life and career that I felt, in 2012, that the time had come to offer her the concerto I had always wanted to write.
The nickname “Odd Bird” for this concerto comes from knowing Nadina, her paintings, her early record label, and of course, her world-famous cerulean hair. In my view, she definitely is a bird, though perhaps no more odd than any of us!
The first movement allegro section (The Bird and the Agitation of Life) is a nod to her recent Vivaldi album, with an opening figure derived from the baroque patterns used by Vivaldi. I could not resist adding a bass drum for dramatic impact. As with my trumpet concerto, I first wrote the slow movement, titling it Ending Worlds, which was written during the closing season of the beautiful Bavarian festival Klang und Raum, where I had the honour of performing for ten summers with Tafelmuisik Baroque Orchestra. The last movement (The Tragic Bird Finds Its Way to Peace) includes quotes from many other works I have written in recent years. I wanted to achieve a feeling of redemption in someone who has forged a path through hard moments and, finally, found her true way. I often feel musicians overplay the dramatic aspects of my music, but in the case of the Odd Bird Concerto, I intended all of the drama. Nadina is an inspiring artist who gave me the desire to fulfill all my artistic aspirations and also gave me the chance to become a composer. She says I gave her a repertoire but she gave me her talent and became my voice.
