Les voix humaines – the human voices – is the title of one of the best-known works by the French Baroque composer Marin Marais. Yet he does not let the voices be heard in singing, but in the strings of the viola da gamba. This curious paradox immediately outlines the contours of this festival theme: since time immemorial, music has been nothing other than the sounding of the human voice. But this happens in ever-new ways, with the greatest variety, and certainly not only in singing.
We continually encounter voices in the history of music. People speak, shout, sing; they use their bodies, instruments, and objects as a voice. Voices can communicate on equal terms, as in Franco-Flemish polyphony. Or they can be organized hierarchically, as in High Baroque music. Not everyone, however, has always been granted a voice. In the Catholic Church, women were long forbidden to let their voices be heard. They were replaced by boy sopranos or castrated men, who did have the right to sing.
Raising your voice is not always a friendly matter: you may disagree, argue, or wage war. Belittling voices is also a time-tested means. There are countless descriptions from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries in which the “ugly” voices of enemy nations are contrasted with the “beautiful” voices of one’s own country. And some voices are almost lost, such as those of the enslaved or of oppressed communities. Yet even these voices are often preserved in melodies, rhythms, and songs. Sometimes, we can make them resound again.
The repertoire for the voice is endless, from Gregorian monody and troubadour lyricism to lute songs and airs de cour. We turn our attention to the masque, from the Burgundian court to the Tudors, and to the semi-operas of Blow and Purcell. Naturally, this is also the festival where we ourselves will sing. We are founding a festival choir for amateur singers who can work together with professionals. And who knows – erhaps this choir will have a longer life than just this summer? The vocal stars who will appear as soloists in the concerts will be asked to do something no one dares to ask of them anymore: simply to join in singing with the choir!
