Dulces Exuviae

Tuesday July 29th - 11 am & 5 pm / Church of Valloire

Musical promenade: 11 am concert in the church, 12 pm promenade to the Granges hamlet, 1 pm picnic on the alp with the musicians, 2:30 pm libre-cours conference by Gaël de Kerret, 4 pm walk back to the church, 5 pm concert in the church of Valloire

In Nocte Concilium

by Dulces Exuviae - Romain Bockler and Bor Zuljan

Josquin, Adieu mes amours

Enter the intimate world of the songs of Josquin Desprez, the genius composer of the Renaissance, a reclusive, notoriously sullen musician. These are deeply moving songs, owing to their emotional accuracy and the composer’s melodic genius, aptly performed here in a very simple format. Gathered around a candlelit table, Romain Buckler on vocals and Bor Zuljan on the lute invite the audience to an intimate, intense and highly sensitive musical moment.

Toutes les Nuits

In nocte consilium – The night brings advice: poets find in it a time for appeasement, astronomers the opportunity to observe the stars, and mystics a glimpse of the mysterious ways of the divine presence. Designed as a journey from dusk to dawn, this programme guides us through the different nights recounted by the composers of the 16th century. Janequin, Lassus, Palestrina, Guerrero, their Franco-Flemish, Italian and Spanish colleagues invite us to explore these nights, now gloomy and terror-filled, now starlit, soothing and amorous.

Dulces Exuviae

The Dulces Exuviae ensemble was born of the encounter between Slovenian lutenist Bor Zuljan and French baritone Romain Bockler. Seeking a privileged contact with audiences, the ensemble specialises in the seldom-heard practices of improvisation and ornamentation.

Exploring the different repertoires of Renaissance music, the duo offers original programmes, ranging from the enthralling sounds of the lute to lulling, meditative melodies and virtuoso diminutions. Carefully staged and lit, their concerts appeal to all of our senses, in an attempt to conjure up the Orphic magic so dear to the Ancients.

Romain Bockler – baritone

Romain Bockler initially trained at the CNSMD in Lyon, quickly gaining national and international recognition. On stage, his repertoire ranges from baroque to contemporary opera. He has worked with such ensembles as Pygmalion, Le Poème Harmonique, Les Arts Florissants, Le Concert Spirituel, Concerto Soave, La Fenice, La Rêveuse, Le Concert de l’Hostel Dieu. As to contemporary repertoires, he has created various roles under the direction of such composers as Peter Eötvös and Alexandre Desplat.

With a passion for Renaissance music and a predilection for work with small groups, he also frequently performs with specialist ensembles such as the Huelgas Ensemble, Diabolus in Musica, Doulce Mémoire, Weser Renaissance Bremen, etc. Numerous recordings testify to his activity in this realm.

Bor Zuljan– lute

After studying music in Ljubljana and Koblenz, Bor Zuljan obtained a master’s degree in classical guitar and lute in Geneva, as well as a specialist master’s degree in medieval music. He plays a wide range of plucked instruments whether period, modern or traditional. Dubbed the “lute revolutionary” (Le Soir), he has rediscovered forgotten instruments, sounds and playing techniques, constantly expanding the scope of possibilities.

Bor Zuljan performs internationally, both as a soloist and with groups such as Doulce Mémoire, Vox Luminis and Il Giardino Armonico. He is also artistic director of the Flores Musicae Early music festival in Slovenia, and regularly gives lectures and masterclasses at prestigious institutions including the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice, the CNSMD in Lyon, and the HEM in Geneva.

Programme

Pieces by Josquin des Près, Antoine Busnois, Marco dall’Aquila, Johannes Ockeghem, Luys de Narváez, Filippo Azzaiolo, Philippe Verdelot, Bartolomeo Tromboncino, Orlando di Lasso, Clément Janequin, Thomas Crecquillon, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Pierre de Manchicourt.

Distribution

Romain Bockler, baritone

Bor Zuljan, lute