Bassoon Concerto (world premiere, commissioned by the OM*)

The Canadian composer Airat Ichmouratov emigrated to Quebec in 1998 to pursue studies at the Université de Montréal. There he discovered a cosmopolitan, vibrant and bustling city whose daytime effervescence matched the pleasures of its nightlife. These first impressions of Montreal are reflected in “Promenade”, the first movement of his new Bassoon Concerto. Ichmouratov depicts the colours of a city famous for its cultural richness “with even a touch of klezmer that I simply could not resist including!”, he confides.

The heart of the concerto lies in the second movement, “Prayer”, conceived as a response to life’s trials: “some bring deep pain, sometimes we cause pain to others, sometimes things spiral out of control, and sometimes the world seems to spin into chaos,” Ichmouratov writes. When everything appears hopeless, many turn to prayer and contemplation, a path toward a kinder, brighter, safer world.

The finale serves as the concerto’s culminating movement. “It brings together the emotions and ideas of the earlier movements in a spirit of celebration and resolution. Here, virtuosity and energy take center stage, as the soloist and orchestra join forces in a musical dialogue filled with brilliance and intensity,” the composer explains.

After several concertante works for flute, viola, oboe, or cello, Airat Ichmouratov now presents his first concerto for bassoon, performed by Michel Bettez, principal bassoon of the Orchestre Métropolitain.