Re: Harmonium?!

Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 14:09:11 +0100
Newsgroups: rec.music.progressive
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"TheKobaian" <email-address-deleted> wrote in message
news:email-address-deleted...
> Any of you guys ever heard the French Canadian band Harmonium? I noticed
they
> were mentioned in the description of the Ere G album I bought from
Wayside. I
> was wondering if anyone had any opinions here. I take from the description
of
> the Harmonium albums that they started off more as a folk band, and
evolved
> into a more straight ahead prog band. Which should I start with?
FWIW, an extract from my last article in CRS magazine as I've been running a
review of the Canada/Quebec scene for the last couple of issues:-
Harmonium s/t/ (74), Si on Avait Besoin d'une Cinquieme Saison (75),
L'Heptade (76), En Tournee (live 80)
Harmonium were another Montreal based outfit, established by
singer/songwriter Serge Fiori. Their eponymous debut is a mostly acoustic
Quebec folk album, the band's progressive tendencies not really emerging
until their second, usually referred to as Le Cinq Saisons (the fifth one
left before the band were famous?). The band were signed to major label
Polydor and ,later, CBS and were well regarded in their home country and
abroad.
Of particular interest in Le Cinq Saisons is the absence of a drummer and
the inclusion of an Ondes Martenot at the start of the fourth "Saison".
Playing guitar, flute and zither-harp, Serge Fiori co-wrote this concept
work with Michel Normandeau on guitar, dulcimer and accordion. Overall the
album reminds me of some of the gentler instrumental albums from the Latin
part of Europe, perhaps Galie or Celeste.
"Vert" introduces the season of Spring with a wistful song mostly backed by
acoustic guitars and wind instruments. "Dixie" is an upbeat mix of Cajun
and Vaudeville styles which today might bring the work of Danielle Lanois to
mind. Traditional jazz idioms on piano and clarinet are also employed to
give life to the title.
"Depuis L'Autumne" is a sweetly melancholic celebration of the third season,
again relying mostly on acoustic guitars, flute and mellotron for its
fragile textures. This ten minute piece ends on a lusher symphonic note
than the earlier songs. Winter comes in the shape of "En Pleine Face" with
waves of Ondes Martenot preceding the otherwise lightly accompanied song.
Some splendid three part harmonies give the song an oneiric quality.
The album's epic is the fifth season, "Histoires sans paroles", clocking in
at 20 minutes. Mellotron and flute continue the pastoral feel of the
earlier pieces and set the scene for dual acoustic guitars to come in,
joined by electric bass to swell the sound. This swell is cut off when
piano and percussion take over, dropping the developing rhythm back to a
meandering duet with the flute. The middle section of the piece is keyboard
led with mellotron being joined by piano and vocals. Flute returns, this
time to take up the gentle but lively melody set by the lilting voice. As
the melody fades again, the gentle lapping of waves against the shore and
distant seagulls provide a backdrop to flute and mellotron in a dreamy
sequence. The final movement returns to the pastoral flute-led theme,
leaving the listener refreshed and enchanted at the end of this really
rather beautiful album.
In their third and final studio work, "L'Heptade", the band embark on an
ambitious double concept work loosely based on the seven consciousness
levels. Pianist and composer, Neil Chotem joins the band as co-writer of
the musical arrangements along with a drummer, Denis Farmer. Saxophonist
Libert Subirama also contributes on sax, flute and clarinet as well as other
guests. The album is more song orientated and classical in style,
especially in the singing, which is often supported by a small choir, than
Saisons. The prologue itself is indeed a classical one before the first
song, "Comme un fou" (like a loon) cuts in.
Initially the vocal intro sounds like a continuation of the style of Saisons
but as soon as the drums, heavier electric bass and synthesiser join you
know that the band have moved on from their folky roots. Although mellotron
is still extensively used, synths are more prominent and the songs are more
aggressively delivered often with driving and somewhat blunt melodies.
Orchestral backing is used very effectively with rock instrumentation.
The seven songs are interspersed with classical music themes which add to
the overall elegant and highly composed feel of the work. Serge Fiori's
vocals in "Chanson Noire", the second main piece, are confident and the
jazzy touch of the sax enables him to weave the lyrics intricately around
the strong themes. Overall, this song would not go amiss in a steamy Paris
nightclub.
In "Le Premier Ciel" (the first sky), a more reflective tone is adopted with
strings initially backing the song before electric guitars join in. The
contemplative lyric gradually builds up into an instrumental mid-section,
with orchestral and choral flourishes, to a climax, before dropping back
briefly to a guitar and piano duet which then explodes brightly into a
soaring crescendo once the drums return. The second half of the song is
delivered more directly, akin to the previous one and ends with a colourful
synth arrangement.
"L'exil" brings up the rear on the first disc of the set which is reissued
on cd in its original form. The song has a tragic theme and shows off the
range and emotional textures of Fiori's voice nicely. Orchestral washes and
acoustic guitar ebb and flows wonderfully around his poignant lament.
Disc 2 opens with "Le Corridor", with Monique Fauteux on vocals. The
contemplative theme continues but the lyric is more hopeful, leading as it
does into the uplifting instrumental section, les premieres lumieres (first
lights). "Lumieres de vie" takes up the positive concept in four kinds of
light: night (love), eclipse, day and life. Some particularly tasteful
piano in the instrumental breaks makes this one of the most heartwarming and
enjoyable songs on the album and once again showcases the solo talents of
Serge Fiori as a singer.
"Comme un Sage", the final song of the seven, features sweeping orchestral
arrangements and the choir again with one member performing a wonderful
stirring duet with Fiori. The tempo is raised in the middle of the song
with an instrumental break and the song ends in a rousing joyful
vocal/orchestral crescendo, leaving goosebumps draining away down to your
ankles. Neil Chotem's classical epilogue reminds me of the Moody's Days of
Future Past. This second disk of the set is probably the most romantic of
any of the music presented by this band and is recommended for prog
bachelors not wishing to send their girlfriends screaming out of the house!
Harmonium also produced a double album, "En Tournee", which is basically a
faithful rendition of L'Heptade in a live setting. Although by 1980,
Harmonium's core had changed substantially, with Neil Chotem and Michel
Normandeau having left, they were still a dual-keys, twin-guitar sextet and
bring off the rigidly formal arrangements of L'Heptade very successfully."
--
Richard Barnes