Article

André Laberge

Published Online July 5, 2007

Last Edited December 14, 2013

(Joseph Philippe) André Laberge. Organist, harpsichordist, b Beauharnois, near Montreal, 23 Aug 1940; BA (Montreal) 1960, B TH (Sherbrooke) 1969, premier prix organ, harpsichord, analysis (CMM) 1972, deuxième prix counterpoint (CMM) 1973, premier prix organ (Toulouse Cons) 1978.

Laberge, André

(Joseph Philippe) André Laberge. Organist, harpsichordist, b Beauharnois, near Montreal, 23 Aug 1940; BA (Montreal) 1960, B TH (Sherbrooke) 1969, premier prix organ, harpsichord, analysis (CMM) 1972, deuxième prix counterpoint (CMM) 1973, premier prix organ (Toulouse Cons) 1978. In 1960 he joined the Benedictines of St-Benoît-du-Lac, the monastery on Lac Memphrémagog, Que, and served there as organist. He was ordained in 1969 and then studied at the CMM with Bernard Lagacé (organ), Kenneth Gilbert (harpsichord), Gilles Tremblay (analysis), and Françoise Aubut (counterpoint). In the summer of 1971 he took further organ training with Piet Kee and Luigi Ferdinando Tagliavini at the Haarlem Academy in Holland. Laberge taught organ and harpsichord for CAMMAC during the summers of 1972 and 1973 and taught at the JMC Orford Art Centre 1974-7 and in 1980.

On a Canada Council grant 1977-9 Laberge studied organ with Xavier Darasse at the Toulouse Cons and took private harpsichord lessons with Gustav Leonhardt in Amsterdam. In France he played at the St-Thomas d'Aquin Church, Paris, and (with musicians from the Capitole) at the Carmelites' chapel in Toulouse. One of his recitals was broadcast by Radio France and rebroadcast by Cologne Radio.

Laberge has given numerous organ and harpsichord recitals in Canada - on the CBC, on Radio-Québec, and at the Institut canadien, as well as for Ars Organi, Pro Organo, the Amis de l'orgue de Québec, the Concerts spirituels of Saint Joseph's Oratory, the Orford Festival, and the Festival international de Lanaudière.

According to Gilles Potvin, 'Dom Laberge plays with great musicological accuracy, but without affectation or dryness' (Montreal Le Devoir, 9 Aug 1975).

Discography

Organ
Bach - Walther. 1982. St-Benoît-du-Lac SBL-01082

Chant Grégorien. Chor of monks from St-Benoît-du-Lac abbey, Saint-Cyr dir. Radio Québec SBL-0880

Les Concertos pour orgue de George Frideric Handel, vol 3. Carl Philipp ensemble. 1982? Alpec A-83043

Fantini - Schmidt - Viviani - Handel - Wuensch. Chatel trumpet. 1975. RCI 406

Les Plus beaux chorals de J.S. Bach. 1987. St-Benoît-du-Lac SBL-5-00887 (cass)

Tribute to/Hommage à Joseph Bonnet: Paysage, Canzona, et al. 1984. St-Benoît-du-Lac SBL-5-01184 (cass)

Harpsichord

Böhm. 1988. REM 311083-XCD/REM 711083-XT

Dagincour - Duphly - Forqueray. 1986. St-Benoît-du-Lac SBL-5-C0886 (cass)

Le Petit livre d'Anna Magdalena Bach (1725). 1984. St-Benoît-du-Lac SBL-5-C1184 (cass)