[This is the second in a series of articles by Charlotte Nediger briefly outlining the history of Tafelmusik and the roles people played in creating that history.]
Tafelmusik has appointed American baroque violinist Jeanne Lamon as permanent Concertmaster and Musical Director of the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.
. . . Other new Tafelmusik faces for 1981-82 will include Christina Mahler as principal cello . . .
. . . Tafelmusik announces the creation of the Tafelmusik Chamber Chorus, Toronto's newest choir.
As most of you already know, this season marks the beginning of a whole new & exciting era for Tafelmusik. A full-time orchestra of world-class calibre . . . our own choir specializing in the choral repertoire of the baroque . . . what more could we ask for?
Tafelmusik's first North American tour is a smashing success. From Vancouver to New York, audiences, sponsors and critics alike enthusiastically greeted the Toronto-based group. Nearly every sponsor has asked Tafelmusik to return next season, a clear indication of the musical pleasure Tafelmusik brought to seven cities in ten days.
The year 1981 proved an auspicious one for Tafelmusik. Jeanne Lamon arrived as Music Director. An orchestra of 11 musicians (4 violins, viola, cello, bass, harpsichord, 2 oboes, bassoon) signed full-time contracts, a first for any baroque orchestra in Canada. The Tafelmusik Chamber Choir was created. Ottie Lockey was hired as General Manager. These were the key ingredients that were to define Tafelmusik for the next 20 years.
That all of this happened within the space of a few months was partly serendipity, and partly a reflection of the level of creative energy, enthusiasm and drive found at Tafelmusik - with the musicians, the staff, the board, the audience and the volunteers. If experience was the one ingredient missing, the will to acquire that experience was in abundant supply.
In those first years the Tafelmusik office was in the area right outside the present-day box office, by the Robert Street doors. The office was literally a vestibule. In that small space there were three or four desks, the music library, a harpsichord, and sundry files. Ottie struggled to negotiate long-distance tour contracts by telephone over the drone of typewriters. Artistic planning meetings were held with desks pushed aside and musicians seated on the floor. On concert nights everyone cleaned up their desks, secured their papers, and opened the doors to the audience. They tramped in through the office, bringing wind, rain and snow in with them, picked up their tickets, and continued through into the sanctuary.
The orchestra rehearsed long hours, finding the style that was to become our trademark, and working hard to improve technically in matters of ensemble and tuning. We found a method of working that had much to do with making chamber music, yet with the guidance of a strong musical director.
Things weren't always rosy in those early years: to bring so much about in that remarkable 1981-1982 season required sending the organization into debt. Musicians and staff struggled to survive on minimal salaries, and faced salary cuts and deferrals. The choir, initially founded as a professional group, was re-established with mostly volunteer singers. The musical rewards, however, kept everyone going. The music on stage kept getting better, the audiences grew, and tours continued to take shape. The first two Tafelmusik recordings, on the Collegium label, were released. By the 1984-1985 season Ottie Lockey had managed to secure the orchestra's first European tour.
It was Ottie's optimism and determination that ensured Tafelmusik's survival, and Jeanne's vision and artistic guidance that ensured its success. Together they were a remarkable team. Jeanne has a strong, forthright personality. Ottie is renowned for her unique combination of personal charm and tenacity when negotiating. Both were willing to work long, hard hours, and to face challenges head on. The biggest challenge they faced was to take Tafelmusik from Toronto to the world stage. In 1987 Ottie met with one of Europe's leading record producers, Wolf Erichson. Wolf had worked with such legendary figures in the period-instrument movement as Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Gustav Leonhardt. BMG had expressed an interest in signing a record deal with Tafelmusik, but only if Wolf Erichson agreed. Ottie described her first meeting:
We had arranged to meet in New York City in the coffee shop of the Salisbury Hotel on West 57th Street. Wolf was having his breakfast. We had already been in touch by fax and by phone, and I had sent him our first recordings, but we had never met in person. Happily, we "clicked" right from the beginning, and by the end of the breakfast we had a commitment for six recordings.
A coup for Tafelmusik - only to be followed by a bigger coup a few years later: when Wolf moved from BMG to Sony, Ottie managed to negotiate an exclusive contract with Sony Classical for an amazing 40 CDs. The recordings ensured an audience for Tafelmusik around the world, and tours in Europe and Asia became regular features of the orchestra's season. Space is too short here to even list all those who contributed to Tafelmusik's growth in these years. Throughout her tenure Ottie was supported not only by Jeanne, but also by a staff of energetic and talented people, notably Marketing, Development and Finance Director Heather Clark (1985-1995); and Glenn Hodgins, simply the most remarkable touring manager known to any orchestra (1988-2000). The contributions of the musicians of the orchestra and choir are most obvious on stage, but have also been numerous and noteworthy behind the scenes. We often use the word "family" when talking about Tafelmusik, and although Ottie left in 2000, she remains a valued friend to the musicians and staff. Upon her departure a new era in Tafelmusik's history began, marked by the arrival of Managing Director Tricia Baldwin and by a level of maturity in the organization. We now had experience -- and plenty of it!
