Recovering Roots

Passionate about imagining the cross-cultural sounds of music in the colonies, Cree-Métis baritone Jonathon Adams centers indigenous music in their early music practice. Combining music from a Métis songbook with selections by Marais, Purcell, and Bach, Jonathon will relate their personal journey to reconnect to Indigenous roots while recovering a history of cultural exchange and musical migration in late 17th- and 18th-century New France. Ethnomusicologist Dr. Lynn Whidden joins our conversation to talk about her life’s work preserving Métis songs, including her most recent project that will add 55 new Métis songs to the repertory with origins that can be traced as far back as medieval Normandy.

Episode Credits

Debra Nagy, host & executive producer
Shelby Yamin, associate producer
Eric Milnes, Remote Collaboration Audio + Video

Episode Guests

Jonathon Adams

Baritone

Lynn Whidden

Ethnomusicologist

Mélisande Corriveau

Viola da gamba

Eric Milnes

organ

Debra Nagy

oboe

Resources

Métis Songs: Visiting the Métis Way

This document includes sheet music and words for traditional Métis songs, as well as background information on Métis music and musicians. Courtesy The Gabriel Dumont Institute.

Music

Marin Marais: Prelude in D

Métis Songbook: J’ai fait une maitresse – Chant Cri

Henry Purcell: Strike the Viol

J.S. Bach, BWV 76: Sinfonia

J.S. Bach, BWV 197a: “Ich lasse dich nicht”

Sponsors

SEASON UNDERWRITERS
Joseph Sopko & Elizabeth Macintyre
Deborah Malamud & Neal Plotkin
Tom & Marilyn McLaughlin

EPISODE SPONSORS
William Anderson
Gerry Fathauer & Jeff Hutchinson
Arthur Rotatori & Tara Fields
Sarah Steiner
Marc Vincent & Alex Nalbach 

REMOTE ARTIST SPONSORS
John & Joanne Goodell
Paula Mindes & George Gilliam
Tim & Marjorie Minnis
Shirley Simmons
Jean Toombs
Daniel Williams