(Montreal) When it was confirmed that no one died or was seriously injured in the major fire at the Monastery of the Good Shepherd, which burned for more than 40 hours this week in downtown Montreal, attention quickly turned to two instruments of great value that were in the chapel.
After the hard work of the firefighters, these two instruments – a Fazioli piano and a Kirckman harpsichord dating from 1772 – were able to be extricated from the rubble of the still smoking building on Saturday, which means that it is still possible to believe that they can be repaired and used again during concerts.
The programming director of the Chapelle du Bon-Pasteur, Simon Blanchet, experienced a very emotional moment when the piano technician, Oliver Esmonde White, played a few chords on the Fazioli just before he be moved.
“At least he sounded, he played. So that’s still positive. Indeed, there is still hope, ”he said on the phone during an interview with The Canadian Press.
Both instruments, especially the piano, still suffered damage due to humidity. They will therefore have to be completely dried before they can be fully assessed.
However, since the two instruments were well protected by blankets during the fire, Mr. Blanchet is hopeful that they will be able to regain all the glory that made their reputation before the outbreak of the blaze.
“I think the news is pretty good. The instruments were well protected, so that allowed us to move them and put them in a safe place. So that is really very good,” he added.
The 1772 Kirckman harpsichord has also been transferred to a workshop, where specialist Benoît Beaupré remains optimistic about the future.
If moisture has penetrated into the instrument, it seems that the water has not managed to make its way to the inside, which would have had the harmful effect of deforming it or rot it.
According to Mr. Beaupré, some spots are now visible on the varnish and the decorative marquetry of the harpsichord, while the glue used may have lost some of its rigidity. However, it seems that most of the damage is cosmetic, which makes the instrument appear “completely repairable”, he said on Sunday.
“We will have to wait for the humidity to come out of the instrument and for it to be really dry, after which we will be able to go through all the mechanics, go around the instrument again to make sure that everything is in good condition. shape and readjust anything that needs readjusting. Then, for aesthetic damage on the outside, it’s a lesser evil, ”he analyzed.
“We are going to do our best to bring it back to its glory,” added Mr. Beaupré, who runs a workshop alongside his father, Yves.
Pieces of history
In addition to being one of the oldest harpsichords in Canada, the 250-year-old instrument has special features that were added when it was built, giving it a unique sound, Beaupré explained.
“It’s a very special instrument, we really don’t have two like it in Quebec or in Canada. In fact, not really in the world,” he mentioned.
For his part, Mr. Blanchet admitted that the survival of the instruments came to bring a small balm at the end of a week which was very trying, during which the musicians of Montreal lost one of their most important halls of concert.
If the room that was now located in the chapel was known for its warm atmosphere and for giving a first chance to emerging musicians, the atmosphere that reigned there on Saturday was very different.
“It was a real apocalypse scene, that’s the word that describes the atmosphere well when we entered. Water was leaking everywhere from the ceilings and everything is destroyed. It was like a lake,” he said.
The fire broke out Thursday afternoon in this building built in the 19th century.e century, which also includes a residence for the elderly, a housing cooperative and a daycare centre, in addition to the concert hall.
The blaze quickly spread under the roof and required the intervention of some 150 firefighters who fought the flames for 42 hours.
The cause of the fire and the damage estimate were still unknown on Saturday. The work to provide answers to these questions should begin on Monday.
Although he is happy that no one was injured in the fire, Mr. Blanchet nevertheless recalled that members of the artistic community are in “mourning” following the loss of this concert space and that they now have to find new places to perform.