A tribute to Richard Forest, who passed away suddenly earlier this month

There has been a huge upheaval in the force that is Québecois traditional music.

Fiddler and composer Richard Forest has suddenly died. It seems that his generous heart has given out, at the very young age of 68. His passing leaves an enormous void.

Born in Montreal, Richard absorbed many wonderful influences on his journey to becoming a fiddler. He soaked up the music of his grandfather and uncles, taught himself to play violin and revelled in the kitchen parties of his younger years. From the family heritage, he learned the “swing” that is essential for playing for dance. Whether for step dancers, square dancers or contra dancers, his “swing” style always made feet fly from the floor.

For the rest of his life, Richard shared his musical gifts freely, composing, teaching, playing for dancers — he simply could not stop smiling, making music, and sharing his everlasting kindness with everyone around him.

Richard was at the heart of living heritage in Québec, was really well known and absolutely venerated by people in his home province. A huge outpouring of messages of condolence is being sent to his partner, Edith Baragar, and his daughter, Marjolène Forest.

For more than three decades, Richard performed on stage in Canada, the USA and Europe, with well-regarded bands such as Réveillons, Tradi-Son, Bardi-Barda, Domino, La Grande Chaîne, and Rapetipetam. He was also well known for playing for performances by folk dance and step dance troupes.

And, most of all, Richard was a formidable and prolific composer, creating more than 50 very memorable tunes, many of which are in the common repertoire, played at fiddle jams everywhere. He has taught at fiddle camps in both the USA and Canada, and there are few fiddlers who don’t know at least some of his tunes. “Berceuse pour Hannah,” “Reel de Mattawa,” “Marche des Élèves,” “Reel de Montebello” and “La Valse des Bois” are counted among the finest melodies he created. Some players in Ireland have adopted his tunes to the extent that they think of Richard as an Irish musician! Others have credited them to “trad” — that unknown composer from the distant past. The tunes are that well integrated into the repertoire of sessions everywhere.

In 2017, at the Festival La Grande Rencontre, the Espace Trad organization presented Richard with the ALDOR award, which specifically recognizes the commitment and achievements of significant figures in Quebec’s traditional culture and music scene. It was a very well-deserved award, and Richard was thrilled.

I really can’t recall when I first met Richard. It’s been many years of jamming together over the years at Festival Mémoire et Racines, learning from him at Camp Violon Tradquébecois, and hosting him to play for contradances in Toronto.

As a beginner fiddler, I was loath to bring out my instrument in front of someone as accomplished as he was, but there we were, about 20 years ago, out in the midnight air of the festival grounds at Mémoire et Racines, long after the stage performances had concluded for the night. For a while, it was just Richard and me, playing a tune together, slow as only a beginner can do, and he was smiling the whole time, encouraging me.

Fiddler, composer and gentle soul, Richard Forest showed the humility that only a master can conjure. He is already massively missed.