EarlyMusicNews.Org

Al Ayre Español was founded in 1988 by Eduardo López Banzo with the objective of avoiding the mistaken clichés that often surrounded the performance of Spanish baroque music. The spirit of the ensemble made this possible thanks to musicological rigor, performance excellence and with the main purpose of giving new breath to music from the past, making them appear as recent compositions, and then offering them to the contemporary audience.

The name of the ensemble was inspired by the title for a guitar Fugue of the Calanda (Aragón) composer, Gaspar Sanz. In this Fugue he indicated the musician to play with "ayre español" (in the Spanish way). Unfortunately, precisely what that meant has remained in the 17th Century.

With the passing of the time, Al Ayre Español has become not only a prestigious ensemble, but moreover a performance philosophy, finally giving meaning to the Gaspar Sanz's indication. This has been achieved through lot of reflection, performance and mastery. Al Ayre Español is now a way of performing and enjoying music that Eduardo López Banzo has being creating as a work-in-progress, recognisable, requested and acclaimed all over the world, and for all these reasons was awarded the 2004 Spanish National Music Prize.

The fact that Al Ayre Español is more than a specialised early music ensemble, that represents the musical philosophy "al ayre español", has allowed the project to be flexible. This has made it possible to adapt itself to different formats, as a baroque orchestra -acknowledged by its performances of Handel and Bach- and lately as a classical-romantic orchestra -with opera and concert performances of Haydn and Mozart.

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Added on: Jan 30, 2011 | Hits: 493

"Contrasto Armonico is an orchestra which focuses on early music, especially music composed in the Italian style. It was founded in 2004 by Marta Semkiw and Marco Vitale (artistic director and conductor), and established with the support of De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek. The orchestra is made up of young professional musicians from all over the world who meet regularly in Holland. The birth of the orchestra was celebrated in Delft (NL) with two productions of Handel operas: “Siroe, Re di Persia” and “Lotario”. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 27, 2008 | Hits: 496

“London Early Opera  is a new baroque ensemble whose members are leading exponents of early music and consist of a flexible number of singers, soloists and instrumentalists. The aim is to showcase treasures of the baroque era using a fine balance of instrumentalists and singers, which can be tailored to suit a particular space or venue. LEO links dramatic music and singing with narration and art history to create magical performances.  
 
The group is directed by harpsichordist, conductor and early music specialist Bridget Cunningham and has performed to acclaim at Southwark Cathedral and in a programme for Advent at St Martin-in-the-Fields. Their recent 'Handel in Italy' concert at St James' Church, Piccadilly was met with great success. …”

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Added on: Sep 07, 2011 | Hits: 497

"The Bach Collegium Japan was founded in 1990 by Masaaki Suzuki, who remains its music Director, with the aim of introducing Japanese audiences to period instrument performances of great works from the baroque period. BCJ is comprised of both baroque orchestra and chorus, and their major activities include an annual concert series of Bach’s cantatas and a number of instrumental programs. " ...

Added on: Aug 14, 2007 | Hits: 500

"La Stravanganza Köln was founded in 1988. After a formative phase the orchestra found an important partner in the English violinist Andrew Manze who directed it for six years. His growing commitments with The Academy of Ancient Music forced his departure and led to a series of exciting projects under various leaders. International invitations led the orchestra to Holland, France, Austria, Italy, Spain and the USA. The internationally renowned violinist Veronika Skuplik has led the orchestra since 1999. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 27, 2008 | Hits: 505

"Tempesta di Mare performs baroque music on baroque instruments with what the Philadelphia City Paper describes as “zest and virtuosity that transcends style and instrumentation.” Led by co-directors Gwyn Roberts and Richard Stone with concertmaster Emlyn Ngai, Tempesta di Mare's repertoire ranges from staged opera with full orchestra to chamber music. Tempesta di Mare is named for baroque master Antonio Vivaldi’s concerto meaning “storm at sea,” a title reflecting composers’ belief in the power of their music to evoke drama. Roberts and Stone founded Tempesta in 1996 to pursue their ideal of baroque music as a rhetorical, dramatic art form. The group’s debut CD of recorder sonatas by Veracini, released that year on PGM, received BBC Music Magazine's highest rating, with such praise as “world-class virtuosity” and “breathtaking results.” ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 18, 2008 | Hits: 509

"The Bach Players is a collective of like-minded musicians who are drawn together by their passion for the music of J.S. Bach: our enduring inspiration and the apotheosis of the Baroque. We play on original instruments and all vocal music is sung in its original language. We play without a conductor, and with forces that are as small as possible (mostly single strings and single voices). A genuine spirit of enquiry and reassessment pervades all aspects of our performance. Founded in 1996, we established a series of programmes of Bach cantatas in St John’s Wood Parish Church in London. There we began to introduce some of these lesser-known works to a wider audience. As a result of this we have been invited to play all over Britain and have built up a faithful following. In 1999 we were invited to perform the St John Passion for the opening of the Berliner Bachtage. We have recently started to make programmes in which Bach is linked to other composers. " View website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 09, 2008 | Hits: 514

"To advance our community’s appreciation for music from the Middle Ages through the 18th century by providing performances, support, and education."

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Added on: Feb 26, 2008 | Hits: 520

"Established as a chamber ensemble in 1976, the Philomel Baroque Orchestra is now Philadelphia’s foremost baroque ensemble performing concerts of early music. Core members of the Philomel Baroque Orchestra also perform as the Philomel Baroque Quintet. Philomel's activities include a major series of 12 to 15 early music concerts Philadelphia and environs; touring engagements; recording; radio broadcasts; and community outreach programs to elderly audiences, public school students, and young listeners and their parents. In addition, Philomel Baroque Orchestra recently initiated a series of programs presenting the music and arts of early Philadelphia in a number of the city’s leading historic sites. Performances introduce tourists, regional audiences, and local students to everyday life in the cultural capital of the emerging nation. " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Feb 23, 2008 | Hits: 549

" ... The musicians of Baroque Band are looking forward to launching this new orchestra and offering an exciting new addition to Chicago’s rich cultural landscape. ..."

Added on: Apr 15, 2007 | Hits: 553

El Concierto Español, directed by Emilio Moreno, specializing in repertoire from the Spanish baroque and pre-classical periods. See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 12, 2008 | Hits: 556

"Baroque music retains its special role for the FBO – even after twenty years. While the “Freiburgers” have meanwhile earned a reputation as interpreters of classical, romantic and even contemporary music, the Baroque in the orchestra’s name is still more than merely a description of an epoch: it stands for the musicians’ practical performance perspective as well as for their pleasure in musicianship and cultivated, virtuoso ensemble playing.

The Freiburg Baroque Orchestra has conquered the world’s best known concert halls with this musical self-image. From the Baroque perspective, the music of the 18th and 19th century, in particular, sounds young and modern and not at all like old music, but as immediate as if the ink on the music sheets was still damp. This is perhaps what James R. Oestreich meant when he enthused, in the New York Times in March 2007: “The Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, familiar from […] opera recordings and other notable projects, may be the liveliest ensemble now on the international early-music scene.”

The Freiburg Baroque Orchestra’s prominent status in international musical life is expressed both in its continuous collaboration with significant artists such as Andreas Staier, Thomas Quasthoff, Cecilia Bartoli and René Jacobs, as well as in a close collaboration with the French recording label harmonia mundi France, and is successfully reflected in numerous CD productions and outstanding awards. Hence, only recently, a survey of journalists in the magazine Opernwelt presented the FBO with its “Orchestra of the Year 2007” award.

Under the artistic direction of its two concert masters Gottfried von der Goltz and Petra Müllejans, or under the baton of selected conductors, with about one hundred appearances each year the FBO performs in differing formations ranging from chamber music to opera orchestra: a self-administrated ensemble with its own subscription concerts in Freiburg’s Konzerthaus, Stuttgart’s Liederhalle and Berlin’s Philharmonie, as well as with worldwide tours. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 20, 2008 | Hits: 558

"Taking its name from the classical god of music and the sun, Apollo's Fire is dedicated to the performance of 17th and 18th century music on the period instruments for which it was written. The ensemble unites a select pool of renowned early music specialists from throughout North America and Europe."

Added on: Apr 10, 2007 | Hits: 576

"LA PETITE BANDE (Belgium) was founded in 1972 by Sigiswald Kuijken at the request of the record company Deutsche Harmonia Mundi in order to record Lully's "Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme", under the direction of Gustav Leonhardt.

The orchestra takes its name and constitution from Lully's own orchestra at the court of Louis XIV.All its members are internationally renowned specialists in the early music field. Although originally La Petite Bande was not meant to become a permanent orchestra, the success of the recordings was such that they began to give concerts regularly. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 08, 2008 | Hits: 580

"Founded in Italy in 1992 by Alan Curtis, one of the most acclaimed specialists in the interpretation of pre-romantic music, Il Complesso Barocco, has become a renowned international baroque orchestra with a focus on Italian Baroque opera and oratorio. One of their first important collaborations was with the film director Werner Herzog, who chose the ensemble as protagonist in the film Morte a cinque voci (Prix Italia 1996 and Premio Rembrandt, Amsterdam 1996) dedicated to the composer Carlo Gesualdo. Since then, their high standard for interpretation, intonation and stylistic accuracy has led to their being requested in the most important concert venues and festivals in Europe and America. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 12, 2008 | Hits: 587

" The Seville Baroque Orchestra (OBS) was founded by Barry Sargent and Ventura Rico in 1995, with the desire to create an ensemble able to perform XVII and XVIII century repertoire vivaciously and with a clear sense of communication. OBS has since then become a major reference on the Spanish music scene.

From its first performances onwards, OBS has always enjoyed the support of the audience and the specialised press. The quality of its performances, as well as the high interest of the programmed works, have always received unanimous critical acclaim.

Amongst the nearly 50 programmes that OBS has offered at the most important venues in recent years, feature works such as Mozart’s Requiem or the Coronation Mass, Haendel’s Messiah, symphonic programmes dedicated to Haydn and C.P.E. Bach… as well as unedited works of great interest, such as the Oratorium “Colpa, Pentimento e Grazia” by A. Scarlatti and many other works by XVIII century Spanish composers (Baguer, Buono Chiodi, Moyá, Moreno, Garay…).

Highlights in the operistic field include OBS’ production of Haydn’s Lo Speziale and Monteverdi’s L’Incoronazione di Poppea in the Maestranza Theatre (Seville) or Purcell’s Dido and Eneas in the Teatre Principal (Palma de Mallorca). ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 15, 2008 | Hits: 591

"The word is German and means “table music” or “music for the feast.”

The name is apt because Tafelmusik has produced a feast of firsts and bests and has won admiration throughout the musical world.

Through its extensive national and international tours, its critically-acclaimed recordings and TV broadcasts, its new media initiatives and growing web of community and artistic partnerships, Tafelmusik is one of most prolific orchestras in the world.

Tafelmusik, Canada’s award-winning period instrument orchestra, was founded in 1979 and has long been renowned in North America and internationally for its distinct, exhilarating and soulful performances.  Under the outstanding leadership of Music Director Jeanne Lamon, C.M., it has excelled equally in music ranging from the baroque and classical eras and beyond, including adventurous cross-cultural reinventions of baroque classics.  In the words of Gramophone, Tafelmusik is “one of the world’s top baroque orchestras.” 

The Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, specializing in baroque performance practice and vocal technique, was formed in 1981 to complement the orchestra. Under the direction of Ivars Taurins, the choir has been praised for its clarity and brilliance and has been described as “the best period-performance choir anywhere in the world…”(The Globe and Mail).  

Tafelmusik performs 50 concerts each year in Toronto at Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, a historic church in the Annex neighbourhood of Toronto, performs community outreach concerts, tours extensively in Canada and throughout the world, and has a discography of 76 CDs that have garnered many national and international awards. 

At the heart of Tafelmusik is a group of remarkably talented, enthusiastic and dynamic musicians, each of whom is a specialist in historical performance practice. …”

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Added on: Jun 17, 2005 | Hits: 594

“Ensemble Baroque de Nice is composed of a core of twelve musicians who perform on period instruments. The Ensemble has quickly become one of the main performing early music ensembles specializing in French baroque music. ..“

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Added on: Jul 27, 2009 | Hits: 599

“Les Violons du Roy came into existence as the dream of a group of young musicians. We wanted to take a new and different approach to the performance of works written for chamber orchestra, especially during the Baroque period. For over twenty years, we have been pursuing this vision with the support of all those who attend our concerts and buy our recordings. I would like to invite you to discover the other facets of our work, and to join us in achieving our dream.” ...

Bernard Labadie
Artistic and Music Director

Added on: Jul 06, 2005 | Hits: 614

"Bach Concentus was founded in 2007 by Ewald Demeyere (Artistic Director) and Giulio D'Alessio. Devoted to the instrumental and vocal repertoire of the Baroque and Classical periods, this period instrument orchestra with vocal soloists specialises in works by the Bach dynasty: Johann Christoph, Johann Bernard, Johann Sebastian, Wilhelm Friedemann, Carl Philipp Emanuel, Johann Christoph Friedrich and Johan Christian. Repertoire by lesser known composers, for example Arne, Becker, G. Benda, Böhm, Furchheim, Meder, Penzel, Platti and Roman as well as lesser known compositions by illustrious composers such as Handel, Mozart, Salieri, Telemann and Vivaldi will also be performed. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 12, 2008 | Hits: 617

"The Bozen Baroque Orchestra was founded in 2006 by conductor Claudio Astronio. On the international scene since 1996, the group was formerly known as “Harmonices Mundi”. Based in Bolzano, members of the orchestra reside in Northern Italy, performing regularly in the leading European early music ensembles. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 12, 2008 | Hits: 629

"The Clarion Music Society is a period-instrument orchestra committed to performing lost or neglected works from the 18th and 19th centuries in addition to well-known masterworks from these periods that are rarely heard on authentic instruments.

What Sets Clarion Apart from Other Orchestras?

The Clarion Music Society is unique among American orchestras in three fundamental areas:

Rediscovery and Performance of Lost Masterworks – Clarion performs 18th and 19th-century works that have been lost or that are rarely heard by American audiences, works rediscovered through the most intensive and discerning musicological research.

Breadth of Repertoire – Unlike most other American period-instrument orchestras, Clarion includes in its repertoire music from not only the Baroque, but also the Classical and Romantic periods. Clarion performs these works on period instruments and following the performance practice of the time.

International Artists – Clarion frequently features international soloists of the highest caliber, particularly young artists who have not yet had the chance to perform in New York. " Visit website for more details. (ed.)

Added on: Aug 05, 2008 | Hits: 644

"Leeds Baroque is a period-instrument performance group based in West Yorkshire. It is directed by Peter Holman (Professor of Historical Musicology in the University of Leeds School of Music), who is renowned as Director of the Parley of Instruments and Opera Restor’d).

Members of Leeds Baroque are drawn from professional and non-professional players with students from the region’s music colleges. Free workshops given by leaders in the field of baroque performance practice provide training, and the funds available are used to enable members of the orchestra to perform concerts with internationally renowned soloists. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 17, 2008 | Hits: 646

"With local roots and a passionate interest for the city's own musical history, and yet with its ears, eyes, and hears open to the rest of the world, the members of Elbipolis stand prepared to partake upon musical adventures. The young ensemble, the core of which is made up of musicians from Bremen, Hamburg, and Berlin, has achieved a great deal in a short period of time. Invitations to the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, the Leipzig Bach Festival, the Music Festival at Potsdam Sanssouci, the Rheingau Music Festival, as well as an exclusive appearance at the Yellow Lounge in Berlin (a club operated by Universal Music,) are just some of the milestones of the orchestra's history. In 2005 the ensemble received an invitation by DeutschlandRadio to give a performance together with the star recorder player Maurice Steger at the Cloister Neuzelle in Brandenburg. In 2007 NDR (North German Radio) in Hamburg dedicated an entire wekend for the ensemble to explore the theme of Orpheus in music, and in November of 2007 the orchestra gave its successful debut at the Kölner Philharmonie. The North German musicians have made themselves noticed again and again through their refreshing combination of high caliber technique and unconventional appearances.

The ensemble's debut CD 'Don Quichotte in Hamburg', recorded on the Raumklang label in 2005 and featuring music of Telemann, Mattheson, and Conti, ws met with great public enthusiasm. The next recording is planned for the beginning of 2008.

The driving philosophy and motto behind the ensemble has been borrowed from Georg Philipp Telemann, who once wrote: 'Will and industry can break even the deepest paths, and a keen sense of daring will always win over what appears impossible. Do mountains immdediately appear before you? Take them on with zeal, and regard difficulties as dwarves against the giant within yourself.' " Visite website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 16, 2008 | Hits: 655

"The I Febiarmonici, an orchestra founded in 1999 and operating on the principles of historical performance practice, draws its members from musicians of international origin and renown. Ist Initiator, the violinist Jochen Grüner, was educated at the Academy of Early Music in Bremen.

The Ensemble takes its inspiration from Italian musical troupes of the eighteenth century which in their time toured their country as so-called I Febiarmonici and obtained an outstanding reputation owning to their quality music and love of traveling.

In the short time since its founding, the orchestra has already gone on to gain notice with its fascinating projects. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 13, 2008 | Hits: 678