EarlyMusicNews.Org

(Previously known as "Nota Bene Period Orchestra")

" Nota Bene Period Orchestra was founded in 2001 by Daniel Zondervan, Michael Purves-Smith and Richard Cunningham. Their intention was to treat Waterloo Region (Ontario, Canada ed.) music lovers to 17th and 18th century music as audiences experienced it at the time. Playing on authentic or replica instruments, Nota Bene's professional musicians come as close as possible to recreating what Bach, Vivaldi and others from the early Baroque to the early Classical period intended us to hear."

Note: “Nota Bene Period Orchestra” underwent a name change on September 10th, 2011 -- Admin

Visit website for more information.  (Admin)

Added on: Apr 15, 2007 | Hits: 887

“Harmonia Sacra was founded in September 2002 and is comprises of the young singers and musicians of the region of Nord-Pas-de-Calais under the musical direction of Yannick LEMAIRE. ..“ Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 22, 2009 | Hits: 834

"Baroque Etcetera is an instrumental and vocal group that strives for historically-informed performance practice. We play at baroque pitch (A=415) on historical wind instruments, including flute, recorder, oboe and bassoon, and our string players use gut strings, baroque bows and baroque bowing techniques. But we've been known to slip in some Mozart and Shannon under the umbrella of "etcetera"! " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 02, 2008 | Hits: 798

“Arion Baroque Orchestra, founded in 1981, is the only early music orchestra performing on period instruments in Québec and one of the most renowned early music ensembles in North America. Led by the enlightened artistic vision of flutist Claire Guimond, the orchestra offers a prestigious concert series in Montréal featuring more than twenty musicians and with the participation of internationally known guest conductors. The clarity and freshness of Arion’s interpretations have been remarked through the concert tours in Japan, United States, Europe and Mexico. Arion has also put together an impressive recording collection with 26 titles both as an ensemble and as an orchestra, distributed internationally and on the web.”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Sep 26, 2011 | Hits: 794

"Il Cantiere delle Muse, founded in 1990 at the initiative of its director, Roberto Caravella, is among the most esteemed and refined music ensemble in recent years. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Aug 02, 2008 | Hits: 775

"In the fall of 1997, a group of Atlanta musicians met to organize the first permanent period instrument orchestra in the Southeast--the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra. The ABO gave its premiere concert in January 1998, and since then the ABO has grown to be one of the best orchestras of its type in North America ... " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 03, 2008 | Hits: 722

"The ensemble I Virtuosi delle Muse, founded in Cremona in 2002 by Stefano Molardi, was established with the intent of interpreting and recording the vocal-instrumental Italian and German repertoire of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries using period instruments and by examining the stylistic aspects of antique execution practices. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 13, 2008 | Hits: 705

"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

"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: 654

"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: 645

"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

"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

"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: 615

“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

“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

"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: 593

" 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

"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

"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: 579

"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: 574

"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

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: 555

" ... 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: 551

"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: 547

"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: 518