EarlyMusicNews.Org

“The allure is undeniable.  Six talented, attractive women breathe renewed life into the rich texts of medieval songs and poetry.  Their hauntingly beautiful music captures the imagination and devotion of modern audiences.  They are the Mediaeval Baebes, and in ten years they have placed three studio albums into the top of the UK classical charts and performed before enthusiastic audiences in the UK, United States, Canada and Europe.

Founding member Katharine Blake is also the music director and lead composer and arranger for the band. Born in London, Katharine was classically trained at the Purcell School of Music and Richmond College. In the mid-1990s she met musician Dorothy Carter in Berlin.  Carter was playing hurdy-gurdy
and dulcimer, and Blake was immediately drawn to the sound of the medieval music and instruments. Back in London, she and a group of friends got together to sing songs from the Middle Ages purely for their own enjoyment.  Within a year they had released their first album, Salva Nos, which climbed into the UK’s Classical chart, and became Virgin Classics’ fastest selling debut album.  Their 1998 follow-up album,  Worldes Bylsse, blazed to number one in the Classical Charts. ..“ Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 19, 2009 | Hits: 327

Le Concert bourgeois is an early music ensemble whose core is concentrated around a string trio supported by vocal soloists and choirs. Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 20, 2009 | Hits: 396

Association for the performance of baroque dance and music.

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Added on: Apr 22, 2009 | Hits: 292

“For over 20 years, this baroque ensemble has been a fixture in the world of early music. With a large dose of experience and class, the musicians of this ensemble, directed by Jan De Winne and Marcel Ponseele, have been able to steal many musical hearts. Depending on the repertoire Il Gardellino works in a different formation, but they always get on stage with a top casting: both established musicians and emerging young talent, from home and abroad.”

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Added on: Apr 22, 2009 | Hits: 423

“RICERCAR CONSORT – PHILIPPE PIERLOT

« Aux paroles exprimées dans le chant, la musique apporte son pouvoir sur les passions humaines, sa vertu purificatrice et sa transcendance » (Cantagrel)

In 1985, the Ricercar Consort made their first tour with  J.S. Bach’s« Musicalisches Opfer », and is rapidly internationally known  for it’s interpretation of cantatas and instrumental music of the German Baroque ; numerous concerts are given with famous artists like Henri Ledroit, Max van Egmond and James Bowman.
  
For the last few years,Philippe Pierlot has been directing the ensemble, alterning chamber music and orchestral productions ,where eventually the viola da gamba has an important place.

Their recordings encounter enthousiastic reactions both by the public or international press : “De Aeternitate” with the counter-tenor Carlos Mena received the “Diapason of the Year 2002” award and started a fructuous collaboration between Ricercar Consort and the label Mirare directed by René Martin in France. Fantazias for the viols, Stabat Mater by Vivaldi  and Pergolesi, or  “Valoroso”, italian chamber music by Bertali, Bach cantatas recordings,  and recently Bach’s Magnificat  (Gramophones’ Editor Choice): with never ending passion the ensemble brings these works to the audiences of  the most important ancient music festivals of the world with extreme professionalism.

“Vielleicht wird so ja im Himmel musiziert...der Vorschein einer besseren Welt“
Die Zeit 2009“

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Added on: Apr 22, 2009 | Hits: 446

“Solstice brings together, around its founder, some of the most dedicated and talented Belgian musicians in this repertoire. They have in common a taste for 'authentic' early music and a solid modern training. The resulting interpretations combine refinement, sense of detail and classicism with great vivacity and engagement. Let us allow the press to have their say - they speak of Solstice in the following terms: total commitment, beautiful to see and hear - a great gust of freshness - ample breath and lively contrasts - one must appreciate 'en gourmet' these subtle blends of sonorities - perfect cohesion - by turns imperative, tender or ironic, energetic or languashing.

Chamber music is a magical alchemy, in which the personalities of the musicians begin by searching for and confronting one another, in order to achieve a common expression and élan. The task of director Isabelle Lamfalussy is to gather together the musicans, the composers and their music, but the music making is collective, and the final interpretation is created by each member of Solstice.“

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Added on: Apr 22, 2009 | Hits: 391

Early music ensemble. Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 22, 2009 | Hits: 339

“All members of the Lacrimae Ensemble are experienced performers of early music on historical instruments and have participated in numerous recordings for both radio and CD. “ Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 27, 2009 | Hits: 309

“Literally translated Il Concerto Barocco means "the baroque concert". This name was chosen as it bests describes what this ensemble is about. Il Concerto Barocco is an ensemble accommodating a wide range of instrumentations ranging from the trio to the full baroque orchestra. The basic principle of the ensemble's performances is that the music played is best served by the instrumentation and performance practices developed and used in the period that the music was conceived.

Founded in 2001 Il Concerto Barocco has become an established link in the Netherlands music scene. Il Concerto Barocco presents a number of concert series per year with concerts performed in their home concert venue, The Waterstaatskerk in Hengelo (The Netherlands) and various other venues throughout the Netherlands and Germany. “

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Added on: Apr 27, 2009 | Hits: 449

“Super Librum, founded in 1985, is internationally acclaimed for its historically accurate performances of medieval music. The name of the ensemble has been chosen with care: playing 'super librum' (literally 'above the book') was the traditional manner of performance during the Middle Ages. Super Librum is one of the few ensembles to incorporate this playing practice in its performances. Super Librum is directed by Jankees Braaksma, who plays the recorder and the organetto. In 1986, Super Librum was awarded the first prize at the 'Competition for Ensembles of Early Music' (now known as 'Van Wassenaer Competition') and in 1987 gained a distinction as one of the finalists at the Musica Antiqua Competition at Bruges, Belgium.

Super Librum often cooperates with specialists educated at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Switzerland, the only College of Music in Europe to have a specialised course in medieval music on its curriculum. ..” Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 27, 2009 | Hits: 348

“Stimmwerck was founded in Munich, in 2001. It is a group of sought-after professionals in ensemble vocal music; the two tenors, Gerhard Hölzle and Klaus Wenk, the bass Marcus Schmidl, and the counter-tenor Franz Vitzthum, who gives the quartet its unmistakable sound.

Stimmwerck devotes itself in particular to composers of the Renaissance and their nearly inexhaustible wealth of vocal music. Research in archives of music collections and frequent exchanges with musicologists serve as the foundations of their work, and are followed up with regular recordings at studios such as Aeolus, Cavalli Record and Christophorus, among others.“

Added on: Apr 27, 2009 | Hits: 301

“I founded this ensemble in order to achieve, with the help of some of my closest musical friends, certain projects which are dear to my heart. These are of various kinds, and include not only the performance of ‘classics’ of the early music repertoire, but also the promotion of neglected works (such as, for example, the works of Joseph Touchemoulin). We also wish to make more widely known some of the neo-baroque works of the C20th and C21st which have been written with period instruments in mind.’..“ Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 27, 2009 | Hits: 352

“Ensemble Mediolanum was founded in 1999 by Sabine Ambos, Felix Koch and Wiebke Weidanz with the aim of conveying the expressive and versatile power of early music.“ (Google transl.) Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 27, 2009 | Hits: 342

“Female vocal ensemble, usually five to ten a cappella singers, Discantus brings the vocal repertoire of the Middle Ages(9th century) to the dawn of the Renaissance, especially sacred music. It has emerged internationally as a reference for this kind of repertoire performed by female voices.” (Google transl.)

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Added on: May 07, 2009 | Hits: 345

“alla polacca was founded by three music graduates who came together at the Cologne Conservatory. Here they continued to develop their expertise in historic performance-practice, especially in the realm of chamber music and honed their skills under the direction of such distinguished artists as Konrad Junghänel, Barbara Schlick, and Kai Wessel.

The basic group is formed by Iwona Lesniowska-Lubowicz (soprano), Paulina Kilarska (harpsichord, organ) and Stanislaw Gojny (theorbo, lute, baroque guitar) of whom all can draw upon year-long experience in collaborating professionally with leading specialists in the field, in and outside of Germany.“

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Added on: May 09, 2009 | Hits: 245

“Has in recent years become one of the most popular ensembles in the music of the 16th and 17 Century and is now a regular guest of the most important European Festivals of Early Music. ..“

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Added on: May 09, 2009 | Hits: 441

“Bergen Barokk was founded in 1994. Their repertoire consists of 17th and 18th Cent. vocal and instrumental music from Italy, France, Germany, England and Scandinavia.  Bergen Barokk is supported by the City of Bergen and the Norwegian Culture Council.”

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Added on: May 09, 2009 | Hits: 348

“The duo Misericordia specialises in the Music and Song of Medieval Britain and Europe.

Anne Marie Summers and Stephen Tyler have been playing and recording together as a duo for over a decade, taking some of the earliest scored music and combining it with the improvisational element of folk music for an exciting and dynamic performance. They are accomplished multi-instrumentalists, and their wide range of instruments allows them many different sound textures to match the different musical traditions of medieval Europe.

A performance by Misericordia will take you from the mesmeric drone-based harmonies of their trademark combination of bagpipes and hurdy-gurdy, to the harmonically sparser sound of recorder and citole, as well as to softer timbres such as voice and harp.

Misericordia regularly perform at concert venues and early music festivals throughout Britain and Europe and have made various recordings.  Originally formed as a duo, they now work regularly with other instrumentalists and singers for a larger ensemble; all are professional and extremely versatile musicians specialising in early music.

Workshops are also available in medieval instrumental music, song, and singing for dancing. ”

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Added on: May 11, 2009 | Hits: 368

“Historical songs and music of all ears. Anne Marie Summers and Thor Ewing.The name ‘Squeake’s Noyse’ is inspired by the seventeenth-century band ‘Sneake’s Noyse’ that accompanied the first performances of some of Shakespeare’s greatest plays.“

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Added on: May 11, 2009 | Hits: 317

“Full-on Medieval Music for Street Festivals, Carnivals, History Fairs and other events

We’re serious about medieval music, and we want the power of that music to reach as wide an audience as possible.  To bring you that power at full blast, we have formed Mandrake! featuring twinned bagpipes, hurdy gurdy and twinned percussion.  

It’s an infectious and boisterous mix that is well suited to popular public events.

In fully authentic medieval costume or carnival dress, led by its bagpipe divas, Mandrake! also makes a distinctive eye-catching spectacle.“

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Added on: May 11, 2009 | Hits: 412

“Enjoy a night of real historical culture and cuisine with Feast the Ancestors.  

Just sit back and enjoy the good food and entertainment that your forefathers knew.

Entertainment (and Catering) for Medieval Banquets, Saxon and Viking Meadhalls, Tudor Feasts, Napoleonic Parties and Roman Festivities!

Experienced historical performers provide music stories and songs for all manner of historical events at venues all over the country.“

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Added on: May 11, 2009 | Hits: 330

“Art's Delight is a duo that performs popular music of the 18th century, at historic sites, re-enactments and special events of every kind. It consists of Bobbie Wayne and Dan Mozell who have been performing together for the past 24 years. Their 18th century repertoire combines dance music and airs with revolutionary songs, love ballads, drinking songs and more.“

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Added on: May 16, 2009 | Hits: 269

“In 1991, the Salzburg musician, Wolfgang Brunner, founded the ensemble Salzburger Hofmusik performing in various settings from trio to full orchestra. The repertoire encompasses works mainly from the 17th to the early 19th century concentrating on the music of the Royal Church Choir under the Salzburg Prince Bishops.

The name Salzburger Hofmusik comes from the 18th century and meant in the vernacular of those times, the Royal Church Choir of the Prince Bishops.
From the time of its founding, Salzburger Hofmusik programs were performed that established Salzburg's integration into the music history of Austrian and European cultural traditions.

Along with this came scholarly work, exploiting sources that until now had gone unnoticed or had been unjustly forgotten. In order to present performances that are as authentic as possible, the ensemble plays mainly (but not exclusively) on historical instruments or on faithful copies of originals. ..“ 

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Added on: May 17, 2009 | Hits: 476

“Founded by Antonio Frigé in 1989, as the natural evolution of the Duo Cassone-Frigé, the Ensemble "Pian & Forte" is a group with a variable structure formed by musicians dealing from many years with the study and the development of ancient music. Its aim is the rediscovery and the performance with original instruments of works dating from the early 17th to the late 18th centuries. And such a research, together with the extreme versatility and the fine musicianship of all its components made the Ensemble "Pian & Forte" one of the leading italian groups.

A very big concerts activity has been performed from 1993 for lots of International Festivals (Festival van Vlaanderen - Brugge Tage Alte Musik - Regensburg, Festival "Oude Muziek" - Utrecht, "Autunno Musicale di Como", Serate Musicali - Milano , International Organ Festival" in Aosta,
"Musica e Poesia a San Maurizio" - Milano, MIDEM - Cannes, Teatro Olimpico - Roma, "Pomeriggi Musicali di Milano"). It has moreover appeared in Corsica, France, Holland and Austria.

Up to now the Ens.Pian & Forte has recorded several C.D., issued by Nuova Era Records e Giulia Digital e Agorà with great approvation of the public and of the international critic who has more than once acclaimed them as "CD of the month". The "Pian & Forte" Ensemble plays for Dynamic.“

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Added on: May 17, 2009 | Hits: 254

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Added on: May 17, 2009 | Hits: 427