EarlyMusicNews.Org

“Ensemble created in 2007, led by Damien Pouvreau, "Children of the Court" includes professional musicians who specialize in early music, whose approach is to explore the different facets of their music trade and by partnering with other personalities from the arts and culture (musicians, actors, singers, dancers, visual artists, graphic designers, photographers, writers).”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 13, 2011 | Hits: 234

“Since 1992, a small team of loyal and passionate musicians recreates, around Antoine Guerber, extraordinary music of the period so remote, intriguing, fascinating, which has shaped our culture, our language, our society: the Middle Ages.”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 13, 2011 | Hits: 377

“La Ritirata performs in prestigious festivals as Musika‐Música in the Palacio Euskalduna of Bilbao, Festival de Música Antigua 2009 of CNART in Mexico City, Fringe Early Music Festival Utrecht and Internacional Music Festival of Jaca among others. Recently awarded in the renowned Sitges music competition, La Ritirata looks forward to new projects of wider scope. In the words of a recently published press review on Diario de Menorca while their Balearic Islands Tour, “the mastery of its instrumentalists delighted the audience with exquisite sonority, great agility, example of technical control and perfection of the German baroque music” [Arcadio Gomila]

The objective of the group is to combine the accurate historical awareness with the highest levels of artistic quality, together with a surprising musicality and astonishing performances. All this under the vision of their artistic leader, Josetxu Obregón, who while visiting the stages of Miami, Tokio and Mexico DF in the next couple of months, a musician who focused on Early Music after playing in some of the best ensembles of the world like Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra, has the purpose of showing the world how the interpretation, together with the knowledge of the instruments and aesthetics of a composer’s time, is without any doubt the key to the musical future of our society.”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 14, 2011 | Hits: 198

“Founded in 2009 by François Joubert-Caillet, L’Achéron is constituted of a variable number of musicians, coming from all around the world, a young generation already performing with renowned ensembles and feeling the need to affirm their artistic personality in a more intimate context.

Focused on Renaissance, baroque and contemporary music, l’Acheron’s interpretation of ancient repertoire is an attempt to bring forth its fundamental characteristics, reinterpreting with the greatest respect original works, being as authentic but also as readable as possible for today’s audience. The marriage between musical research and the live interpretation feed the intellectual and sensorial curiosity of the audience.

L’Acheron is a laboratory for new ideas, concepts and artistic practices: improvisations as well as contemporary music are an integral part of what we hope will be the continually evolving approach of the ensemble.

In Greek mythology, the Acheron is the river of the Underworld on which Charon ferries the souls of the Dead to Hell, the very river Orpheus crosses to look for Eurydice. Nourished by this symbol, l’Acheron is willing to open up a way in between two apparently opposed worlds: the living and the dead, the past and present, ideal and reality.“

Visit Facebook site for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 16, 2011 | Hits: 355

“We are a string quartet that plays on original instruments and forms the core of an ensemble of varying combinations; like faces on dice, alea’s numbers can change.

In 2000, we decided to join paths in a wish to explore the chamber music repertory and performance practice of the Classical and Romantic periods.

The four of us each have extensive experience in the field of ancient music, which we play regularly as section leaders of various ensembles (Europa Galante, I Barocchisti, Accademia Bizantina, Les Talens Lyriques, Le Concert d`Astrée). For this reason we find ourselves sometimes taking on projects with Alea that stretch back to the 17^th Century or the first half of the 18^th Century, but our main interest lies in the music of later epochs.

It is our conviction that the study of source material – treatises and early editions – as well as the use of various types of historical instruments and bows, still provide new interpretive insights. This is the reason we share our experience with musicologists, luthiers and bowmakers who are driven by a similar passion.  …”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 16, 2011 | Hits: 414

“Arianna Ensemble is a professional ensemble of baroque music. Founded in 2000 around the harpsichordist Marie-Paule Nounou, it presents the works of European heritage to discover the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and some masterpieces of the repertoire.”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 17, 2011 | Hits: 207

“Winners of the 2008 Midem Baroque Award and the 2007 Classic FM Gramophone Award for Best Baroque Vocal Album for their recording of Handel’s Dublin Messiah (Linn CKD 285), Dunedin Consort & Players, under the combined Artistic Direction of John Butt, Susan Hamilton and Philip Hobbs, performs throughout Scotland and Europe

Under the musical direction of John Butt the group has consolidated its existing strength in the Baroque repertoire. Dunedin's commitment to excellence in both live performances and recordings, coupled with the latest research in historical performance, is complemented by its strong belief in supporting new music. As part of its contemporary strand, Dunedin has commissioned and performed works by living composers - including William Sweeney, Errollyn Wallen, Peter Nelson and Sally Beamish - to complement and enhance the meaning of the old masterpieces.

Dunedin has performed at music festivals in Scotland - including the Edinburgh International Festival -, Canada, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Israel and France, and broadcasts frequently on BBC Radio 3 and BBC Scotland.  …”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 20, 2011 | Hits: 297

“Canty, Scotland’s only professional Medieval music group, was formed by Rebecca Tavener in 1998, the 900th anniversary of the birth of Hildegard of Bingen, and it comprises the regular female singers with Cappella Nova, Scotland’s leading early music vocal ensemble.  As individuals, the singers bring to the group a wealth of experience, both as soloists and as members of other distinguished ensembles.  Together with regular collaborator, harpist William Taylor, they explore a unique repertoire combining Medieval music and contemporary works written specially for them, along with ongoing research and experimentation in performance practice for Medieval music from Celtic homelands.   Canty has nurtured close relationships with a number of leading musicologists specialising in medieval sacred music and, as a result, enjoys access to a considerable amount of rare or unique material.

Canty’s debut CD, Wings of Wisdom, features chant by Hildegard von Bingen and from medieval Scotland and was released on the Dorian label.  Flame of Ireland (Sanctuary Gaudeamus), their second recording, features world premiere recordings of 15thc Irish chant for St Brigit of Kildare.  Their third disc, Felix Femina – medieval Scottish polyphony (Sanctuary Gaudeamus) was described by Andrew McGregor as having a ‘transcendental quality that absolutely suits the music’ (CD Review, BBC Radio 3).  A fourth CD, Apostle of Ireland, featuring Medieval Irish chant for St Patrick, has just been released on the Divine Art label.   The latest CD, to be released by Linn Records in 2010, combines medieval repertoire with new works written specially for the group including pieces by James Macmillan and Sir John Tavener.

Canty has appeared in many distinguished festivals and venues at home and abroad, including the Edinburgh Festival, Galway Early Music Festival, Spitalfields Festival, Edinburgh International Harp Festival, the International Celtic Congress (Bonn) and the National Centre for Early Music in York.  Future projects include commissions from Gabriel Jackson, Joanne Metcalf and other composers, leading to the recording in 2009 of a new CD of contemporary and medieval music for Linn Records. …”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 20, 2011 | Hits: 210

“Since its formation in 2006, multi award-winning Ensemble Meridiana has established itself as one of Europe’s finest Baroque ensembles of it’s generation. The five members of Ensemble Meridiana come from four different countries and met during their studies at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel, Switzerland where they specialised in early music.

Added on: Nov 20, 2011 | Hits: 237

“The Ex Novo Ensemble was founded in Venice in 1979 by the composer Claudio Ambrosini and seven young musicians, who have remained with the Ensemble over since. The Ex Novo Ensemble now represents a point of reference on the international panorama of new music.The continuity obtained by working together, its artistic and professional coherence, have bequeathed a certain character, a "sound", which both public and critics of the major European festivals recognize to the Ensemble.

Their commitment to exploring the language of contemporary music later became the basis for re interpreting classical repertory, particulary those scores composed for rare instrumental sets that, although very beautiful, remain little known.

Many world premieres and works dedicated to the Ex Novo Ensemble have also been presented in recordings of the major European broadcasting corporations.

The Ensemble's contribution to the chamber music of the early Italian nineteen hundreds, as seen by its long collaboration with large recording companies, is significant.”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 20, 2011 | Hits: 231

“Ensemble Rossignol (nightingale) owes its name to iths first series of performances in 1998 built around 'De virtuoze zang van het Engels Nachtegaeltje' (The virtuoso song of the Englisch Nightingale) by Jr. Jacob van Eyck (Amsterdam, 1648).

The virtuosity and the refined, musical, playful and inspiring performance of the ensemble immediately call to mind the nightingale's song.

Combining the chitarrone (theorbe) / liuto (lute) and the flauto dolce (recorder) results in a special mix of sounds. The sound of the flute together with the strings, combined with the varying pitch, is what makes the harmonization so special.”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 24, 2011 | Hits: 159

“Capriola recorder quartet is playing early and modern music. Capriola gives own concerts and concerts with other instrumentalists and chamber choirs. The members of Capriola are Irene Hooimeijer, Kees Konings, Joost de Ridder and Frans Schröder.

Capriola has performed in many concerts in and outside the Netherlands. Capriola strives after a consort sound inspired by Renaissance ideas, also practiced on modern music.

The ensemble plays on a broad collection of mainly after historical examples handmade instruments (a=440 and 415), including except for many recorders also a bass dulcian (renaissance bassoon) and a baroque bassoon.“

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 24, 2011 | Hits: 191

“Fortuna presents a fresh approach to late medieval polyphony – brilliant voices, high-pitched instruments and vivacious tempi – thus Fortuna creates the distinctive sound the ensemble achieved critical acclaim for, both in The Netherlands and abroad.

 Fortuna performs Ars Nova from unknown manuscripts like Utrecht 6E37II as well as the works of famous composers like Guillaume de Machaut, Guillaume Dufay and Johannes Ciconia. Thereby always transforming meticulous research into the spontaneous music making that established the ensemble’s reputation in the field of Early Music – a performance today’s audiences can relate to: Early Music in Context.

Fortuna has participated in Early Music Festivals and chamber music festivals in The Netherlands and abroad, such as the Festival of Flanders Antwerp (Laus Polyphoniae), the Early Music Festival SEVIQC (Slovenia), the Festival de Musique Ancienne (Paris), and the Holland Early Music Festival (Utrecht). Concerts by Fortuna are broadcast by Dutch radio and television.”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 24, 2011 | Hits: 176

“The mezzo-soprano Anne Marieke Evers and the blockflute player Anita Orme Della Marta met at the beginning of their musical studies at the Conservatorium of Amsterdam in September 1997. They formed a duo shortly after, specializing in both contemporary music as well as medieval and renaissance music. Later in their careers, their paths led them to pursue further studies in medieval music at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, Switzerland, where they met the other ensemble members of Grand Désir. It was here that a common interest in the late-medieval music brought the group together in December 2004. Aside a few fixed members, Grand Désir likes to work with different musicians for each individual programme, thus creating the flexibility to obtain the perfect instrumentation for each project. Grand Désir performed their premiere in the ‘Fringe’ programme of the Utrecht Early Music Festival 2005. The ensemble has given numerous performances since in the Netherlands, Switzerland and Australia.”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 24, 2011 | Hits: 234

“La Barca Leyden derives its name from the two songs 'La Barca' ('the boat') and 'Fortuna guida' of 1611 of the Leiden composer, musician and organist of the city and Peter Hooglandse church Schuyt Cornelis (1557-1616). Together, the songs are a blessing and also an allusion to his own name: 'May the boat send Fortuna!'

This Baroque ensemble was founded in 2007 by flutist Raymond Honing and consists of prominent musicians who have specialised in authentic performance practice of early music and has a home in Leiden. La Barca Leyden joins the rich musical history of the city and revitalises Leiden as a residence by choice. La Barca Leyden starts where Cornelis Schuyt ended: in the early Baroque and occurs in both small and large occupation. “

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 24, 2011 | Hits: 184

“Conducted by Fritz Heller, the ensemble's repertoire focuses on music of the 16th century, including music from the Middle Ages and the early baroque period.

Repertoire by several big name composers like Josquin Desprez, Heinrich Isaac, Ludwig Senfl as well as lesser known ones, such as Johan Stokes, Lambertus de Monte de Ponta Adamus, are included in the programmes of the ensemble.

The main genres of music Rabaskadol perform are Motets, madrigals, instrumental fantasias, dance music.”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 24, 2011 | Hits: 186

“The William Byrd Vocal Ensemble was founded in 1981. The choirperforms a cappella music, though occasionally with accompaniment (piano, baroque ensemble) are used. The repertoire includes the entire choral literature of the last five hundred years.“

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 24, 2011 | Hits: 172

“Rachel Podger is one of the most creative talents to emerge in the field of period performance. Over the last two decades she has established herself as a leading interpreter of the music of the Baroque and Classical periods and holds numerous recordings to her name ranging from early seventeenth century music to Mozart. She was educated in Germany and in England at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she studied with David Takeno and Micaela Comberti.

Added on: Nov 25, 2011 | Hits: 220

“La Serenissima was formed in 1994 for a performance of Antonio Vivaldi’s La Senna festeggiante (RV 693) and has now firmly established itself as one of the leading exponents of the music of Antonio Vivaldi and his Italian contemporaries.

La Serenissima has been universally applauded by publications such as Gramophone Magazine, The Sunday Times, BBC Music Magazine, Diapason, Fanfare Magazine, American Record Guide, The Independent, The Strad, La Stampa, Gaudisc, Goldberg Magazine and the London Evening Standard for its performances and recordings on the AVIE label. They have made nine recordings to date and received Gramophone Award nominations in 2008, 2009 and 2010. 2009 also saw ‘Vivaldi — The French Connection’ selected for Gramophone Magazine’s Editor’s Choice and in 2010 this record won a Gramophone Award. Their latest recording, ‘Vivaldi — Gods, Emperors & Angels’ was Record of the Week on Classic FM and on US stations WQXR and KDFC. Both albums reached the top ten of the US Billboard (Classical) Charts in 2010.”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 25, 2011 | Hits: 294

“Palladians (formerly the Palladian Ensemble) is a quartet of the highest calibre, firmly established on the international music scene since 1991. They present baroque chamber music infused with style, uninhibited virtuosity and intelligent musicianship.

The original members of the Palladian Ensemble (Rachel Podger, Pamela Thorby, Joanna Levine and William Carter) met during their studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London) where they specialised in virtuoso chamber music of the baroque period. In 1991 they won the Early Music Centre International Young Artists' Competition, in 1992 they won the South East Arts Young Artists' Platform and by 1993 they had released their first album (An Excess of Pleasure) and made their Wigmore Hall debut.

Gamba player Susanne Heinrich replaced cellist Joanna Levine in 1995 and the Palladian Ensemble went on to tour extensively throughout the UK, South America, the US and Europe, enjoying consistent popularity with audiences and critics worldwide. They recorded six more albums on the way. By 2003 Rachel Podger decided to pursue a solo career and thus stepped in the prize-winning violinist Rodolfo Richter. The Ensemble made two more albums Les Elemens and Sonatas and Chorales - J.S. Bach.

The Palladian Ensemble's award-winning series of recordings for Linn Records have received unanimous praise. An Excess of Pleasure, A Choice Collection and Held by the Ears won the prestigious Diapason d'Or, with others winning Gramophone Magazine 'Editor's Choice' plaudits.

In 2007 Pamela Thorby left the Ensemble in order to pursue new performance opportunities. Nowadays, the Palladian Ensemble is known as "Palladians" allowing more artistic freedom for players to come and go as required, depending on the programme being performed.

In 2008 the Ensemble won a further two Diapason d'Or awards for "The London Collection: A Choice Collection / Held by the Ears" and "The Venice Collection: An Excess of Pleasure / The Winged Lion".  The winning albums are part of four double albums re-issued as the Collector's Series in September 2008.  These two new awards brings the Ensemble's total number of Diapason d'Or accolades to seven! “

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 25, 2011 | Hits: 241

“The Hungarian early music group Affetti Musicali, founded by the Hungarian musicologist János Malina in 1984, specialises in the historic performance of 17th- and 18th-century (and, in a few cases, later) vocal chamber music, both sacred and secular. Cantatas, duets, solo motets etc. alternate in their programs with contemporary sonatas and trio sonatas. The repertoire of the ensemble is extremely rich and exciting: they often unearth and perform virtually unknown masterpieces of great composers from Carissimi to Hasse. Their creed is that the music of past centuries, once revived and given proper performance, will become organic part of our modern culture. Affetti Musicali propagates this belief, live and through their records, across Europe.”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 28, 2011 | Hits: 161

“… ANIMA – musica mundana humana et instrumentalis is now nearing its twentieth anniversary. The group's concerts are the result of intensive research into performance based on the music of non-lettered communities located far from urban centers in Brazil, and the music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance in Europe. ANIMA constantly weaves dialog between ethnomusicology, historical musicology, and contemporary hermeneutics and theater, thus staging a musical story in which time is non- linear, with presentation and stage as ritualized space-time for musical realization in the full sense of the term. Europe's Middle Ages and Renaissance come together on the stage in the music of Brazil's non-urban oral tradition, with arrangements devised by the performers themselves, or proposed by members of the group and their guests. Their repertoire is structured and arranged on the basis of a central theme in a space-time-instrument intersection, using the language of chamber music to stage ongoing dialog between past and present, popular and classical culture.

The group has recorded the following CDs: Espiral do Tempo, winner of the 1997 Brazilian Popular Music Award in the category 'best instrumental CD', and the (1998) São Paulo Art Critics Association (APCA) award in the category 'best chamber-music ensemble'. In 1999, as part of the commemorations of the 500th anniversary of the discovery of Brazil, Anima recorded the CD Teatro do Descobrimento, conceived and directed by singer Anna Maria Kieffer. In 2000, Especiarias (CD) won the 5th Carlos Gomes Award for classical music (made by the State of São Paulo Secretariat for Culture) in the category 'best chamber-music ensemble'. Amares (CD) was sponsored by REDE electric company in 2003. Espelho (CD and DVD) was produced 2006 – 2008 and both were sponsored exclusively by PETROBRAS. …”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 28, 2011 | Hits: 236

Luca Mereu: baroque mandoline
Elisabetta Fardelli:  harpsichord

“The Pizzico Ensemble was created with the intent to promote a repertoire dedicated to compositions for harpsichord, mandolin, vocals and strings now forgotten. The repertoire experienced its heyday in the eighteenth century along with a lot of mandolin composers such as: Paganini, Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart, Vivaldi and others. …”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Dec 03, 2011 | Hits: 215

“The Longslade Consort is a small group of musicians dedicated to bringing the highest standards of small consort music to the widest possible audience. Members of the group have performed on local radio, in nineteen Cathedrals, stately homes and numerous Parish Churches. They have also devised many Baroque dinners with 18thC food and music. The group has performed in the Barbican foyer, at the Edinburgh and Glasgow Early Music Festival Fringes and has appeared several times at the International Music Festival at Sidmouth. They make regular appearances at the annual Leicester Castle Park Festival. They are particularly noted for their lighthearted introduction to the World of Early Music.

The Longslade Consort's collection of early musical instruments includes a set of Renaissance recorders, crumhorns, cornamuse, gemshorn, rauschpfeife, rackett, shawm, sordune, spinet, harpsichord, viol da gamba, an assortment of percussion including nakers and timbrel and a vast number of Baroque recorders. Apart from the recorders, most were made by the group's Director, John Bence. The woodwind are mostly based on originals in the Brussels' Collection and the spinet is a copy of an early 18th century original in a private collection.

The group's first CD - "Music from the Mists of Time" is a lighthearted look at the World of Early Music with a wide-ranging selection of instruments from the Consort's collection, coupled with some great pieces from the Baroque, featuring Handel, Scarlatti and Telemann. A second CD, "A Window to the Past," presents a further selection of music from the group's vast repertoire.

"The members of the consort are remarkably versatile and accomplished musicians adept at performing on all manner of early instruments - many of which were made by John Bence, the group’s founder.” Leicester Mercury, August 2007.

"The second half concentrated on the Baroque with works by Vivaldi, Handel and Loeillet, all stylishly played by the Consort. John Bence, the Consort’s founder and director, introduced the music with his customary mixture of wit and erudition.” Leicester Mercury August 2008 - Neil Crutchley

"With informative narration by John Bence, this was an absorbing musical and educational experience. This concert was entertaining, informative, displayed fine musicianship and ably demonstrated some of the Genius of the Baroque composers. " Leicester Mercury 2011.”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Dec 12, 2011 | Hits: 249

“A Companye of Strangers performs Medieval and Tudor music, song and dance, as yeomen and women, or as courtiers. We are based in Kent, and have been taking part in all manner of events in England, France and Germany since 1993, and can provide entertainment for Medieval or Tudor banquets, re-enactment events, festivals, markets, ceilidhs, weddings and parties. We are also happy to teach the audience some of our simpler dances so that they may join in the fun.

Please note that we are not a living history group – our primary aim is to entertain!

We are always happy to welcome new members, men or women – no experience required.”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Dec 15, 2011 | Hits: 209