EarlyMusicNews.Org

“One of the world's leading early music ensembles, Philip Pickett's versatile New London Consort explores a uniquely wide and colourful repertoire of Renaissance and Baroque music presented in carefully planned programmes designed to combine the very best in scholarship and entertainment.

The principal artists, all established soloists in their own right, share a rare unanimity of purpose and style, resulting in the New London Consort's undisputed reputation for artistry, flair and virtuosity.

Their concerts and recordings, while frequently including first modern performances of unpublished, undiscovered or reconstructed masterpieces, also shed unexpected and often controversial new light on more familiar works.”

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Added on: Nov 08, 2012 | Hits: 67

“The Pacific Collegium aims to bring exceptional vocalists together with period instrumentalists in adventurous exploration of the marriage of text and music—the meeting of the natural instrument with the artful. Specializing in 16th- through 18th-century vocal chamber music and choral music, as well as the occasional foray into the modern repertory, we are committed to the presentation of virtuosic literature in both concert and liturgical settings. We are Artists-in-Residence at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Oakland and provide music for the Traditional Latin Mass at St. Margaret Mary’s Catholic Church, Oakland. …”

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Added on: Mar 28, 2012 | Hits: 87

“Consort Anon. (named after the most prolific composer of the Middle Ages) has been performing at concerts, weddings, festivals, church services and other events since Kevin, Eric and Mary Anne formed the group (with Chuck Norris - not THE Chuck Norris) in 1979. Our performing specialty is music of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance but we also make very pleasant excursions into the Baroque, Colonial American, Jazz and 20th Century musical forms. …”

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Added on: Nov 12, 2012 | Hits: 88

“In 1993 the late Sam Wanamaker asked Philip Pickett to form an associate ensemble to carry the name and ethos of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre around the world through concerts, recordings and broadcasts.

Determined to achieve the highest possible standards of musical performance, Pickett immediately formed the Musicians of the Globe from among the very best of England’s early music instrumentalists. Together with distinguished vocal soloists they explore a colourful and varied repertoire of Elizabethan and Jacobean music, much of it inspired by Shakespeare.

The nucleus of the group – a 6-part English consort of violin, recorder, cittern, lute, bandora and bass viol – can be expanded to perform large-scale programmes of 17th-century music. …”

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Added on: Nov 08, 2012 | Hits: 104

“Founded in 2007 by violinist Riccardo Minasi, unites the solo, chamber music and orchestral experiences of some of the most active young musicians on the international scene today. In the few years since the group was conceived,  it was already invited to important festivals and concert series such as Bologna Festival, GOG of Genova, Ravenna Festival, Birmingham Early Music Festival, Festival of Utrecht, Auditori of Barcelona, Caixa Madrid, Valencia, Festival de Divonne, Santiago de Compostela, Attersee Festival, Potsdam Sanssouci Festival, Musica e Poesia a S.Maurizio, O Flos Colende from Florence, Bad Kissingen, Festival de Santander, Innsbruck Festival,Teatro de El Escorial, etc… With a repertoire that expands from late 1500’s to the beginning of the 1800’s Musica Antiqua Roma thanks to rigourous study and continuous musicological research, maintains a particular attention to the vast, and partly forgotten repertoire of Music by roman composers from the 17th and 18th centuries.”

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Added on: May 21, 2012 | Hits: 107

“QUALIA lets the listener immerse into an almost alien musical world, into the deep roots and sources of being of European music history, which in today’s perception is almost lost completely. …” (Carpe Diem Records (label), http://www.carpediem-records.de/en/mundus-et-musica)

Also see: http://ensemblequalia.over-blog.com/pages/contact-2872937.html

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Added on: Nov 12, 2012 | Hits: 107

“Recorder trio TRE FONTANE was formed in the spring 2008 to perform early and contemporary music, namely the music of middle ages, renaissance, early and high baroque times and music written during 20th and 21st centuries. In the interpretation the ensemble is using various period recorders e.g. consort of renaissance recorders (this including three tenors and treble in g) and copies of baroque recorders built after the original instruments preserved in museums and private collections. This allows the using of adequate „authentic“ pitch and various scales of temperaments (meantone, unequal temperatures). The repertoir of Tre Fontane consists not only of compositions written right for three recorders (exact intrumenation notes were introduced in later 17th century) but according to early performance practice plays also the compositions for other instruments (e.g. transcriptions of organ pieces or vocal compositions).“

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Added on: Mar 30, 2012 | Hits: 108

“Formed in 2011 to explore the virtuoso wind music from the 18th century, the Edinburgh based Ensemble Marsyas counts amongst its members some of the finest historical instrumentalists working in Europe today. Having first met whilst studying in Basel and performing with the European Union Baroque Orchestra, the core members of the ensemble went on to win first prize and audience prize at the 2007 Brugge International Competition playing the music of Zelenka. Each member has since established themselves at the forefront of the profession and individually they have been awarded accolades by both critics and the recording industry alike.

Added on: Nov 08, 2012 | Hits: 109

“Ensemble bringing together singers and instrumentalists specialising in early music, Les Jardins de Courtoisie devotes itself to songs in old french from the XIIth to the XVIIth century.

The ensemble is equally open to other artistic disciplines and different repertoires collaborating with other artists and groups : music from the XXth century and contemporary creation, songs in other languages, improvisations, working with actors, dansers, calligraphers...

Created in 2004 and based in Lyon, Les Jardins de Courtoisie diffuses its works throughout France and more recently internationaly. It is distinguished by its presence at festivals like Ambronay, Saintes and Le Thoronet and have produced two CD’s that have obtained important prizes and excellent reviews.

The ensemble regularly organises meetings (workshops, conferences, courses and master-classes) and participates in educational projects.”

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Added on: Mar 29, 2012 | Hits: 112

“The City Musick is an ensemble recently formed to explore the lives and repertoires of the Waits, civic musicians who would have been a familiar sight in towns and cities in England in the 16th and 17th centuries. The name is also given to the long-term research project into the waits being undertaken by its director, William Lyons. The City Musick has given several concerts in the UK and abroad, their debut actually being in the USA where they gave a successful series of concerts in 2009 including a performance at the reconstructed Blackfriars Theater in Staunton, Virginia. Most recently the ensemble performed at the Waits symposium organized by William Lyons at the Museum of London, where the ensemble in it’s various manifestations gave recitals of waits music. The members of The City Musick are all seasoned professionals specializing in historical performance, working with other leading period music ensembles and at the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London

Members: William Lyons, Director, Richard Thomas, cornett recorder bagpipes, Nick Perry, cornett shawm recorder bagpipes, Paul Bevan, sackbut recorder, Tom Lees, sackbut”

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Added on: Mar 28, 2012 | Hits: 113

“The STUDIO DE MUSIQUE ANCIENNE DE MONTRÉAL is dedicated to performing and promoting musical works written prior to 1750, with the intention of recreating and reintroducing this forgotten music, taking great care to maintain its authenticity. With its professional vocal ensemble, it premieres and presents concerts, and produces audiovisual recordings in Canada and abroad. …”

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Added on: Mar 28, 2012 | Hits: 114

“In their endeavour to find new perspectives on old music, Rebaroque have chosen to co-operate with several soloists and conductors. Together with soprano Susanne Rydén the ensemble toured in 2005-2006 with the musical drama "Christina's Journey", which was also broadcast on Swedish national television (SVT) and was highly acclaimed by the critics when released on CD.

Rebaroque works with choirs such as The Swedish Radio Choir, The Mikaeli Chamber Choir, and Eric Ericson's Chamber Choir, and has apart from TV-appearances made numerous radio recordings and live broadcasts, of which several have been European broadcasts.”

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Added on: Mar 24, 2012 | Hits: 115

“Tempest is Halifax's innovative Baroque music ensemble on period instruments led by internationally acclaimed violinist David Greenberg. Other members of the group include Symphony Nova Scotia musicians Kirsty Money (vln/vla), Karen Langille (vln), Celeste Jankowski (vln/vla), Hilary Brown (cello), and Max Kasper (double bass).

Since its creation in January 2001, Tempest has presented numerous concerts and has recorded for CBC radio and television. Tempest has collaborated with artists such as Chris Norman (flute, director of The Chris Norman Ensemble, and the Boxwood Festival, Lunenburg), Francis Colpron (recorder, director of Les Boréades, Montreal), David McGuinness (keyboards, director of Concerto Caledonia, Glasgow), Matthew Wadworth (lute, Montreal), as well as Nova Scotia's own Scott Macmillan (guitar). Tempest has been the orchestra-in-residence at the Boxwood Festival since 2006.”

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Added on: Mar 28, 2012 | Hits: 115

“Ghislieri Choir & Consort, Baroque ensemble in residence at the College Ghislieri, provides some of the best singers and instrumentalists Italian Baroque. Has an active project of rediscovery of the sacred choral reperorio the eighteenth century that will be released worldwide by Sony-Deutsche Harmonia Mundi.  …” (Google Translate)

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Added on: Mar 03, 2012 | Hits: 118

“In the summer of 2005, a few singers in the Madison Early Music Festival decided that it was a fine idea to get together and delight themselves with singing madrigals. The group's first piece—William Byrd’s “This sweet and merry month of May”, whose ending celebrated Queen Elizabeth I with the words

And greet Eliza with a rhyme:
O beauteous Queen of Second Troy,
Take well in worth a simple toy.

provided a great name for the group. Eliza’s Toyes was born, and existed every summer in Madison, Wisconsin.

In 2008, a fair number of singers who were in Eliza's Toyes are living in Madison once again. Thus we gather, outside of the Festival, for the joy of music making. It is our pleasure to continue sharing this wonderful body of music with you for the second year!”

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Added on: Mar 23, 2012 | Hits: 118

“Ulv is a new ensemble performing Swedish medieval ballads, folk hymns, and instrumental music from old sources.(Agnethe Christensen, voice, Baltic cittern - Lena Susanne Norin voice -  Elizabeth Gaver, medieval fiddle)

The hymns were collected in Sweden, Estonia and the Ukraine. Many of the ballads were preserved without melodies and Ulv has shaped new ones from medieval motives and other existing folk tunes.  

The Swedish medieval ballads have roots in both Icelandic mythology and the European ballad tradition. Many ballad texts have been documented without melodies and Ulv has shaped new melodies from medieval motives and other existing Swedish folk tunes that fit the surviving texts.

The Swedish folk hymns were sung both in church and at home. Some organists held the final tone of the hymn phrases so the singers could finish their own ornamented versions. At home, the hymns could be sung and ornamented without additional harmonies.”

Added on: Mar 24, 2012 | Hits: 118

“Taking its name from the Italian concitare ("to incite or provoke"), Concitato electrifies listeners with insightful interpretations of rarely performed repertoire, while redefining the way audiences hear the more well-known works of the Baroque canon. Concitato tastefully combines the latest discoveries in musicological research with cutting-edge training. Founded in 2008 by violinist Joan Plana, this trio of dynamic young players—violinist Joan Plana, cellist Ezra Seltzer, and harpsichordist Jeffrey Grossman—performs a vast repertoire of diverse instrumental music from the baroque era. Concitato’s flexibility allows for the inclusion of additional musical collaborators for larger ensemble or vocal works. After a stunning Chicago début in November 2008, Concitato has performed concerts in Montreal, Cleveland, and New York. In 2009, Concitato was named a finalist of the York International Early Music Competition.“

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Added on: Mar 29, 2012 | Hits: 118

“If Wales is known as the Land of Song, the tunes have had to take a back seat until the arrival of Crasdant - the foremost instrumental band of the country.

Take four gifted instrumentalists, all with impeccable solo musical credentials, combining out of mutual respect and with a focussed aim of placing the Welsh instrumental canon alongside its Celtic brethren.

Crasdant mix the traditional harp of Wales, the unique triple harp, with flutes, fiddle, accordion, guitar and Welsh reed instrument - the pibgorn. Adding a terpsichorean spice to the mix is the flamboyant step-dancing of a champion clogger. …”

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Added on: Mar 15, 2012 | Hits: 121

“Founded in the summer of 2007 by harpsichordist John Austin Clark and baroque violinist Nicolas Fortin, Bourbon Baroque is a period instrument ensemble based in Louisville, Kentucky that specializes in the historically informed performance of 17^th and 18^th century music. Through inter-related arts collaborations and with a sensitivity for the modern audience, Bourbon Baroque performs regularly throughout the year in a variety of venues, often collaborating with other transformative and innovative organizations such as Moving Collective, Choral Arts Society of Louisville, Kentucky Opera, Louisville Youth Choir, and Musica Toscana. Based on a given program, Bourbon Baroque can be heard in chamber, orchestral, and choral/operatic settings. Be a part of Louisville's new vibrant musical initiative and discover the energy and dance as the music of the Baroque resounds in our minds, bodies, and in our slow-sipped bourbon.”

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Added on: Mar 28, 2012 | Hits: 121

“Poul Høxbro is a true pioneer in the field of music. He has been called ”the great man of small instruments” and it is true that he is quite unique in the way he has taken the medieval instrument of pipe and tabor – played simultaneously by one person – out of the shadows and into the full glare of concert platforms all over  the world.

He has performed in intimate chamber music settings, as a soloist in a contemporary Danish opera at the Royal Opera House in Copenhagen, on traditional music stages, at medieval markets, and as a theatre musician. Poul Høxbro has amazed and delighted audiences with his virtuosity and lively musicality, crossing the borders of what might be expected from his ”small” instruments – instruments which, apart from pipe and tabor, include all types of historical percussion and traditional flutes. …”

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Added on: Mar 24, 2012 | Hits: 122

“One of few professional lute ensembles, the Venere Lute Quartet performs Renaissance and Baroque masterworks and is actively expanding the surviving lute ensemble repertoire with its own arrangements. The ensemble has performed throughout the United States and in Europe. Some appearances include the Lute Society of America, the Seattle Early Music Guild, La Guitarra California, Amherst Early Music Festival, Cambridge Society for Early Music, and the Fodella Foundation Series in Milan, Italy. Members of the Quartet are busy lute professionals in four of America's leading early music centers (Boston, New York, Chicago, and Minneapolis) who share a deep commitment to ensemble playing, lute scholarship, and audience education. “

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Added on: Mar 14, 2012 | Hits: 125

“Carreg Lafar means 'speaking stone', an echo stone. At the forefront of the Welsh traditional music scene, the group has changed many peoples' view of traditional Welsh music with their passionate and lively performances. Through a mix of traditional and original music, Carreg Lafar presents a vibrant spirit whilst remaining rooted in the language and living tradition of Welsh song and dance music. The music is arranged for traditional and contemporary instruments including fiddle, flute, pibgorn (hornpipe), pibau (bagpipes) and guitar, together with dynamic vocals. The group has made three albums with Sain records, 'Ysbryd y Werin', 'Hyn' and 'Profiad'.”

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Added on: Mar 14, 2012 | Hits: 130

“Tinktur is a newly formed ensemble with a love of early music. We create theatrical performances for church or chamber room. The voice, lute and poetry woven together and a living history is told.

Tinktur is made ​​up of Ann-Christine Wesser Ingels (vocals), Sofia Thelin Edgren (vocals) and Fredrik Bock (lute, theorbo, etc.), all familiar faces from the Swedish music scene. All three have a classical background, but downloading is fond of inspiration from song and folk tradition ... In the theatrical process, we collaborate with registered consultants. For specific programs and performances extended ensemble with more known musicians from Sweden and Denmark.”

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Added on: Mar 24, 2012 | Hits: 132

“Modern Musick, under the artistic leadership of music director John Moran and concertmaster Risa Browder, is a baroque chamber orchestra founded in Washington, DC in January 2002.  Taking its name from an eighteenth century primer The Modern Musick-Master or the Universal Musician, Modern Musick seeks, through the immediacy of live performance, to restore a sense of newness to music of the 17th and 18th centuries.  To this end Modern Musick uses period instruments and historical performance practices as a starting point allowing the musicians the freedom to make new discoveries.  Modo (latin for “just now”), the root of the word “modern” is the perfect description for cutting edge music making of the moment.“

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Added on: Mar 02, 2012 | Hits: 133

“Fuoco e Cenere is exceptional not only in its choice of repertoire, which spirals from medieval times to our own century, but foremost in its desire to kindle passions and memories that outlast the concert experience. The interpretations of Fuoco e Cenere magnify image and expression of superb musical and poetic texts enabling them to shock the public by their beauty. …”

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Added on: Sep 30, 2011 | Hits: 136