EarlyMusicNews.Org

“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.”

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Added on: Nov 14, 2011 | Hits: 185

“Founded in 1986, The Four Nations Ensemble brings together soloists who are leading exponents of period instrument and vocal performance to present great music from the Renaissance through the Viennese Classical masterpieces of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. For two decades, Four Nations has developed a leading presence on the early music scene in New York and across the country. With a core ensemble of harpsichord or fortepiano, violin(s), flute, and cello, the Ensemble explores and performs the major masterpieces of the 17th and 18th centuries, from trio sonata to piano trio and quartet. Four Nations has performed at major houses and series throughout the United States including The Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center. The Ensemble has participated in festivals including The Boston Early Music Festival, New York's Mostly Mozart, Amherst Festival, New Haven's International Festival of Arts & Ideas, Virginia Waterfront International Arts Festival, Chautauqua, The Indiana Early Music Festival, The Redwoods Festival in Santa Rosa, California, and Brasilseguridade in Rio de Janeiro.”

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Tags: New York

Added on: Jan 29, 2012 | Hits: 185

“Il Giardino Armonico was founded in 1985 by Giovanni Antonini (recorder), Paolo Beschi (cello) and Lorenzo Ghielmi (harpsichord), joined after a short time by the lutist Luca Pianca and the violinist Enrico Onofri, and brings together musicians from some of Europe’s leading music institutions, all of them specialized in performing on period instruments. The ensemble’s repertory is mainly focused on the 17th and 18th centuries. Depending on the demands of each programme, the group will consist of anywhere from 3 to 35 musicians. …”

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Added on: Feb 04, 2012 | Hits: 185

“Washington's Camerata, established in 2009, is a period instrument ensemble dedicated to the music of the 17th and 18th centuries. Founding flutists Kelly Kazik and Sarah McIver achieve innovative programming through the ensemble's unique instrumentation to bring charming and rarely heard music back to life.  …”

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Added on: Nov 12, 2012 | Hits: 187

“In mythology, La Fenice - the Phoenix - is a fabulous bird, which was celebrated for consuming itself in flame then rising from its ashes. La Fenice is used here as a symbol of the influence of Italian music in Baroque Europe. It was also the title of a work by Giovanni Martino Cesare, an Italian composer and cornett player who moved north of the Alps in the early 17th century. Today this name has been adopted by a group of musicians, whose common desire is to share their passion for the sumptuous Venetian music of that time and bring out all its extraordinary vitality.

The ensemble's repertoire nevertheless includes works by composers from all over Europe and covers more than two centuries of music; indeed, the cornett was commonly used in the early 16th century by Josquin Desprez and his contemporaries and it was still in use at J.S. Bach's time and Bach himself included it in several of his cantatas.

The cornett can be found alongside the voice in sacred music throughout the Baroque period; it is mentioned in the registers of the Royal Chapel at Versailles until 1733. As for the sound it produces, Mersenne, tells us in his Harmonie universelle (Paris, 1636) that « it is like a sunbeam shining through the shadows or through the darkness when it is heard among the voices in churches, cathedrals or chapels... “

Anxious to respect the original instrumentation, particularly in vocal music, where the instruments shed light on the text through their symbolical import, the ensemble adapts to fit in with each programmes it performs. Coming from all over Europe, the Ensemble’s musicians are all internationally renowned soloists, playing with the best Early music ensembles in the world.

Just after its establishment, the Ensemble La Fenice has won the first prize in two international competitions (Bruges, 1990 and Malmö, 1992). Since then, it has played in the most important festivals in France, Europe and all over the world. La Fenice’s recordings - Opus 111, Virgin Classics, Ricercar - are regularly awarded the most prestigious distinctions (Choc Monde de la Musique, Diapason d'Or, 10/10. Répertoire, 5 Etoiles. Goldberg…).”

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Added on: Sep 30, 2011 | Hits: 188

“French vocal ensemble founded in 1977, A Sei Voci has set itself the aim to discover or rediscover scores - often un-edited - of composers of the Renaissance, Italian Baroque and contemporary vocal music. …“

Added on: Sep 30, 2011 | Hits: 188

“Accademia del Piacere was founded in 2004. His organicum varies from the trio to the small chamber orchestra. Accademia del Piacere is presented as one of the young Andalusian groups with more presence on the international scene of early music. Its members, who combine the strength of youth and the wisdom of experience, have performed at festivals and theatres worldwide. Accademia del Piacere has performed at prestigious events such as the National Auditorium of Spain, Luxembourg Grand Theater, Festival of Ravello (Italy), FEMAS (Sevilla), Festival Las Piedras Cantan, Radovlijka Festival (Slovenia), Early Music Festival of Peñíscola, Early Music Festival Aracena, Cantatas Cycle of Johann Sebastian Bach (Madrid), Festival Camino de Santiago, Early Music Festival in Malaga, Spanish Music Festival in Cadiz, Early Music Festival of Úbeda and Baeza, Cultural Almeria 2006, Teatro Villamarta ... Their concerts are usually transmitted by the most prestigious media such as Radio Clásica, of RNE”

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Added on: Nov 13, 2011 | Hits: 188

“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. …”

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Added on: Nov 20, 2011 | Hits: 188

“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.”

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Added on: Nov 17, 2011 | Hits: 190

“Music City Baroque (formerly Belle Meade Baroque) brings the world of Historically Informed Performance to Nashville and the Middle Tennessee region. Through the use of period instruments, and the latest musicological findings on matters such as pitch, articulation and tempo, Nashville audiences are able to experience the world of seventeenth and eighteenth century music in all its original color and passion.

The mission of this not-for-profit organization includes performances with larger instrumental ensembles, workshops and programs with guest experts in the field from around the country, and on-going collaborations with area educational institutions.”

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Added on: Feb 19, 2012 | Hits: 190

“Inspired by the gloriously virtuosic music from the end of the 17th century, from which the name "Stylus Fantasticus" was coined, the aim of the ensemble is to recreate repertoire from the early seicento until the late baroque searching and exploring the extravagance that flourished when composers and instrumentalists dared to traverse the established limits of the usual.

From the excesses of Biber, through the unrestrained harmonic richness of Rameau and the ravishing melodic imagination of Pandolfi Mealli, to the vividness and passion of the forerunners of romanticism as depicted by the generation after Bach, Fantasticus makes no compromises with regard to authentic performance, fearlessly trespassing on the borders of correctness.”

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Added on: Mar 01, 2012 | Hits: 190

“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.”

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Added on: Dec 15, 2011 | Hits: 192

“XVIII-21 Le Baroque Nomade is a Baroque music ensemble, its adventure sometimes leading it to contrast this repertoire of the 17 th and 18 th centuries with other types of music that crossed it, thanks to the globe-trotting musicians who travelled the world in an era when voyages led to hybrid cultures...

XVIII-21 aims at finding other kinds of music :  music that is exotic or different ; music that is listened to in other ways, by other kinds of people. This pursuit sometimes involves violence, restrictions or confrontation. But it also makes way for an encounter, a fundamental, liberating passion. …”

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Added on: May 25, 2011 | Hits: 193

“The dynamic ensemble, Fleuri, formed in 2002 after graduating from the Royal College of Music in London, where they were the winners of the Century Fund Prize for Early Music. Specialising in repertoire of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, they share a passion for the music of Handel's London and folk-inspired baroque music from around the British Isles and Eire. A distinctive feature of some of their performances is the wearing of sumptuous eighteenth century costume designed and made especially for the ensemble, adding to the visual spectacle and enriching the concert experience for audience and performers alike. …“

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Added on: Sep 07, 2011 | Hits: 193

“Delighting audiences around the country with their spirited performances, Armonia Celeste (ar-mo-NEE-ache-LES-tay) is an emerging ensemble specializing in rarely heard repertoire from the Italian Renaissance and early Baroque. The group is comprised of three distinct female voices accompanied by period instruments: lute, theorbo, guitar, and the rare arpa doppia (Baroque triple harp). Each of the five members of the ensemble is a highly experienced solo performer in their own right; together, the musicians create an unforgettable combination of varied vocal and instrumental colors, florid ornamentation, expressiveness, and a noticeable passion for this repertoire.

The idea for Armonia Celeste came about in 2008 when the musicians performed together at the Misiones de Chiquitos International American Renaissance and Baroque Music Festival in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Since then, the ensemble has been featured in a concert of Monteverdi’s Il settimo Libro di Madrigali with the Dallas Bach Society, performed at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth in conjunction with the museum’s exhibit, “Art and Love in Renaissance Italy,” and has offered many concerts throughout Texas and Oklahoma. At the 2009 Boston Early Music Festival, Armonia Celeste presented an extremely well-received fringe concert entitled “Love and Longing.” Early in 2010, the group appeared in, and provided music for, an educational PBS documentary presented by Early Music Television entitled “Culture Wars of Venice and the Birth of Public Opera.” Eugene Enrico, Early Music Television organizer and professor of Musicology at the Oklahoma School of Music, commented, “[The] new professional ensemble Armonia Celeste is the finest group I’ve heard performing early baroque Italian music.””

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Added on: Jan 21, 2012 | Hits: 194

“The Gonzaga Band was formed by cornettist Jamie Savan in 1997, in order to explore historical approaches to the performance of vocal and instrumental music of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Its line-up is flexible, with a small core of musicians that expands on occasion to include other leading vocal and period-instrument specialists according to the specific requirements of each programme.

The ensemble takes its name from the Gonzaga Dukes of Mantua, who were powerful and influential patrons of the arts in the late Renaissance period. The Gonzaga family employed Claudio Monteverdi as their maestro di cappella, and he presided over a musical establishment that was, for a time, the envy of the world. ...

Several members of The Gonzaga Band are active as teachers at universities and music colleges, and regularly give educational workshops for primary and secondary schools. Between 2000 and 2004, The Gonzaga Band worked for Yehudi Menuhin’s ‘Live Music Now’ scheme, delivering numerous concerts and workshops for children and adults with special needs. Since 2005, The Gonzaga Band has hosted the annual Newark International Early Music course for amateur and young professional wind players.

The Gonzaga Band's line up is flexible and varies depending on the requirements of each project.  …“

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Added on: Sep 07, 2011 | Hits: 195

“Currentes was founded in 2006 by its artistic director, Jostein Gundersen. Since then, it has performed in Norway, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Italy. Currentes defines its artistic goals as within the field of historically informed performance and specialises in polyphonic music from the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Its particular interest is the exploration of that which has not been transmitted in musical notation, such as instrumentation, improvisation of ornaments, or entire parts. The ensemble ́s interest in new forms of expression has led not only to unorthodox performances of medieval and renaissance music, but also to its commissioning of a new work by the Norwegian composer, Eivind Buene. The ensemble´s first CD was released in January 2012 on LAWO Classics.”

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Added on: Feb 23, 2012 | Hits: 195

“Ensemble Il Ballo was founded in 2002. It is dedicated to interpreting the music of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, with a particular interest in Renaissance music and Italian music of the early seventeenth century.”

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Added on: Sep 30, 2011 | Hits: 196

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. …”

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Added on: Dec 03, 2011 | Hits: 197

“Austentation are the accomplished and versatile singer Gillie Tunley, and the well-established instrumentalist and singer Frank Underwood, who have combined forces to present musical performances from the Regency period, including material from Jane Austen's own collections at Chawton in Hampshire.”

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Added on: Sep 07, 2011 | Hits: 198

“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: 198

“Wayward Sisters is Beth Wenstrom (baroque violin), Anne Timberlake (recorders), Anna Steinhoff (baroque cello), and John Lenti (theorbo and guitar). In 2011, Wayward Sisters won the Early Music America/Naxos recording competition, and will record their debut CD with Naxos during the 2011-2012 season. Critics have praised Wayward Sisters' "imaginative program and alert, stylish performances," as well as the group's "polished and spirited playing and well-balanced ensemble" (Chicago Classical Review).

Since debuting in 2009, Wayward Sisters has excited and inspired audiences across the United States, including appearing as Emerging Artists on the Newberry Consort's 2010-2011 concert season. Members of Wayward Sisters have studied historical performance at Oberlin Conservatory, Indiana University, and The Juilliard School.

The name "Wayward Sisters" refers not only to Henry Purcell's vivid conjuring of Shakespeare's witches, but to the group members' scattered lives and continuing commitment to making music together.”

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Added on: Jan 21, 2012 | Hits: 198

Los Músicos de su Alteza is a vocal and instrumental ensemble founded by Luis Antonio Gonzalez in 1992. Their repertoire ranges from early Baroque to Viennese classicism.

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Added on: Apr 14, 2011 | Hits: 199

“ Agave Baroque is a period instrument ensemble dedicated to the diverse and compelling repertoire of the seventeenth Century. Founded in 2007, Agave Baroque delivers expressive, thoughtful interpretations colored with imagination, wit, and humor. In 2009, Agave Baroque was chosen through a competitive application process to represent Early Music America at the APAP Conference in New York City, where they performed twice. Members of this engaging young ensemble also perform with some of the nation's leading baroque orchestras and ensembles, including Philharmonica Baroque, American Bach Soloists, Musica Angelica, and Ensemble Mirable, as well as the New Century Chamber Orchestra and Los Angeles Master Chorale.“

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Added on: Jan 21, 2012 | Hits: 199

“Ars Lyrica Houston (ALH) offers audiences a broad range of music from the 17th and 18th centuries, on period instruments and with careful attention to period style and context. Ars Lyrica, which means “lyric art,“ performs on period instruments because they produce a sweeter, more intimate sound than their modern equivalents and are better suited to the performance of Baroque music especially. Founded in 1998 by harpsichordist and conductor Matthew Dirst and incorporated in 2003 as a 501(c)(3) organization, this Grammy–nominated ensemble offers a yearly series of programs at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Houston and also performs regularly at other area and national venues.

Under Dirst’s leadership, ALH “set[s] the agenda for imaginative period–instrument programming in Houston“ (according to the Houston Chronicle) with a distinctive blend of chamber, dramatic, and sacred works from the late Renaissance through the Classical era in music history. Its recordings have garnered international acclaim: Gramophone, the leading journal of the classical recording industry, praised Ars Lyrica’s debut CD for its “exemplary skill and taste,“ the ensemble’s musicians for their “impassioned performance“ of never-before recorded works by Alessandro Scarlatti; while Ars Lyrica’s latest CD, the world première recording of Johann Adolf Hasse’s Marc Antonio e Cleopatra, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Opera 2011.

ALH is proud to have represented Houston’s thriving early music community with programs at national meetings and conventions of the American Musicological Society, the American Bach Society, the American Guild of Organists, the Society for 17th–Century Music, and, this past summer, at the world–renowned Boston Early Music Festival. ALH also serves communities across Texas through frequent collaborations with other Texas–based arts organizations, including leading choral groups and early music sponsors. In addition to its concert and recording activities, ALH offers diverse educational and outreach programs, which focus on enriching the concert experience and on building new audiences.

Recent efforts in this area include two distinctive in–school programs for K–12 children in the Houston area, family concerts at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, university-level workshops and collaborations, demonstrations of period instruments, performances at nontraditional venues, and lectures about upcoming programs.”

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Added on: Mar 01, 2012 | Hits: 199