EarlyMusicNews.Org

"The ensemble Babel, formed in 2002, was born with a desire to enhance culture and music of the period commonly called Middle Ages. The musicians in the group, all from other ensemble of ancient music and popular (Sagegreen, Pandemonio, Harmonia Mundi Ensemble, Les Nouveaux Trouvères), un'inedita proposed merger between the medieval and Renaissance music and popular European musical tradition. The ensemble has participated in numerous historical commemorations in northern Italy (Novara, Rhone, Cusago, Castelnuovo), several dinners medieval and Renaissance and has played at various concert music old (Varese, Lecco, Milan, Arona). ... " (Google transl.) Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 18, 2008 | Hits: 380

"If we consider that the revival of early music is a type of repossession and liberation, then the Capella de Ministrers ensemble has enlarged the boundaries of freedom by providing a comprehensive approach to several medieval, Renaissance and baroque works. The lyrics of these compositions offer a limited view of this literature, which can only be completed by listening to its musical accompaniment. Thus, this music becomes a bridge allowing present-day men and women to escape from the 21st century and join those who listened to and lived this music a few centuries ago.

Ever since its foundation in 1987, the Capella de Ministrers ensemble, directed by Carles Magraner, has developed an important investigative and musicological task in favor of the musical Spanish patrimony, from the medieval times up to the 19th century. The result transformed into musical testimony, brings together the perfection of three key factors: the historical rigor, the musical and, sensibility specially, an uncontrollable desire to communicate and they make us participants of these experiences. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 13, 2008 | Hits: 380

"We are a merry band of professional minstrels who provide a truly authentic flavour of Elizabethan England. Our music, instruments and costumes are all accurately researched, but we're not hardened academics. We play music that's an instant hit with most audiences.

We use 16th century improvisation techniques to keep the music fresh. Every performance is different, and we make sure that the tempo, style and instrumentation change regularly. No-one gets bored at a Diabolus gig. " ...

Added on: Aug 22, 2007 | Hits: 379

"The CONSORT VENETO is an italian group, playing on renaissance instruments. We are interested to shine new light on both instrumnetal and vocal music, composed in the centuries from the Middle Age to the early Baroque.

The Consort Veneto is particulary devoted to study and perform the music of Venetian area, i.e., north-eastern Italy.

The Consort Veneto performed more than 400 concerts in Italy and abroad, namely in Poland, India, Rumania, Greece, Belgium, Egypt, Israel, Sweden, Germany, Austria, Croatia, Mexico, Portugal, recording for italian, greek, israeli, and egyptian TV and radio broadcasting corporation. " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Feb 10, 2008 | Hits: 379

"Seven Times Salt was formed in February 2003. Since that time, we have performed for the Longy School of Music, Harvard University, The Society For Historically Informed Performance, the Boston Recorder Society, Plimoth Plantation, the Ken Pierce Dance Company, the Amherst Early Music Festival, the Early Music Festivals in Bloomington (IN) and Boston, the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum, and WGBH radio. We are based in Boston, MA, and our specialty is chamber music of the 16th and 17th centuries. ...

In our own repertoire, we strive to cover the waterfront from Morley to Matteis and everything in between, including not just English music, but other popular music from around Europe in the musically fertile period of the 16th and 17th centuries. The English consort turns out to be a perfect vehicle for a wide variety of Renaissance and early Baroque music, especially with the occasional addition of voices and other instruments such as bagpipes and percussion. "

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Added on: Mar 08, 2008 | Hits: 379

"Aquila Altera is a vocal and instrumental group that specialises in performing pan-European medieval music. Building on the extensive experience and backgrounds of the performers, Aquila Altera aims to spread and promote the knowledge and education of ancient middle age music and to conduct musical research leading to historically correct performances. To achieve this, the group uses reproduction instruments of the era exclusively, and can consist of 5 to 12 different performers (musicians & vocalists), depending upon the specific needs of its programmes. Their repertoire is principally based on the performance of medieval and renaissance European music; covering monody, polyphony, sacred, secular and instrumental pieces.

Aquila Altera has taken part in numerous concerts, historical revocations and sound tracks for television. Recent performances include: Settimana Internazionale della Musica Medievale e Rinascimentale di Erice; Il Festival"Alia Musica" – Parma Estri d'Estate" Parma; Concerti per il Giubileo - Rome ; Stagione Concertistica Fondazione G.P. da Palestrina - Palestrina RM; il Canto delle Pietre - Lombardia Europa Musica; VII Festival del Teatro Medievale e Rinascimentale di Anagni; "Musica a Corte" - Reggio Emilia; "Echi e Suoni dalla Pieve" - Forlì; "Dalle Palme a San Luca 2002" - Bologna; ”Los Conciertos del Cervantes” - Istituto Cervantes – Roma.

The group is passionate about medieval music and feel that it is very relevant and appropriate in historic events and revocations, because the music is relocated in the proper space and sound of that era. The group has also taken part in numerous medieval festivals throughout Italy.

Aquila Altera, in collaboration with the Le Cantrici di Euterpe (a vocal musical association), performed in several festivals and shows, both in Italy and abroad. In 2000, they recorded a compilation CD of sacred and secular music, "Tempus Transit". Two years later they undertook the recording of "Menando gli Anni". This collection contains medieval and renaissance music from Abruzzo. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 18, 2008 | Hits: 379

"Horses Brawl present an innovative take early music, with roots in renaissance, medieval, baroque and folk traditions they re-work, re-compose and explore unconventional techniques.

A masterclass in turning one instrument into many, Horses Brawl play bowed guitar, double barrelled recorders and crumhorn solos. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 16, 2008 | Hits: 378

"From lusty dances and drinking songs to the haunted airs of the troubadors, Swyndelstock evokes the turbulent reality of mediaeval life. The band is available both for incidental music and for formal concerts in music and spoken word. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 17, 2008 | Hits: 378

"Antonio Piricone (1977), is one of the most exciting Italian musician of the younger generation whose personal approach, both as a pianist and an exponent on historical keyboard instruments, is commanding increasing attention internationally. His interpretative skills, versatility, keen sense of style, technical agility and integrity to the score distinguish him both as a soloist, recitalist and chamber musician.

After his initials studies in Catania, Antonio Piricone has mastered his musical education attending the piano and chamber music stages of Bruno Canino, Chantal de Buchy, Andrzej Jasinsky, and most recently with Andreas Staier on historical keyboard instruments.

His achievements has lead him to performing through Europe and Japan with leading orchestras and ensembles, singers, soloists and conductors. Hes has appeared at major venues and in renowned music festivals and concert series to the great acclaim of critics and audiences alike. These include Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania, Teatro Alighieri in Ravenna, Prague Spring International Music Festival, Dvořak Hall in Prague, Prinzregentetheater in Munich, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, De Vereeniging Concertgebouw Nijmegen & Vredenburg Muziek Centrum Utrecht in Holland, Offerta Musicale Ensemble, Munich Symphony Orchestra, Aargau Symphony Orchestra, Czech Chamber Philharmonic, to name but a few. ...

Antonio works currently in the Netherlands where he focuses on his research on the development and evolution of historical keyboard instruments and performance practice with Jacques Ogg, Patrick Ayrton, Stanley Hoogland and Bart van Oort at the Royal Conservatory on The Hague (NL), and with Andreas Staier in Cologne (D). " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 27, 2008 | Hits: 378

"Concerto Caledonia is Scotland’s early music group, bringing to life the classical and traditional music of the nation’s history.

The group’s seven CD recordings include Robert Burns songs in their original versions, classical symphonies from Fife , early Scots fiddle music, and the unique sound of 18th-century Scottish-Italian crossover. Its contemporary recordings include music by Frank Zappa, Astor Piazzolla, Daniel Johnston and The Buzzcocks. The album Mungrel Stuff was a Sunday Times Record of the Year, and besides appearing regularly on BBC Radio 3, the group has also been broadcast on Radios 1, 2, and 4. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 09, 2008 | Hits: 376

" ... Our activities include the representation of music concerts, sacred and profane from the medieval-Renaissance periods ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 24, 2008 | Hits: 376

"Renowned for their unearthly vocal blend and virtuosic ensemble singing, the four women of Anonymous 4 combine musical, literary, and historical scholarship with contemporary performance intuition as they create ingeniously designed programs, interweaving music with poetry and narrative.

In addition to their unmatched medieval repertoire, Anonymous 4 has often reached out into the realm of contemporary music, and has premiered works by Peter Maxwell Davies, John Tavener, Steve Reich, and Richard Einhorn. The group has most recently expanded their repertoire to include traditional music of the British Isles and America.

Anonymous 4 has performed in major venues and festivals throughout North America, Europe and the Far East. The ensemble has appeared on numerous radio and television programs, including Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion," "CBS Sunday Morning," A&E's "Breakfast With the Arts," and NPR’s “Weekend Edition.” Anonymous 4's award-winning recordings have attained unprecedented popularity, rising to the top of Billboard's classical chart, and selling almost 1.5 million copies worldwide. " ...

Added on: Aug 22, 2007 | Hits: 374

"Capella Savaria was founded in 1981 in Szombathely. (Savaria was the name of the town in the Roman times, hence the name). The ensemble plays Baroque and classical music relying on original documents of the given period. The basis of the ensemble is the strings and the harpsichord joined by winds when required. Their instruments either are original ones from the 18th century, or are genuine copies of the originals. The ensemble performs chamber music, orchestral pieces, operas and oratorios. Capella Savaria has made nearly 60 recordings since its foundation, five of which have won the "Record of the Year" prize. They have recorded with several labels including Hungaroton, Quintana, Harmonia Mundi, Dynamic, Naxos and Dorian Records. ... "

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Added on: Mar 29, 2008 | Hits: 374

"The Accademia Strumentale Italiana was born in Verona in 1981 with the intent to recreate the atmosphere of ancient and illustrious academies. The repertoire is the vocal and instrumental music of the Renaissance and Baroque eras. " (transl. (ed.) Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 27, 2008 | Hits: 374

ARTIST/INSTRUMENT: BEVERLY AU/VIOLA DA GAMBA; HARRIS BECKER/GUITAR AND LUTE; ASQUALE BIANCULLI/GUITAR; MICHÈLE EATON/SOPRANO; ARTHUR HAAS/HARPSICHORD; KATHLEEN MCDONALD/FLUTE; MARTHA MCGAUGHEY/IOLA DA GAMBA; SANDRA MILLER/FLUTE

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Added on: Aug 06, 2008 | Hits: 374

Early Music Ensemble from Italy. Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 13, 2008 | Hits: 373

"The Baltimore Consort has delighted audiences on both sides of the Atlantic and earned their CDs a place on the Billboard Magazine Top-Ten list. The Baltimore Consort's arrangements of early music from England, Scotland, France, Italy, and Spain speak to the heart as well as the mind, and their love for the early music of English/Scottish heritage has led them to delve into the rich trove of traditional balladry and dance tunes preserved in the Appalachian mountains and Nova Scotia. More recently, the group has explored the extraordinary repertory from the Iberian peninsula awill in a program entitled "Cancionero: Early Music from Spain."

The Consort tours all regions of the USA, has also appears frequently in Europe, and has held residencies at the Walters Art Gallery and the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, and the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina. Its performances on such syndicated radio programs as Performance Today, St. Paul Sunday, Millennium of Music, Harmonia, and Onstage (CBC) have broadcast its music far and wide.

The Consort has recorded thirteen discs on the Dorian label (click on Recordings link above). The group also performs with orchestra, in a family-friendly show entitled O'er the Hills and Far Away, which is a set of symphonic arrangements created by Consort member and composer Larry Lipkis. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 12, 2008 | Hits: 372

"Formed in 1993 by Neapolitan musicians dedicated to research in the field of early music, "LeMusiche da Camera" from the outset has directed its activities towards the rediscovery of songs unpublished or little known Neapolitan composers of the XVII and XVIII, with executions based on the recovery of executive baroque practice. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jun 29, 2008 | Hits: 372

"The Telemann Ensemble, based in Townsville, North Queensland, specialises in performing music of the baroque (with occasional excursions into earlier and slightly later music) with awareness of, and respect for, the instruments and performance traditions of the period. The ensemble was formed early in 1999 and has presented concerts and led workshops in Townsville, Atherton, Innisfail, Cairns and Brisbane.“

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Added on: Apr 18, 2009 | Hits: 371

“The ensemble Il Seminario Musicale is founded in 1985 by Gerard Lesne, countertenor and musical director. ISM is today renowned to be one of the leading French ensembles in baroque musique. Its residency, since 1990, is the prestigious Foundation at the Abbaye de Royaumont, thirty kilometres in the north of Paris.

Since its creation, ISM is composed by first rank European musicians : Marc Minkowski, Fabio Bondi, Blandine Rannou, Bruno Cocset, Patrick Cohen-Akénine, Florence Malgoire, Benjamin Perrot, Florence Bolton, Anne-Marie Lasla, Angélique Mauillon or Violaine Cochard have all participated or still participate in the ensemble musical and artistic excellence. ..“

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Added on: Jul 27, 2009 | Hits: 371

"Sarasa is a collective group of international instrumentalists and vocalists who perform classical music of outstanding quality, and bring this music to diverse communities. Through the ensemble's outreach program in adolescent detention facilities, it is dedicated to bridging cultural, aesthetic, and economic barriers and providing incarcerated teenagers with opportunities for growth and enrichment through music.

Sarasa was formed in response to a concert played by its founder, Timothy Merton, in the Sing Sing Correctional Facility in 1997, at the urging of a friend who was a prison volunteer. An inmate who heard that first concert remarked, "When art is well executed, it projects a message that transcends language, culture, and even aesthetic boundaries." Sarasa took these words to heart and since then has been bringing high-quality music to those who ordinarily have little access to it. In addition to its public concerts, the ensemble plays in adult and adolescent correctional facilities, homes for the elderly, mental hospitals, and institutions for the disabled. Sarasa also does three-week residencies in grade schools, using drawing and writing to bring children to a meaningful understanding of classical music.

The name Sarasa is derived from a combination of Saraswathi, the Hindu goddess of art and culture, and the poetic sanscrit word rasa denoting the essence of sound " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 12, 2008 | Hits: 370

"The history of the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin reaches back to 1982 when young members of the various former East Berlin orchestras joined forces to set up an independent orchestra specializing in early music. Set apart from the state sponsored music institutions of the former GDR, the ensemble's efforts at achieving authentic performances were rather timid at first. However, since 1984, the ensemble has had its own concert series at the Berlin Konzerthaus (Schauspielhaus) on the Gendarmenmarkt, and by 1986 the ensemble were already guests at the Tage für Alte Musik in Herne, West Germany. Their first recording was released in 1987, appearing simultaneously on the Eterna label in the East and on the Capprccio label in the West. Further CD productions followed for Cappriccio and Berlin Classics, and from 1994 onwards the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin has had an exclusive contract with harmonia mundi france. The recordings of the Akademie have been regularly awarded prizes, including the Deutschen Schallplattenpreis, the French Diapason d'Or, the Cannes Classical Award, the British Grammophone Award and the Dutch Edison Award. The international concert engagements of the ensemble have developed continuously since the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, with the Akdemie now regularly appearing as guests in Vienna, Paris, Amsterdam, Zurich, London and Brussels, and other musical centers of Europe. " ...

Added on: Aug 14, 2007 | Hits: 369

"Founded in 2006, the New Esterházy Quartet takes its name from the Hungarian estate where Joseph Haydn lived and worked for nearly three decades, and from the noble family who were his employers and patrons. The name also honors Quartetto Esterhazy, the ground-breaking historical string quartet from the 1970s, with the blessing of that ensemble’s eminent founder and leader, Jaap Schroeder.

The members of the New Esterházy Quartet are internationally-known period-instrument and chamber music specialists Kati Kyme and Lisa Weiss, violins, violist Anthony Martin, and cellist William Skeen. As individuals, the players perform in the top echelon of early music ensembles such as Orchestra of the 18th Century, the Bach Ensemble, Artaria Quartet, Smithsonian Chamber Players, Arcadian Academy, the Göttingen Festival Orchestra, and Musica Angelica. In addition to many years of musical collaboration in Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, American Bach Soloists, and a long list of renowned chamber ensembles, these four Bay Area players have enjoyed decades of friendship and shared experience. Their history as both colleagues and friends endows the quartet with an unusual commonality of musical language and gesture, and provides a strong foundation for a unique and original ensemble voice.

The New Esterházy Quartet has embarked on a performance voyage featuring all 68 of the string quartets of Franz Joseph Haydn. The concerts will span two seasons, culminating in 2009, the 200th anniversary of Haydn’s death. This is the first complete period-instrument Haydn cycle ever performed in North America. Composed over a period of a half-century, Haydn’s quartets contain some of the most imaginative, sophisticated and expressive composition in all of music, providing great joy to players and listeners. For the New Esterházy Quartet, the chance to learn and perform the complete Haydn quartets represents the opportunity of a lifetime. " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 02, 2008 | Hits: 369

“Created in 1995 with the help of harpsichordist Isabelle Ramona and her twin sister Catherine Ramona (gambist and cellist), La Ménestrandis is an association of professional musicians who perform already with many great French baroque ensembles.

The focus of the ensemble is to relive the great vocal or instrumental works of  of the XVII and XVIII centuries in their purest traditional form. ..“

Added on: Jul 27, 2009 | Hits: 369

“Brandywine Baroque is Delaware’s premier early music ensemble, offering concerts of chamber music on period instruments and featuring many national and international guest performers. They have also brought to the stage a number of rare and previously unpublished manuscripts and performed music often unheard by modern audiences. Their energetic performances evoke the mood of the era. Brandywine Baroque sprinkles repartee throughout the program, commenting on anything about the music and times that strike their fancy. Expect the unusual with these outstanding musicians! The members of Brandywine Baroque are Karen Flint, harpsichord & artistic director; Laura Heimes, soprano; Tony Boutté, tenor; Eileen Grycky, flute; Cynthia Freivogel, violin; Martin Davids, violin; and Douglas McNames, cello.“

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Added on: Mar 19, 2010 | Hits: 369