EarlyMusicNews.Org

“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: 132

“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: 130

“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: 129

“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: 128

“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: 125

“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: 125

“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: 124

“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: 122

“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: 119

“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: 115

“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: 99

“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: 99

“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: 85