Country

:

Austria

Genre

:

Choral

 

Concentus Musicus Wien is a renowned classical music ensemble that specializes in the performance of Baroque music. The ensemble was founded in 1953 by Nikolaus Harnoncourt, a prominent Austrian conductor and cellist, and his wife, Alice Harnoncourt, a violinist. The ensemble has since become one of the most respected and influential Baroque ensembles in the world, known for its historically informed performances and innovative interpretations of early music. The founding of Concentus Musicus Wien was a response to the growing interest in Baroque music in the mid-20th century. Nikolaus Harnoncourt, who had studied cello and conducting at the Vienna Academy of Music, was inspired by the work of early music pioneers such as Arnold Dolmetsch and Gustav Leonhardt, who were advocating for a return to the original performance practices of Baroque music. Harnoncourt believed that the use of period instruments and historically informed performance techniques could bring new life to the music of the past, and he set out to create an ensemble that would embody these principles. The early years of Concentus Musicus Wien were marked by a series of groundbreaking performances and recordings. The ensemble's first concert, in 1954, featured music by Johann Sebastian Bach and was met with critical acclaim. Over the next few years, the ensemble continued to perform and record music by Bach and other Baroque composers, including Antonio Vivaldi, Georg Philipp Telemann, and George Frideric Handel. One of the defining features of Concentus Musicus Wien's performances is the use of period instruments, which are replicas of the instruments that would have been used in the Baroque era. These instruments include the harpsichord, the viola da gamba, the recorder, and the natural trumpet, among others. The ensemble's musicians are also trained in historically informed performance techniques, which involve a careful study of the music and performance practices of the Baroque era. This attention to detail has earned Concentus Musicus Wien a reputation for authenticity and excellence in the performance of early music. In addition to its performances and recordings, Concentus Musicus Wien has also been recognized with numerous awards and honors. In 1969, the ensemble was awarded the Grand Prix du Disque for its recording of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. This was followed by a series of other awards and accolades, including the Gramophone Award for Best Baroque Instrumental Recording in 1980 and the Echo Klassik Award for Best Ensemble in 2003. Over the years, Concentus Musicus Wien has undergone several changes in personnel, but the ensemble has remained committed to its founding principles of authenticity and excellence in the performance of Baroque music. Today, the ensemble is led by conductor and violinist Stefan Gottfried, who has been a member of the ensemble since 1999. The ensemble's current members include some of the most talented and respected musicians in the field of early music, including violinist Alice Harnoncourt, cellist Erich Höbarth, and harpsichordist Gerald Hambitzer. Some of the highlights of Concentus Musicus Wien's performances over the years include its acclaimed recordings of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, which are considered some of the definitive recordings of this iconic work. The ensemble has also performed and recorded Handel's Messiah, Vivaldi's Four Seasons, and Telemann's Tafelmusik, among many other works.

More....