Role

:

Ensemble

Country

:

Norway

Period

:

Baroque

Genre

:

Choral

 

 

Vocal

 

Pro Musica Antiqua is a classical music ensemble that specializes in the performance of early music. The group was founded in 1953 by Safford Cape, a musicologist and conductor who was passionate about the music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Cape had studied music at Harvard University and had spent time in Europe researching early music manuscripts and studying with leading scholars and performers in the field. Cape founded Pro Musica Antiqua with the goal of bringing the music of the past to life for modern audiences. He assembled a group of talented musicians who shared his passion for early music and who were skilled in playing the instruments of the period. The ensemble's early members included recorder player Bernard Krainis, viola da gamba player Alice Robbins, and harpsichordist Robert Conant. Pro Musica Antiqua quickly gained a reputation for its high-quality performances and its commitment to authenticity. The group used period instruments and followed historical performance practices, striving to recreate the sound and style of the music as it would have been heard in its original context. The ensemble's repertoire included music from the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Baroque periods, with a particular focus on the music of the Franco-Flemish school. One of the highlights of Pro Musica Antiqua's early career was its performance at the 1957 Brussels World's Fair. The ensemble was invited to represent the United States at the fair's music festival, where it performed a program of early music to great acclaim. The group's performance was broadcast on Belgian television and helped to establish Pro Musica Antiqua as one of the leading early music ensembles in the world. Over the years, Pro Musica Antiqua underwent several personnel changes as members left to pursue other opportunities and new musicians joined the group. However, the ensemble's commitment to authenticity and excellence remained constant. In the 1960s and 1970s, the group continued to perform and record extensively, releasing albums on the prestigious Deutsche Grammophon label and touring throughout Europe and the United States. One of the ensemble's most notable performances during this period was its 1968 concert at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The concert, which was part of the museum's "Great Performances" series, featured Pro Musica Antiqua performing music from the 14th and 15th centuries. The ensemble's performance was praised by critics for its "clarity, precision, and beauty" and helped to cement the group's reputation as one of the foremost interpreters of early music. In the 1980s and 1990s, Pro Musica Antiqua continued to perform and record, with a particular focus on the music of the Baroque period. The ensemble's members during this period included violinist Jaap Schröder, cellist Anner Bylsma, and harpsichordist Kenneth Cooper. The group's recordings from this period, including its acclaimed performances of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos and Handel's Water Music, are still considered some of the definitive interpretations of these works. Pro Musica Antiqua received numerous awards and honors throughout its career, including a Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance in 1966 for its recording of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. The ensemble was also awarded the prestigious Edison Award in 1970 for its recording of Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610.

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