Genre

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Vocal

 

The Martin Best Medieval Ensemble is a renowned classical music ensemble that specializes in performing medieval music. The ensemble was founded in 1970 by Martin Best, a British musician, singer, and composer who has dedicated his career to reviving and popularizing medieval music. Martin Best was born in 1942 in London, England. He studied music at the Royal Academy of Music and later at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Switzerland, where he specialized in early music. In the late 1960s, he became interested in medieval music and began researching and performing it. In 1970, he formed the Martin Best Medieval Ensemble, which quickly gained a reputation for its innovative and authentic performances of medieval music. The Martin Best Medieval Ensemble consists of a group of highly skilled musicians who play a variety of instruments, including lutes, viols, harps, and percussion. The ensemble's main members include Martin Best (vocals, lute), Timothy Roberts (harpsichord, organ), John Bryan (viols), and Andrew Lawrence-King (harp). Over the years, the ensemble has collaborated with many other musicians and singers, both in the UK and abroad. The Martin Best Medieval Ensemble has performed at many prestigious venues and festivals around the world, including the Edinburgh Festival, the Bath Festival, the York Early Music Festival, and the Utrecht Early Music Festival. The ensemble has also toured extensively in Europe, North America, and Asia, and has released numerous recordings of medieval music. One of the highlights of the Martin Best Medieval Ensemble's career was its performance of the medieval music drama "The Play of Daniel" at the Edinburgh Festival in 1978. This production, which was directed by Peter Hall and featured a cast of over 100 performers, was a huge success and received critical acclaim. The ensemble also performed "The Play of Daniel" at the Royal Shakespeare Company's Barbican Theatre in London in 1983. Another notable performance by the Martin Best Medieval Ensemble was its collaboration with the British vocal ensemble The Hilliard Ensemble on the album "Officium" in 1994. This album, which featured a combination of medieval and contemporary music, became a best-seller and helped to popularize medieval music among a wider audience. The Martin Best Medieval Ensemble has received many awards and accolades over the years. In 1980, the ensemble won the prestigious Gramophone Award for its recording of "The Play of Daniel". In 1996, Martin Best was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to music. The ensemble has also been praised for its contributions to the revival of medieval music and its innovative and authentic performances. In conclusion, the Martin Best Medieval Ensemble is a highly respected and influential classical music ensemble that has made significant contributions to the revival and popularization of medieval music. Founded by Martin Best in 1970, the ensemble has performed at many prestigious venues and festivals around the world, collaborated with many other musicians and singers, and released numerous recordings of medieval music. The ensemble's main members include Martin Best, Timothy Roberts, John Bryan, and Andrew Lawrence-King.

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