Role

:

Ensemble

Genre

:

Chamber

 

Collegium Musicum is a classical music ensemble that was founded in 1955 by conductor and harpsichordist, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, and his wife, Alice Harnoncourt. The ensemble is based in Vienna, Austria, and is known for its performances of Baroque and early Classical music. Nikolaus Harnoncourt was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1929, and grew up in Graz, Austria. He studied cello and viola da gamba at the Vienna Music Academy, and later became interested in historical performance practice. In 1953, he founded the Concentus Musicus Wien, which was one of the first ensembles to perform Baroque music on period instruments. Two years later, he founded Collegium Musicum with his wife, Alice, who was a violinist. The ensemble's main members have changed over the years, but it has always been made up of a small group of musicians who specialize in early music. In addition to Nikolaus and Alice Harnoncourt, some of the ensemble's notable members have included cellist Christophe Coin, flutist Konrad Hünteler, and violinist Hiro Kurosaki. Collegium Musicum has performed all over the world, and has been praised for its historically informed performances of Baroque and early Classical music. Some of the ensemble's most notable performances include a 1968 concert at the Salzburg Festival, where they performed Bach's St. Matthew Passion, and a 1971 performance of Monteverdi's L'Orfeo at the Vienna State Opera. The ensemble has also recorded extensively, and has won numerous awards for its recordings. In 1968, Collegium Musicum won the Grand Prix du Disque for their recording of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. They have also won several Gramophone Awards, including one in 2002 for their recording of Bach's Mass in B Minor. One of the ensemble's most famous recordings is their 1971 recording of Monteverdi's L'Orfeo, which was conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt. The recording was praised for its historically informed performance style, and is still considered one of the definitive recordings of the work. In addition to their performances and recordings, Collegium Musicum has also been involved in music education. In 1972, they founded the Summer Academy for Early Music in Innsbruck, Austria, which provides training for young musicians in historically informed performance practice. Nikolaus Harnoncourt passed away in 2016, but Collegium Musicum continues to perform and record under the direction of other conductors. The ensemble's commitment to historically informed performance practice has had a significant impact on the world of classical music, and their recordings and performances continue to be celebrated by music lovers around the world.

More....