Role

:

Ensemble

Period

:

Baroque

 

 

Classical

 

 

Romantic

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Choral

 

 

Concerto

 

 

Orchestral

 

 

Symphony

 

Music from Aston Magna is a classical music ensemble that has been delighting audiences with its performances of early music for over four decades. Founded in 1972 by Lee Elman, the ensemble takes its name from the Aston Magna estate in England, where Elman had spent time studying early music with the renowned musicologist Thurston Dart. The ensemble's early years were marked by a commitment to authenticity and scholarship, with Elman and his colleagues researching and performing music from the Renaissance and Baroque periods on period instruments. The ensemble quickly gained a reputation for its high standards and innovative programming, and began to attract some of the finest musicians in the early music world. Over the years, Music from Aston Magna has featured a rotating cast of musicians, with Elman serving as the ensemble's artistic director and guiding force. Some of the ensemble's most notable members have included violinist Stanley Ritchie, cellist Loretta O'Sullivan, and harpsichordist John Gibbons, among many others. One of the ensemble's most significant achievements was its pioneering work in the field of historically informed performance. In the early days of the early music movement, many musicians were still performing music from the Renaissance and Baroque periods on modern instruments, with little regard for the historical context in which the music was written. Music from Aston Magna, by contrast, was one of the first ensembles to embrace the use of period instruments and to strive for a more authentic interpretation of early music. The ensemble's commitment to authenticity has been reflected in its programming, which has included works by some of the greatest composers of the Renaissance and Baroque periods, including Monteverdi, Bach, and Handel. The ensemble has also explored lesser-known works by composers such as Heinrich Biber and Johann Rosenmüller, bringing these neglected works to new audiences. Music from Aston Magna has performed at some of the most prestigious venues in the United States, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center. The ensemble has also toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe, and has been featured on numerous recordings. One of the ensemble's most memorable performances was its 40th anniversary concert, which took place in 2012 at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. The concert featured a program of works by Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi, and was hailed by critics as a testament to the ensemble's enduring excellence. Over the years, Music from Aston Magna has received numerous awards and accolades for its contributions to the early music world. In 1995, the ensemble was awarded the Noah Greenberg Award by the American Musicological Society, in recognition of its outstanding contributions to the performance of early music. The ensemble has also been featured on several Grammy-nominated recordings, including its 2009 recording of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. Today, Music from Aston Magna continues to be a leading force in the early music world, with a commitment to authenticity and scholarship that remains as strong as ever. The ensemble's performances continue to inspire and delight audiences around the world, and its legacy as one of the pioneers of historically informed performance will continue to be felt for generations to come.

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