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Ensemble

 

Tafelmusik Chamber Orchestra is a Canadian classical music ensemble that was founded in 1979. The ensemble is known for its historically informed performances of Baroque and Classical music, and has gained international recognition for its innovative programming and high level of musicianship. The founding members of Tafelmusik were a group of musicians who were interested in exploring the performance practices of the Baroque era. They were inspired by the work of early music pioneers such as Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Gustav Leonhardt, who were advocating for a return to the original sound and style of Baroque music. The founding members of Tafelmusik included violinist Jeanne Lamon, cellist Christina Mahler, and harpsichordist Kenneth Gilbert, among others. From its early days, Tafelmusik was committed to performing on period instruments, which are replicas of the instruments that were used in the Baroque and Classical eras. This allowed the ensemble to recreate the sound and style of the music as it was originally intended to be heard. Tafelmusik also focused on using historically informed performance practices, which involved studying the original manuscripts and treatises of the time to understand how the music was meant to be played. One of the early highlights of Tafelmusik's career was its performance at the 1981 Boston Early Music Festival. This was the ensemble's first international performance, and it was a great success. The Boston Globe praised Tafelmusik's "crisp, clean, and stylish playing," and the ensemble was invited back to the festival several times over the years. In 1981, Tafelmusik released its first recording, which was a collection of Baroque concertos by Antonio Vivaldi. The recording was well-received by critics and helped to establish the ensemble's reputation as a leading interpreter of Baroque music. Over the years, Tafelmusik has released more than 80 recordings, many of which have won awards and critical acclaim. One of Tafelmusik's most famous performances was its 1991 production of "The Galileo Project." This was a multimedia performance that combined music, narration, and images to tell the story of Galileo Galilei and his discoveries. The performance featured music by Galileo's contemporaries, including Claudio Monteverdi and Johann Sebastian Bach, and was accompanied by images of the night sky and Galileo's own drawings and writings. The Galileo Project was a huge success, and Tafelmusik went on to perform it in cities around the world. Another notable performance by Tafelmusik was its 2009 production of "House of Dreams." This was a multimedia performance that took the audience on a tour of five historic homes in Europe, each of which was associated with a different composer. The performance featured music by Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, and others, and was accompanied by images of the homes and their surroundings. "House of Dreams" was praised for its innovative approach to programming and its high level of musicianship. Over the years, Tafelmusik has won numerous awards and accolades for its performances and recordings. In 1991, the ensemble won a Juno Award (Canada's equivalent of the Grammy Awards) for its recording of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. In 2000, Tafelmusik won a Grammy Award for its recording of Handel's "Water Music" and "Music for the Royal Fireworks." The ensemble has also won several other Juno Awards and has been nominated for numerous other Grammy Awards.

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