Period

:

Baroque

 

 

Romantic

Genre

:

Choral

 

Consortium Musicum is a classical music ensemble that has been captivating audiences with their performances for over four decades. The ensemble was founded in 1969 by the German conductor and harpsichordist, Fritz Lehan. Lehan had a vision of creating an ensemble that would specialize in the performance of early music, particularly the works of Baroque composers such as Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi. The ensemble's name, Consortium Musicum, is derived from the Latin phrase "consortium musicum," which means "a group of musicians." This name reflects the ensemble's collaborative approach to music-making, as well as their commitment to performing music from a wide range of historical periods and styles. Over the years, Consortium Musicum has had a rotating cast of musicians, but there have been several core members who have been with the ensemble for many years. These include the violinist and concertmaster, Wolfgang Schneiderhan, the cellist, Anner Bylsma, and the flutist, Aurèle Nicolet. These musicians have been instrumental in shaping the ensemble's sound and style, and their virtuosic playing has been a highlight of many of the ensemble's performances. One of the ensemble's early highlights was their performance at the 1972 Salzburg Festival, where they performed Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. This performance was widely praised for its energy, precision, and musicality, and it helped to establish Consortium Musicum as one of the leading ensembles in the early music movement. In the years that followed, Consortium Musicum continued to perform at major festivals and concert halls around the world. They were particularly renowned for their performances of Bach's music, and they recorded several acclaimed albums of his works, including the Brandenburg Concertos, the Orchestral Suites, and the St. Matthew Passion. In addition to their performances of Baroque music, Consortium Musicum also explored other historical periods and styles. They performed works by Renaissance composers such as Josquin des Prez and William Byrd, as well as works by Classical and Romantic composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert. Their performances of these works were marked by their attention to historical performance practice, as well as their commitment to bringing fresh insights and interpretations to familiar repertoire. Consortium Musicum's commitment to historical performance practice was also reflected in their use of period instruments. The ensemble's musicians played on instruments that were either original or faithful reproductions of instruments from the historical period in which the music was composed. This approach allowed the ensemble to recreate the sound and style of the music as it would have been heard by audiences at the time of its composition. Over the years, Consortium Musicum received numerous awards and accolades for their performances and recordings. They won several Gramophone Awards, including one for their recording of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, and they were also awarded the Grand Prix du Disque for their recording of Mozart's Flute Concertos. These awards were a testament to the ensemble's musical excellence and their contribution to the early music movement. Sadly, Consortium Musicum disbanded in the early 2000s, after over three decades of performing together. However, their legacy lives on through their recordings and the many musicians who were inspired by their performances.

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