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The English Concert (Instrumental & Vocal Ensemble) |
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Foundation of Instrumental Ensemble: 1973 - England
Foundation of Choir: 1983 - England |
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The English Concert (Instrumental Ensemble) |
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The English Concert was founded by Trevor Pinnock in 1973. They have together established a worldwide reputation for the expressive vitality and technical quality of their music-making, and have for many years been amongst Britain's leading period instrument ensembles.
The English Concert promotes its own series of concerts in London and is also in great demand overseas with a repertoire ranging from chamber music to opera. In 2002 the focus for the larger scale work is on J.S. Bach's great religious masterpieces, J.S. Bach's St. Matthew Passion (BWV 244) and Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248), while the orchestral work includes concerts in the Netherlands, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria and Hungary. In 2001 The English Concert toured a new Jonathan Miller production of George Frideric Handel's great opera Tamerlano as a co-production with the Händel Festival, Halle and Théâtre des Champs Elysées, Paris. The opera was also recorded live at Sadler's Wells in London and the 3-CD set was launched in April 2002 on the new Avie label. Outside Europe, The English Concert has toured the USA, South America and Japan within the last two seasons, and will return to South America in the 2003/04 season and to North America in 2004-2005.
In 2003 Trevor Pinnock will steped down as Artistic Director of The English Concert after 30 years in the role. The outstandingly gifted violinist, Andrew Manze, took up this position in Summer 2003. Andrew has written: "It is a great honour to accept the artistic leadership of The English Concert. I have admired the orchestra and Trevor Pinnock for many years (indeed they were the first period instrument band I ever heard) and am tremendously looking forward to the years ahead."
In October 2006, Harry Bicket was named the next director of The English Concert, effective as of September 2007. He first worked with the ensemble as a harpsichordist in 1984. This position is his first orchestral directorship. Last season (2007-2008) saw his debut with The English Concert at Wigmore Hall, and extensive plans for 2008 and beyond include concerts with them in the UK, Europe and the USA, in addition to recordings. |
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The Choir of The English Concert |
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The Choir of The English Concert was formed in 1983 for the first performance this century of Rameau's Acante et Cephise. Since then the choir has taken part in numerous recordings with Trevor Pinnock (including an award-winning recording of Messiah which became Deutsche Gramophon's best-selling CD) and a number of landmark performances, including Purcell’s King Arthur in Argentina for the Purcell Tercentenary in 1995 and the first period instrument performance of Messiah at the Salzburg Festival.
Since 1996 The English Concert has been engaged in a major concert project entitled 'Great Religious Works of the 18th Century'. This was launched with the Messiah performances already mentioned, continuing in 1997 with J.S. Bach's Mass in B Minor (BWV 232) performed in Italy, France, Germany, Austria and at the BBC Proms of that year. The series continued the following year with J.S. Bach's St. John Passion (BWV 245) and in 1999 with W.A. Mozart's Requiem (including performances in Salzburg and for the BBC Proms). 2000 saw the most ambitious programme so far for the Choir with 18 performances during the year of J.S. Bach St .Matthew Passion (BWV 244), in locations around the world from Tenerife to Tokyo. Although the six-year cycle was completed with a performance of Haydn's Die Schöpfung at the 2001 Lucerne Festival, The English Concert and Choir continue to perform J.S. Bach's great religious works. St .Matthew Passion (BWV 244) is a centrepiece of the BBC Proms 2002, and the Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248) is to be taken on tour to Spain, Italy and Germany in December 2002.
"14 of the 36 singers in the Choir of The English Concert took turns singing arias (in J.S. Bach St .Matthew Passion (BWV 244)), and were so marvellous that they should consider solo careers" concert review from Daily Yomiuri, Tokyo October 2000. |
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Members of The English Concert Choir: |
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Sopranos |
Altos |
Tenors |
Basses |
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Caroline Ashton
Lucy Cronin
Grace Davidson
Sally Dunkley
Judith English
Emma Brain-Gabbott
Twig Hall
Lucinda Houghton
Amy Moore
Rachel Platt
Deborah Roberts
Mary Seers |
Stephen Carter
Jacqueline Connell
Angus Davidson
Ruth Gibbins
William Missin
Susanna Spicer
Wilfried Swansbourough
Penny Vickers
Timothy Wilson |
Daniel Auchincloss
Simon Berridge
Andrew Carwood
Philip Cave
Simon Davies
Peter Di-Toro
Tom Phillips
Nicolas Robertson
Paul Tindall
Edward Woodhouse |
Stephen Alder
Jeremy Birchall
Simon Birchall
Christopher Foster
Donald Greig
Laurence Whitehead |
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Members of The English Concert Orchestra: |
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Violins: Catherine Weiss, Fiona Huggett, Graham Cracknell, Julia Bishop, Lucy Howard, Miles Golding, Nicholas Robinson, Peter Hanson, Anne Schumann, Clare Salaman, Maurice Whitaker, Susie Carpenter-Jacobs, Walter
Violas: Annette Isserlis, Jane Rogers, Lisa Cochrane, Trevor Jones
Cellos: Helen Verney, Jane Coe, Timothy Kraemer
Doubles-basses: Lynda Houghton, Peter McCarthy
Flutes: Guy Williams, Lisa Beznosiuk
Oboes: Lorraine Wood, Paul Goodwin, Sophia McKenna
Bassoon: Alberto Grazzi
Trumpets: Mark Bennett, Michael Harrison, Michael Laird
Horns: Andrew Clark, Susan Dent, Claude Maury, Elizabeth Randell
Timpani: Robert Howes;
Harpsichord: Trevor Pinnock |
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MB = Missing Biography. If you would like to contribute a biography of the artist, please send me a message. My e-mail address and the instructions can be found at the page: Short Biographies - Explanation. |
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Sources:
English Concert Website
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (July 2006, July 2008, December 2016) |
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Trevor Pinnock : Short Biography | Ensembles: English Concert
Bach Discograohy: Recordings of Vocal Works | Recordings of Instrumental Works
Reviews of Instrumental Recordings: Bach’s Partitas for Harpsichord from Pinnock: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Bach Harpsichord with Pinnock |
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Harry Bicket : Short Biography | The English Concert | Recordings of Vocal Works |
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Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works |
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Conductor |
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Works |
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Laurence Cummings |
Choir & Orchestra |
BWV 36, BWV 243 |
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Recordings of Arrangements/Transcriptions of Bach’s Works |
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Conductor |
As |
Works |
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Albrecht Mayer |
Orchestra |
Bach-A.N. Tarkmann: arrangements for oboe/oboe d’amore/English horn, choir & chamber orchestra of selections from BWV 12, BWV 31, BWV 75, BWV 136, BWV 140, BWV 147, BWV 166, BWV 167 [w/ Albrecht Mayer]
Bach-A.N. Tarkmann: Concerto after Cantata BWV 54, arranged for solo English horn & chamber orchestra [w/ Albrecht Mayer]
Bach-A.N. Tarkmann: Concerto after Cantatas BWV 105, BWV 170 & BWV 49, arranged for solo oboe & chamber orchestra [w/ Albrecht Mayer]
Bach-A.N. Tarkmann: Concerto after Cantata BWV 209, arranged for solo oboe d’amore & chamber orchestra [w/ Albrecht Mayer]
[w/ Albrecht Mayer] |
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Links to other Sites |
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The English Concert (Official Website)
The English Concert by Moens-artists |
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