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Andrew Manze

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Andrew Manze is a British violinist and conductor, born on 14 January 1965 in Beckenham, Kent. He studied Classics at Clare College, Cambridge, and learned the violin with Simon Standage, among others, at the Royal Academy of Music. He played in the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra under Ton Koopman. In this way he began as a specialist in early music. In 1996 he became associate director of the Academy of Ancient Music.

Music and breakthrough

For the label Harmonia Mundi he recorded a great deal of Baroque music as a soloist. Well known are the Manchester Sonatas in 1995, Twelve Fantasias for Violin Solo and Gulliver Suite in the same year, Le Quattro Stagioni in 1996 and Bach's solo and double concertos in 1997. From 2003 to 2007 he was artistic director of The English Concert. Afterwards he also conducted more modern repertoire, such as the symphonies of Brahms with the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, of which he was chief conductor from 2006 to 2014, and Mendelssohn and Vaughan Williams. Since 2014 he has been chief conductor of the NDR Radiophilharmonie. In 2024 he became principal guest conductor of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

Influence

Manze writes and teaches, contributes to new editions of Mozart and Bach and regularly talks about music on radio and television. In 2011 he received the Rolf Schock Prize. He shows how historically informed performance practice found its way onto the ordinary concert platform.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Le Quattro Stagioni in Manze's recording and notice the raw, direct sound of his violin. Can you hear how he plays the fast passages sharply and with a dancing quality?

Discography

Studio albums

Categories: Artists