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Collegium Vocale Gent

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

Collegium Vocale Gent is a Belgian choir from Ghent, with instrumentalists who support the ensemble. A group of friends who were students at Ghent University founded it in 1970, on the initiative of Philippe Herreweghe. The ensemble was among the first to apply the new insights into Baroque performance practice to vocal music. The choir works with a small line-up in which the singers sing both the choral parts and the solos.

Music and breakthrough

The group chose a text-centred, rhetorical approach and as a result gained a transparent, clear sound. With it, it performed in large concert halls and at festivals in Europe, Israel, the United States, Russia, South America, Japan, Hong Kong and Australia. The music of Johann Sebastian Bach soon became a speciality. That is evident from recordings such as Matthäus-Passion in 1985, Johannes-Passion in 1988, Messe in H-Moll in 1989 and Weihnachts-Oratorium in 1989, besides cantatas, motets and masses. The repertoire also reaches to Monteverdi, with Vespro della Beata Vergine in 1992, and to operas such as Orfeo ed Euridice and Zaïs.

Influence

Over the years the choir grew into an ensemble with a wide stylistic range, from Baroque to Romantic and contemporary oratorios. It works with Baroque orchestras such as the Freiburger Barockorchester and with symphony orchestras such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, under conductors such as Nikolaus Harnoncourt and René Jacobs. The choir also plays a role in education. Anyone who wants to hear how classical choral music can sound without heavy, Romantic tone production will find a good example in these recordings.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to a choral section from Matthäus-Passion and notice the clear text. Can you hear how few singers are needed to keep the sound clear?

Discography

Studio albums

Categories: Artists