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The English Concert

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

The English Concert is a Baroque orchestra from London that plays on historical instruments. It was founded in November 1972 by Trevor Pinnock and others. It began with seven musicians and then grew into the orchestral repertoire. It was one of the first orchestras to focus entirely on Baroque and Classical music on historical instruments, with a repertoire running roughly from Monteverdi to Mozart. Pinnock led the group from the harpsichord for thirty years.

Music and breakthrough

After a debut at the English Bach Festival in 1973, the first record followed in 1974, Sons of Bach, with harpsichord concertos. From 1978 to 1995 the orchestra made many recordings for Archiv Produktion, capturing most of the major Baroque repertoire, among them Water Music, the Brandenburg Concertos and Le quattro stagioni. A choir was also founded in 1983. From 1996 to 2001 the group carried out a large project under the title Great Religious Works of the 18th Century, including Bach's Mass in B Minor, the St. John Passion and the St. Matthew Passion.

Influence

In 2003 Pinnock handed over the leadership to the violinist Andrew Manze, who reconstructed the first performance of Handel's Water Music of 1717, sailing along the Thames. In 2007 the harpsichordist Harry Bicket followed. The orchestra belongs to the movements that wanted to make early music sound again as the composers intended, with instruments of their own time.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Water Music by Handel in the performance by The English Concert and notice the sound of the Baroque instruments. Can you hear the differences from a modern symphony orchestra?

Discography

Studio albums

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