# Your favourite period ensemble



## rojaba (Nov 12, 2016)

Wondering what are your favourite period ensembles? 

There are quite a few if you think for a while. Obviously the English Baroque Soloists come to mind (though maybe not the Handel stuff), though I also love the Academy of Ancient Music, Musica Antiqua Köln (though they seem to have folded but I'm sure there's some overlap with Concerto Köln), Giardino Armonico Etc.
Honourable mention for the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra which have produced some outstanding tracks (look for Germiniani's La Follia). It is a shame they have mostly produced compilation CDs rather than recordings of complete works.

Personally, I'm not too big a fan of Jordi Savall.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

I like Anima Eterna's work on the complete Mozart keyboard concertos with Jos van Immerseel on fortepiano.

I also like La Petite Bande's performances of the complete Haydn London Symphonies conducted by Sigiswald Kuijken


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## Reichstag aus LICHT (Oct 25, 2010)

There are so many out there (aren't we lucky?), so I'll limit myself to five:

Like hpowders, I really appreciate Anima Eterna/Immerseel, not least because they span a wide repertoire and they're brilliant at it; I enjoy them as much in Ravel and Poulenc as in Beethoven and Schubert.

I'm a big fan of Jordi Savall and _Hespèrion XX/XXI_ - not only for their hugely enjoyable and imaginative "concept albums", but also in more mainstream repertoire, like Bach and Monteverdi. Savall has also recorded what is, IMHO, the best version of Handel's _Fireworks Music_ available.

Marc Minkowski and his _Musiciens du Louvre_, not least for their wonderful recordings of Rameau, Lully and Handel.

Paul McCreesh and the _Gabrieli Consort & Players_, for a clutch of great Handel sets, including the finest ever of _Saul_ and _Solomon_.

Christopher Hogwood and the _Academy of Ancient Music_ - what can one say? The period equivalent of Karajan and the Berlin Phil. And I don't mean that facetiously


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## Richard8655 (Feb 19, 2016)

The English Concert under Trevor Pinnock. 
Hesperion under Jordi Savall.
Vermeer Quartet.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

rojaba said:


> Wondering what are your favourite period ensembles?
> 
> There are quite a few if you think for a while. Obviously the English Baroque Soloists come to mind (though maybe not the Handel stuff), though I also love the Academy of Ancient Music, Musica Antiqua Köln (though they seem to have folded but I'm sure there's some overlap with Concerto Köln), Giardino Armonico Etc.
> Honourable mention for the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra which have produced some outstanding tracks (look for Germiniani's La Follia). It is a shame they have mostly produced compilation CDs rather than recordings of complete works.
> ...


In my country he's one of the best selling artist in his genre.


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## Heliogabo (Dec 29, 2014)

My favorites have been mentioned yet:
Jordi Savall, Hesperion
Trevor Pinnock, English concert
Reinhard Goebel, MAK
Christopher Hogwood, AAM
M. Minkowski, Les musiciens...

I also like Franz Brüggen, Orchestra of 18th century, in Haydn and Mozart symphonies. 
And, of course, Andrew Manze's Ensembles and Fabio Biondi's Europa galante.


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## rojaba (Nov 12, 2016)

Pugg said:


> [
> In my country he's one of the best selling artist in his genre.


So is Justin Bieber ;-)
Sorry, that's very unfair. I think Savall, to my ears, sounds a bit more medieval market fayre than the full royal court sound Goebel, Hogwood or even the Australian guys produce. That, of course, is completely subjective and it may well be that Savall's more restrained sound is more authentic.

Forgot to mention Herreweghe. His Schuetz interpretations are beautiful.


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## Valjuan (Dec 9, 2016)

I can't get enough of Chanticleer. While they do delve into other genres, their earlier recordings (Byrd, Gregoria's Chant, Palestrina, etc) are absolutely marvelous. More niche of an offering, but there it is.


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## Valjuan (Dec 9, 2016)

Christopher Hogwood and the _Academy of Ancient Music_ is one of my all time favorites. I was listening to the local Classical radio station on the car the other day and a Bach Brandenburg Concerto came on performed by him and the _Academy_. So vibrant! It breathed new life into the work for me.


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## Andolink (Oct 29, 2012)

There are way too many top tier ensembles for me to single out just one.

Some that come immediately to mind are:

Arte dei Suonatori

La Ritirata

Il Convito

Il Pomo d'Oro

Europa Galante

Ricercar Consort

Bach Collegium Japan

Collegium Vocale Gent

Dunedin Consort


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## CMonteverdi (May 2, 2014)

Concerto Italiano - Alessandrini
The Sixteen -Christophers
Accademia bizantina - Dantone
Les arts florissants - Christie

LK


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

rojaba said:


> So is Justin Bieber ;-)
> Sorry, that's very unfair. I think Savall, to my ears, sounds a bit more medieval market fayre than the full royal court sound Goebel, Hogwood or even the Australian guys produce. That, of course, is completely subjective and it may well be that Savall's more restrained sound is more authentic.
> 
> Forgot to mention Herreweghe. His Schuetz interpretations are beautiful.


Bit comparing apples and pears .


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## rojaba (Nov 12, 2016)

Funny how nobody mentioned Richter :lol:


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## rojaba (Nov 12, 2016)

Andolink said:


> Dunedin Consort


I think I may have found something there! Wow. Wasn't aware of them


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## Reichstag aus LICHT (Oct 25, 2010)

rojaba said:


> Forgot to mention Herreweghe. His Schuetz interpretations are beautiful.


Agreed, so too his outstanding recordings of the Bach cantatas and passions.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT (Oct 25, 2010)

rojaba said:


> I think I may have found something there! Wow. Wasn't aware of them


The Dunedin Consort have just brought out a fine recording of the _Christmas Oratorio_. I can also heartily recommend their recording of _Messiah_ and the Bach passions, especially the St John.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Adding to what I listed above, the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra under Ton Koopman has done some _dam_ fine work.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT (Oct 25, 2010)

rojaba said:


> Funny how nobody mentioned Richter :lol:


He and his Munich Bach Orchestra were a fine period ensemble... for the "period" of the 1950s-1970s, that is 

Not that Richter and co didn't leave behind some great recordings, of course. Likewise Karl Münchinger and the Stuttgart Kammerorchester, whose _St Matthew Passion_ is, IMHO, still one of the greatest ever made - whether by a "period" orchestra or not.


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## Richard8655 (Feb 19, 2016)

In adddition to Reichstag's recommendations, I'd like to add what I found to be outstanding ensembles and works - especially for this time of year.

The Netherlands Bach Society - JS Bach, Christmas Oratorio
Collegium Vocale Gent (Herreweghe) - JS Bach, Christmas Cantatas from Leipzig


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## sloth (Jul 12, 2013)

I'd like to recommend Atalanta fugiens, an Italian ensemble devoted to forgotten composers of the milanese school (zappa, brioschi, chelleri, zingarelli...).

In particular Brioschi seems to be the most interesting of the lot.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Brioschi


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## rojaba (Nov 12, 2016)

Reichstag aus LICHT said:


> The Dunedin Consort have just brought out a fine recording of the _Christmas Oratorio_. I can also heartily recommend their recording of _Messiah_ and the Bach passions, especially the St John.


bought their magnificat today, will check it out fully tomorrow


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