The English Concert

The English Concert is a Baroque orchestra playing on authentic instruments based in London. Founded in 1972 and directed from the harpsichord by Trevor Pinnock for 30 years, it is now directed from the violin by Andrew Manze. In September 2007, harpsichordist Harry Bicket is to take over as director.

The English Concert and Choir

The English Concert was founded by Trevor Pinnock and others in November 1972. The date of foundation is often given as 1973, probably because they started with seven people and only later progressed onto the orchestral repertoire as their number increased. They were one of the first orchestras dedicated to performing baroque and early classical music on period instruments, their repertoire from then to now ranging approximately from Monteverdi to Mozart. [cite web
url = http://www.gramophone.co.uk/Interviews_detail.asp?id=596
title = Trevor Pinnock: direct, blazing simplicity
accessdaymonth = 14 April
accessyear = 2007
last = Owen Norris
first = David
year = 2001
work = Gramophone]

Their London debut was at the English Bach Festival in 1973, which led to their first recording in 1974, "Sons of Bach harpsichord concertos", on CRD records. [cite web
url =http://www.grovemusic.com/shared/views/article.html?section=music.43632#music.43632
title = Pinnock, Trevor
accessdaymonth = 1 May
accessyear = 2007
last =Pratt
first =George
work =Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy] They first played at The Proms in 1980, and toured North America in 1983. The group gained much recognition from their prolific number of recordings with Archiv Produktion from 1978 until 1995, during which they recorded most of the major baroque repertoire.

The Choir of the English Concert (or permutations of that phrase), was formed in 1983 to perform Rameau's "Acante et Céphise". It continued assembling as needed for recordings and performances with the group until the mid-1990s, when the decision was made to make it a regular choir on a level with the orchestra, in preparation for their performance of Bach's "mass in B minor". Performances of oratorios and large-scale vocal works became more common after this. Rather than use established soloists in the arias and solo sections of these works, the choir was thought to be so good that the soloist material was shared amongst the regular members, a practise that Andrew Manze continued. [cite web
url = http://www.goldbergweb.com/en/magazine/interviews/2005/08/32909.php
title = Interview : The English Concert
accessdaymonth = 28 April
accessyear = 2007
last = Argent
first = Mark
date = 2005-10-25
work = Goldberg Magazine]

From 1996 to 2001 The English Concert was engaged in a major concert project entitled 'Great Religious Works of the 18th Century'. This was launched with "Messiah" performances, continuing in 1997 with J. S. Bach's "Mass in B Minor" performed in Italy, France, Germany, Austria and at the BBC Proms. Next was Bach's "St. John Passion" and Mozart's Requiem in 1999. In 2000 there were 18 performances of Bach's "St. Matthew Passion", in locations from Tenerife to Tokyo. The six-year cycle was completed with a performance of Haydn's "Die Schöpfung" at the 2001 Lucerne Festival. The "Christmas Oratorio" performed in Spain, Italy and Germany in December 2002. [ [http://www.englishconcert.co.uk/biographies/detail.php?ID=1185 englishconcert.co.uk: The Choir of The English Concert] ]

Trevor Pinnock stepped down as director in 2003 to pursue solo and other conducting projects.cite web
url = http://arts.guardian.co.uk/reviews/story/0,,994757,00.html
title = English Concert/Pinnock
accessdaymonth = 14 April
accessyear = 2007
last = Jeal
first = Erica
date = 2003-07-08
work = The Guardian] Orchestra members decided to hand over to violinist Andrew Manze, who was at that time associate director of The Academy of Ancient Music. [cite web
url = http://www.andante.com/article/article.cfm?id=16111
title = Passing the (Authentic 18th-Century) Torch: Andrew Manze Succeeds Trevor Pinnock as Director of The English Concert
accessdaymonth = 15 April
accessyear = 2007
last = Vickers
first = David
year = 2002
month = February
work = andante] One of his first projects as director was a reconstruction of the first performance of Handel's "Water Music", sailing down the River Thames on a barge. This was filmed for the BBC and released on DVD. [ [http://www.mvdaily.com/articles/2006/06/watermusic1.htm Review of the Water Music DVD from mvdaily.com] ] With Manze's leadership came a new series of recordings with Harmonia Mundi.

The English Concert continues to appear at the major London venues, including the Wigmore Hall, Cadogan Hall and South Bank Centre, as well as touring internationally and playing at major music festivals. In September 2007, harpsichordist Harry Bicket succeeded Andrew Manze as director.

Related ensembles

There was, for a time, a chamber ensemble drawn from the principal members, The English Concert Chamber Ensemble, which released a few recordings as 'Members of The English Concert' or using their individual names. The English Concert Winds were a group of wind players from the orchestra who released a recording. [ [http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/artist_page.asp?name=englishconcertwinds Hyperion Records: The English Concert Winds] ]

ome notable past members

Violin:
*Simon Standage - concertmaster 1972-1991 - left to direct Collegium Musicum 90
*Peter Hanson - concertmaster 1992-1997 - now leads the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
*Rachel Podger - concertmistress 1997-2002 [* [http://inkpot.com/concert/engconcert99.html Concert review from 1999] , Rachel Podger was leader and concerto soloist]
*Roy Goodman
*John Holloway

Cello:
*Anthony Pleeth - 1972-1985
*Jaap ter Linden

Recorder:
*Philip Pickett

Horn:
*Anthony Halstead

Flute:
*Stephen Preston
*Nicholas McGegan
*Lisa Beznosiuk

Oboe:
*Paul Goodwin

Lute:
*Nigel North

Recordings

:"Main article: "

Under the direction of Andrew Manze:

*C.P.E. Bach: Symphonies Wq.183 and cello concerto
*Biber: "Missa Christi resurgentis"
*Handel: "As steals the morn..." arias & scenes for tenor (with Mark Padmore, tenor)
*Mozart: "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik"
*Mozart: violin concertos nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
*Vivaldi: seven concertos ‘for the Holy Roman Emperor’

Notes and references

External links

*http://www.englishconcert.co.uk/ - official website
* [http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/English-Concert.htm Bach-cantatas.com: The English Concert]
* [http://www.jsbach.net/images/englishconcert.html Picture of recording of Bach's 4-harpsichord concerto in 1981]
* [http://www.jsbach.net/images/tpec.html Picture from the late 1980s]