The English Concert

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The English Concert was founded in November 1972 by Trevor Pinnock together with several musicians who played historical instruments as a chamber music group and soon afterwards expanded to a chamber orchestra .

The ensemble gave its debut concert at the English Bach Festival . In 1975 the first record was made with the Four Seasons (Concerti op. 8 No. 1–4) by Antonio Vivaldi . In 1978 an exclusive contract was signed with Deutsche Grammophon / Archiv Produktion ; the first recording for this label was made in June of the same year ( Johann Sebastian Bach , orchestral suites). Up to 1984 almost all orchestral works by Johann Sebastian Bach and Georg Friedrich Händel were recorded for the archive production of the DGG , as well as works by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach , Henry Purcell , Antonio Vivaldi and a compilation with English baroque concerts.

Characteristic is the fresh, lively sound that made the ensemble world-famous under the direction of Trevor Pinnock . The repertoire includes the well-known orchestral works and oratorios of the Baroque period, but also works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart .

From 2003 to 2007 the violinist Andrew Manze directed the orchestra.

In 2007 Harry Bicket became director of the ensemble and Nadia Zwiener, who was born in Erfurt, became its first concertmaster.

Collaborations took place with the harpsichordist Laurence Cummings , the oboist Alfredo Bernardini, the violinist Simon Standage , the recorderist Maurice Steger and the lutenist James Tyler .

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