The passacaille dance takes its name from the Spanish dance pasacalle (literally “walk-about”). It presents a wonderful series of inventions over a recurring bass line. This movement, first heard in Handel’s opera Radamisto in 1720, was repurposed for his Sonata Op. 5 No. 4 in G Major. Recorded here by The English Concert and Kristian Bezuidenhout at the Henry Wood Hall in London in November …
Bach reserves some of his most beautiful music for the moment of death. In this video, Katharina Spreckelsen performs the soaring oboe line in this exquisite sinfonia from Cantata 156 with The English Concert, directed by Kristian Bezuidenhout. Ich steh mit einem Fuß im Grabe / I stand with one foot in the grave.
Nadja Zwiener, leader of The English Concert, performs Bach’s Sarabanda from his Partita for Solo Violin in D Minor BWV 1004 at the Thomaskirche in Leipzig, where the composer’s remains rest.
Listen to this sweet short Rondeau from Purcell’s The Indian Queen was recorded by The English Concert and Kristian Bezuidenhout at the Henry Wood Hall in London in November 2019. Performers: Nadja Zwiener, Tuomo Suni – ViolinAlfonso Leal del Ojo – ViolaJonny Byers – CelloKristian Bezuidenhout – Harpsichord and Director
The 2017-2018 season marks the start of a wonderful partnership as Kristian Bezuidenhout becomes The English Concert’s Principal Guest Director. Catch a glimpse of the orchestra in action and hear from Kristian as we set out on our journey together. “I’ve had the great pleasure of working with these superb musicians many times, and I am always struck not just …
For the majority of music in the baroque period, whether purely instrumental, chamber, or for the church or opera house, a keyboard instrument played a pivotal role in the continuo group. Yet for music of the classical period, especially the classical symphony, the role of the keyboard (or even if one is used at all) has become somewhat of a …
Ahead of The English Concert’s first appearance at Kings Place on 6 December 2017, violinist Nadja Zwiener offers her insight into the ferocious virtuosity required to play Biber’s music and the intimate sound world he creates with the use of scordatura.
Richly scored and tightly plotted, an all-star cast brings to life one of Handel’s finest operas, Ariodante. Following her stunning appearance in Alcina in 2014, the latest instalment in our Handel opera series sees the return of Joyce DiDonato in the title role. Marking 500 years since the publication of Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando furioso, a tale of knights and entangled …
Richly scored and tightly plotted, an all-star cast brings to life one of Handel’s finest operas, Ariodante. Following her stunning appearance in Alcina in 2014, the latest instalment in our Handel opera series sees the return of Joyce DiDonato in the title role. Marking 500 years since the publication of Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando furioso, a tale of knights and entangled love, Ariodante stands as Handel’s final …
Richly scored and tightly plotted, an all-star cast brings to life one of Handel’s finest operas, Ariodante. Following her stunning appearance in Alcina in 2014, the latest instalment in our Handel opera series sees the return of Joyce DiDonato in the title role. Marking 500 years since the publication of Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando furioso, a tale of knights and entangled love, Ariodante stands as Handel’s final …