TREVOR PINNOCK

Hardly any ensemble has influenced our listening attitudes to “early music” as much as “The English Concert”, which came into being 50 years ago. The founder and long-time conductor Trevor Pinnock led the musicians with an articulate tone from the harpsichord and thus formed the sound from the heart of the ensemble. Historical authenticity was the basis of the playing, but their aim was a brilliant, lively orchestral sound serving the emotional core of the music. Several renowned instrumentalists made their mark on the ensemble, showing that historical performance practice and euphony are not contradictions. “Pinnock’s performances of Bach and Handel", Leonard Bernstein confessed, “make me jump out of my seat”.

On 100 discs (99 CD & 1 DVD), this box presents the complete oeuvre of Trevor Pinnock and The English Concert on Archiv Produktion. Purcell, Vivaldi, Handel, Bach, Haydn and Mozart are the focus of the repertoire. Numerous recordings such as the Brandenburg Concertos, Corelli’s Concerti Grossi or the symphonies of William Boyce are among the milestones of recording history. A Bach album from the ensemble’s early days is released for the first time on CD, as well as the never-published Dead March from Handel’s “Saul”. A 184-page book with essays by Trevor Pinnock and Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, the director of the Royal Academy of Music, as well as numerous photos and documents complete the extensive portrait.