Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century

Info

Frans Brüggen founded the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century in 1981.

Geschiedenis

Once the world's most famous recorder player, Frans Brüggen is now considered among the foremost experts in the performance of eighteenth century music. He was born in Amsterdam and studied musicology at the university there. At 21, he was appointed professor at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague and later held position as Erasmus Professor at the Harvard University and Regents Professor at the University of Berkeley. Yet, as Luciano Berio wrote, he was "a musician who is not an archeologist but a great artist".

In 1981, Brüggen and friends founded the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, which consists of some fifty-five members from more than twenty different countries. Five times a year the orchestra assembles to go on tour.

The musicians, who are all specialists in eighteenth and early nineteenth century music, play on period instruments on contemporary copies. The wide-ranging repertoire this orchestra has recorded for Philips Classics and nowadays for The Grand Tour / Glossa includes works by Purcell, Bach, Rameau, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn and Chopin.

In August 2014 the Orchestra had to say farewell to Frans Brüggen. The inspired collaboration with the Orchestra's founding father came to an end but Brüggens inspiration will remain and lead the Orchestra in the years to come.

The Orchestra decided to continue the tradition of five projects a year, now inviting guests and guest conductors.