Academy of Ancient Music (HIP Chamber Orchestra)

Founded: 1973, England

The original Academy of Ancient Music (= AAM) was established in 1726 for the purpose of studying and performing ‘old’ music - defined initially as anything composed at least a century earlier, but soon to include more contemporary composers, most notably George Frideric Handel.

The modern revival of The Academy was founded by Christopher Hogwood in 1973 to give audiences an experience of music as it might have sounded at the time it was written. The ensemble brings together specialists in every branch of baroque and classical performance style, playing instruments of the appropriate period in appropriate numbers. For choral works it is joined either by The AAM Chorus or a cathedral or collegiate choir with boys’ voices. Extending its policy of working with directors other than Hogwood, in 1996 it appointed Paul Goodwin as Associate Conductor and Andrew Manze as Associate Director.

The AAM is especially well known for its pioneering recordings under Christopher Hogwood for Decca. Having been the first orchestra to record all of W.A. Mozart’s symphonies on period instruments, The AAM has since recorded the complete piano concertos and symphonies of L.v. Beethoven, and is part way through recording the complete Haydn symphonies and the complete W.A. Mozart piano concertos with fortepianist Robert Levin. Opera releases on CD include Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, G.F. Handel’s Orlando and W.A. Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito with Cecilia Bartoli, which was awarded the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik and a Grammy nomination. The award-winning combination of Hogwood/Bartoli/AAM continued with Haydn’s Orfeo and G.F. Handel’s Rinaldo (released in autumn 2000). The AAM Chamber Ensemble has recorded (also for Decca) classical repertoire including clarinet quintets by W.A. Mozart and Weber, L.v. Beethoven’s Septet, Schubert’s Octet and Trout Quintet, and the quintets for fortepiano and wind by W.A. Mozart and L.v. Beethoven.

Under the direction of Paul Goodwin and Andrew Manze, The AAM also records for Harmonia Mundi USA. The first recording with Andrew Manze, J.S. Bach’s solo and double violin concertos, was released in 1997 to wide critical acclaim, and was shortly followed by Antonio Vivaldi’s Concert for the Prince of Poland and the complete Concerti Grossi Op.6 of G.F. Handel (nominated for a Grammy). The most recent Manze/AAM recording, the complete Concerti Grossi of Geminiani (after Arcangelo Corelli Op. 5), was released in July 2000. Under Paul Goodwin The AAM has recorded a selection of Christmas music by Heinrich Schütz and his contemporaries, W.A. Mozart’s rare Singspiel Zaïde and The AAM’s first commission, John Tavener’s Eternity’s Sunrise, which met with an enthusiastic critical response on its release in 1999. A second Tavener recording, Total Eclipse, is to be released in 2001.

Several recording projects have also resulted in videos or television programmes, which include G.F. Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Creation, a South Bank Show filmed at Esterhaza about Haydn’s symphonies and The Sorceress, which features Dame Kiri Te Kanawa singing music from various G.F. Handel operas. In 1997 the AAM’s performances in Salzburg of W.A. Mozart piano concertos played by Robert Levin on W.A. Mozart’s own fortepiano were filmed for release on video.

The AAM spends much time on tour, especially in Europe but also paying regular visits to North and South America and Asia. The 2000/01 season marks the start of a new London season at St John’s, Smith Square and includes major tours to the USA (under Andrew Manze) and Japan (under Christopher Hogwood). It also includes a European tour of Haydn’s Orfeo with Cecilia Bartoli (again under Christopher Hogwood) and an Arts Council funded tour of the UK under Paul Goodwin of a programme featuring The AAM’s latest commission, David Bedford’s Like a Strand of Scarlet. The following season 2001-2002 includes major tours to South America (under Andrew Manze and Christopher Hogwood) and the USA (under Christopher Hogwood with fortepianist Robert Levin).

Directors/Conductors

Christopher Hogwood (Music Director: 1973-2006; Emeritus Director since 2006)
Paul Goodwin (Associate Conductor: 1996-)
Andrew Manze (Associate Director: 1996-2003)
Richard Egarr (Associate Director: 2005-2006)
Richard Egarr (Music Director: 2006-Present)

Members of Choir of the Academy of Ancient Music:

Sopranos

Altos

Tenors

Basses

Penelope Appleyard
Charmian Bedford
Nina Bennet
Elenor Bowers-Jolley
Emma Brain-Gabbott
Elizabeth Drury
Helen Groves
Philippa Hyde
Eloise Irving
Anna Whyte

Judy Brown
Jacqueline Connell
Michal Czerniawski
Christopher Field
Ruth Gibbins
Lucy Goddard
Vanessa Heine
Ruth Kiang
Rory McCleery
Susanna Spicer
Kate Symonds-Joy

Malcolm Bennett
Rory Carver
James Geer
Edmund Hastings
Stuart Jackson
Matthew Sandy
Michael Solomon Williams
Julian Stocker

Richard Bannan
Neil Bellingham
Michael Bundy
James Geidt
Adrian Horsewood
Richard Latham
Charles Pott
Samuel Queen
Edmund Saddington
Jonathan Stainsby
David Stuart
Philip Tebb

More Photos

Sources:
Academy of Ancient Music Website
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (May 2001)

Bojan Čičić: Short Biography | Ensembles: Academy of Ancient Music | Illyria Consort
Bach Discography: Recordings of Vocal Works | Recordings of Instrumental Works

Christopher Hogwood: Short Biography | Ensembles: The Academy of Ancient Music
Bach Discography: Recordings of Vocal Works | Recordings of Instrumental Works | General Discussions
Reviews of Instrumental Recordings: Bach(s) on two keyboards delivered by Hogwood and Rousset
Arrangements/Transcriptions: Works | Recordings of Works for Orchestra

Richard Egarr: Short Biography | Ensembles: Academy of Ancient Music
Bach Discography: Recordings of Vocal Works | Recordings of Instrumental Works
Reviews of Instrumental Recordings: Review: Harpsichord Works by Richard Egarr | Egarr Goldbergs [B. Lehman] | Richard Egarr Performs Bach's Goldberg Variations [D. Satz] | Goldberg Variations Review: Egarr [P. Bright]
Discussions of Instrumental Recordings: Goldberg Variations BWV 988 - played by R. Egarr | Brandenburg Concertos - conducted by R. Egarr

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Stephen Cleobury

Orchestra

BWV 12, BWV 140; Chorales from BWV 22, BWV 147; BWV 230, BWV 226, BWV 234, BWV 237, BWV 243, BWV 373, BWV 386
[V-5] (2019): BWV 244 [2^nd recording]
V-4 (2016): BWV 245 [2^nd recording]

Paul Goodwin

Orchestra

Recitative & Aria from BWV 202
G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34 [2000, Alcina]

Simon Preston

Orchestra

BWV 243a

Barnaby Smith

Orchestra

[C-1] (2020, EP/2-CD/Video): BWV 150
[V-3] (2019, Video): BWV 245

Recordings of Bach’s Instrumental Works

Conductor

As

Works

Pablo Beznosiuk

Orchestra

Concerto for 2 violins, BWV 1043

Mahan Esfahani

Orchestra

BWV 1080

Andrew Manze

Orchestra

Violin Concertos BWV 1041, BWV 1042, BWV 1043, BWV 1060R [w/ violinist Rachel Podger]
Triple Concerto BWV 1044; Harpsichord Concertos, BWV 1052, BWV 1053, BWV 1054, BWV 1055, BWV 1056, BWV 1057, BWV 1058 [w/ harpsichordist Richard Egarr]

Recordings of Arrangements/Transcriptions of Bach's Works

Conductor

As

Works

Lucie Horsch [Recorders]

Orchestra

[T-1] (2018): Oboe Concerto BWV 1059R, arranged for recorder & orchestra; Aria for Alto (Mvt. 39) from Matthäus-Passion BWV 244, arranged for recorder & orchestra; Orchestral Suite No. 2 BWV 1067: Badinerie

Links to other Sites

AAM - Academy of Ancient Music Website