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The Gabrieli Consort and Players were founded in 1982 by Paul McCreesh. They came to critical attention during their first decade with their mould-breaking reconstructions of music for the great historic occasions of the Renaissance. Since then, they have captivated audiences with their bold readings of the masterworks of the Baroque period.
A predominantly young group of players and singers, Gabrieli take a vibrant and engaging approach to the masterworks of the Baroque period. Their distinctive style, coupled with Paul McCreesh's expertise in the performance practice of earlier periods, gives Gabrieli's music-making a wide and decidedly twenty-first century appeal.
The Gabrieli Consort and Players have made numerous television and radio appearances in a variety of repertoire and are regular visitors to the major festivals and concert halls of Europe. They have also undertaken four major tours to the USA, performing repertoire from Gabrieli to Praetorius, and plan to return in 2002-2003.
The Gabrieli Consort and Players record exclusively with market leader, Deutsche Grammophon Archiv (DG Archiv) and their first release on this label, Venetian Vespers, won the 1993 Gramophone Award and was nominated for a Grammy. Subsequent recordings for DG Archiv of music by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina and Michael Praetorius, Morales, Purcell and others have won several major European prizes (including Diapason D'Or, Deutschen Schallplatten Preis, and Edison).
The Gabrieli Consort and Players released their first George Frideric Handel oratorio recording - Messiah - in 1998. Since then they have become firmly established as leading interpreters of his works. Their 1999 recording of Solomon (with the celebrated German counter-tenor, Andreas Scholl, singing the title role) was voted 'Classic CD of the Year' and their most recent G.F. Handel offering, Theodora, has just been nominated for a Gramophone Award. Their next G.F. Handel recording (scheduled for autumn 2002) will be the composer's magnificent oratorio, Saul. With a cast that includes Susan Gritton, Deborah York, Thomas Quasthoff and Andreas Scholl, this recording will be an essential addition to any collection.
Gabrieli have also become known for their vivid and moving readings of the J.S. Bach masterworks. The ensemble commemorated the 250th Anniversary of the death of J.S. Bach in spring 2001 with a European tour and recording of his Easter Oratorio (BWV 249) and Magnificat (BWV 243). March/April 2002 sees Gabrieli performing and recording his St. Matthew Passion (BWV 244) with Mark Padmore taking on the role of the Evangelist.
Performance plans for forthcoming seasons include major tours of Purcell's Faery Queen; G.F. Handel's La Resurrezione and Acis and Galatea; Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610; J.S. Bach's Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248) and St. John Passion (BWV 245). |
