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The Musica Aeterna Bratislava ensemble (= MAB) was formed in 1973 on the initiative of Prof. Ján Albrecht. Since 1989 it has espoused the use period instruments (or their copies) from the 17th and 18th centuries. European music - and particularly that of central European or Slovak provenance - forms the core repertoire of this ensemble which, since 1986, has come under the administrative umbrella of the Slovak Philharmonic. Its artistic director and leader is Peter Zajíček.
In addition to concerts in Bratislava and throughout Slovakia, MAB performs regularly abroad, enjoying an association of many years' standing with the Centre for Baroque Music at Versailles and appearing at major international festivals such as the Festival van Vlaanderen, the Holland Festival of Early Music in Utrecht, Festival Wiener Klassik, Carinthischer Sommer in Villach, Régizenei napok in Sopron, the International Festival of Early Music in Prague, Bach Tage in Berlin, Barockfest in Münster, Swedish Baroque Festival and the Bratislava Music Festival, among others.
The MAB regularly collaborates with distinguished early music specialists, including Christophe Coin, Paul Colléaux, Pascal Dubreuil, Richard Fuller, Martin Gester, Paul Goodwin, Edward Higginbottom, John Holloway, Jan Kleinbussink, Catherine Mackintosh, Charles Medlam, Siegfried Pank, Andrew Parrott, Christophe Rousset, Olivier Schneebeli, Simon Standage, Melvyn Tan and John Toll.
To date MAB has recorded more than 15 CD titles, many of which have received prestigious prizes, including the Diapason d'Or in 1994 and 1995 for the complete Concerti Grossi of Georg Muffat.
Critical acclaim for Musica Aeterna Bratislava is ever reaching new heights and the ensemble is not infrequently rated among the best of its kind in Europe. |
