Hortus Musicus

Early music consort Hortus Musicus was founded by its artistic director and conductor Andres Mustonen in 1972. Hortus Musicus is the oldest continuously working ensemble in its field in Eastern Europe and one of the few of such longevity in the world. Members of the ensemble are Andres Mustonen (artistic director, violin, viola, recorders, cromorns), Olev Ainomäe (shawns, oboe, recorders, shalmey, cromorns, rauschpfeiff), Valter Jürgenson (trombones), Tõnis Kuurme (curtal, shawn, bassoon, recorders, cromorn, rauschpfeiff), Peeter Klaas (viols, cello), Imre Eenma (violone, double bass, viola), Ivo Sillamaa (harpsichord, organ, piano), Joosep Vahermägi (tenor), Jaan Arder (baritone) and Riho Ridbeck (bass, percussion instruments).

Since the founding of the ensemble, Hortus Musicus has been performing constantly on world's concert stages and at different music festivals, such as Utrecht Festival, the Malmo Baroque, the Mozart-Fest in Chemnitz, the Jaffa Festival in Israel, the Lufthansa Baroque Festival in London, the Scottish Early Music Festival in Glasgow, the Lockenhaus Festival in Austria, the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival, Bratislava Music Festival, KlaraFestival in Belgium, David Oistrakh Festival, Tallinn Internatoinal Organ Festival, Rapla Church Music Festival, Festival Trialogus, the Glasperlenspiel Festival and others.

Hortus Musicus' repertoire includes music from the 8th-20th century. Their programs consists of the Gregorian chant, organums, medieval liturgical dramas, hymns and motets, works of the Franco-Flemish school, the Trecento-masters of Italy, the 16th-century rigid polyphony, French chansons, Italian madrigals, frotollas and villanelles, a large amount of suites from Renaissance dances, early sonatas and secular large-scale works of baroque composers of the 17th-18th centuries and the music of 20th century composers. Many contemporary composers have written pieces for the ensemble, such as Alexander Knaifel, Arvo Pärt, Galina Grigorjeva, Lepo Sumera and others. Hortus Musicus has recorded more than 30 CD-s for Warner Classics, Melodiya, Forte, Antes and others.

For the performances of 18th century oratorios and passions, Mustonen founded Hortus Music Academic Orchestra.

Homepage of Hortus Musicus

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