Endymion, formerly Endymion Ensemble, is an English chamber music ensemble, founded in 1979 and dedicated to contemporary classical music.

History

One of the founding members was John Whitfield who often conducted the group. Players have included pianist

Michael Dussek Michael Dussek (born February 24, 1958) is an English pianist specialising in chamber music and song accompaniment. Education Dussek was educated at St John's College School, Cambridge and Radley College, where his piano teacher was Hugo Langri ...

, oboists

Melinda Maxwell Melinda Maxwell (born 1953 in London) is an English oboist and composer. She is principal oboist of the ensemble Endymion and the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, and a regularly principal of the London Sinfonietta. She has been an academic t ...

and

Quentin Poole Quentin H. Poole (born 1957) is an English oboist, conductor and former boy chorister, who served as Head Chorister of King's College, Cambridge. Poole was born in Surrey, England, the son of Joseph W. Poole and Esme B. Mounsey Poole, but he g ...

, clarinetist

Mark van de Wiel Mark van de Wiel (born 1958, Northampton)Bio
at Philharmonia Orchestra. is an English clarinettist, ...

, hornist Stephen Stirling and double bass player Chi-chi Nwanoku. Whitfield conducted the ensemble in recordings dedicated to works by specific composers, including in 1988 ''Dumbarton Oaks'', works by

Igor Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (6 April 1971) was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor, later of French (from 1934) and American (from 1945) citizenship. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential composers of the ...

, in 1989 ''Lichtbogen'' by

Kaija Saariaho Kaija Anneli Saariaho (; ; born 14 October 1952) is a Finnish composer based in Paris, France. During the course of her career, Saariaho has received commissions from the Lincoln Center for the Kronos Quartet and from IRCAM for the Ensemble I ...

and other works by Finnish composers, and in 1995 ''Phaedra/Les Illuminations'', music by

Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976, aged 63) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other ...

. In a series at the Southbank named Composer Choice, they have performed concerts dedicated to contemporary composers such as Michael Berkeley,

Harrison Birtwistle Sir Harrison Birtwistle (15 July 1934 – 18 April 2022) was an English composer of contemporary classical music best known for his operas, often based on mythological subjects. Among his many compositions, his better known works include '' T ...

Gavin Bryars Richard Gavin Bryars (; born 16 January 1943) is an English composer and double bassist. He has worked in jazz, free improvisation, minimalism, historicism, avant-garde, and experimental music. Early life and career Born on 16 January 1943 in ...

Peter Maxwell Davies Sir Peter Maxwell Davies (8 September 1934 – 14 March 2016) was an English composer and conductor, who in 2004 was made Master of the Queen's Music. As a student at both the University of Manchester and the Royal Manchester College of Mus ...

, Oliver Knussen,

Mark-Anthony Turnage Mark-Anthony Turnage CBE (born 10 June 1960) is a British composer of classical music. Biography Turnage was born in Corringham, Essex. He began composing at age nine and at fourteen began studying at the junior section of the Royal College of M ...

, Judith Weir and John Woolrich. Composer

Jonathan Dove Jonathan Dove (born 18 July 1959) is an English composer of opera, choral works, plays, films, and orchestral and chamber music. He has arranged a number of operas for English Touring Opera and the City of Birmingham Touring Opera (now Birmi ...

chose Mozart's Serenade for winds, K. 375. Stravinsky's ''

Pastorale Pastorale refers to something of a pastoral nature in music, whether in form or in mood. In Baroque music, a pastorale is a movement of a melody in thirds over a drone bass, recalling the Christmas music of ''pifferari'', players of the traditi ...

'' in the version for soprano and wind quartet, and his own ''Figures in the Garden'', among others. In 2004, Endymion recorded works for wind ensemble by

Graham Waterhouse Graham Waterhouse (born 2 November 1962) is an English composer and cellist who specializes in chamber music. He has composed a cello concerto, '' Three Pieces for Solo Cello'' and '' Variations for Cello Solo'' for his own instrument, and str ...

, including '' Mouvements d'Harmonie'', on a CD Portrait featuring also chamber music for strings played by the

English Chamber Orchestra The English Chamber Orchestra (ECO) is a British chamber orchestra based in London. The full orchestra regularly plays concerts at Cadogan Hall, and their ensemble performs at Wigmore Hall. The orchestra regularly tours in the UK and internation ...

. A review noted "All these pieces are superbly played by all concerned". In 2011, players performed at the Mahler Centenary Conference chamber music, including Mahler's

Piano Quartet A piano quartet is a chamber music composition for piano and three other instruments, or a musical ensemble comprising such instruments. Those other instruments are usually a string trio consisting of a violin, viola and cello. Piano quartets for ...

in the context of the ''Menuetto'' from his Third Symphony, Erich Korngold's Piano Trio, Op. 1, Shostakovitch's Piano Trio No. 1 and

Alfred Schnittke Alfred Garrievich Schnittke (russian: Альфре́д Га́рриевич Шни́тке, link=no, Alfred Garriyevich Shnitke; 24 November 1934 – 3 August 1998) was a Russian composer of Jewish-German descent. Among the most performed and rec ...

's Piano Quartet (after Mahler). The ensemble often performs with the

BBC Singers The BBC Singers are a British chamber choir, and the professional chamber choir of the BBC. One of the six BBC Performing Groups, the BBC Singers are based at the BBC's Maida Vale Studios in London. The only full-time professional British c ...

, conducted by David Hill. In 2013, they recorded for example Steve Reich's '' The Desert Music'' at Milton Court, London. They performed the work again at the

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...

on 13 August 2014 at the Proms. Tim Ashley wrote in

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide ...

: "The work requires vast resources of accuracy and stamina from its performers, all of whom rose superbly to its challenges."

References

External links

Endymion
Official website *

Fanfare A fanfare (or fanfarade or flourish) is a short musical flourish which is typically played by trumpets, French horns or other brass instruments, often accompanied by percussion. It is a "brief improvised introduction to an instrumental perfo ...

1979 establishments in England Chamber music groups Contemporary classical music ensembles English classical music groups Musical groups established in 1979 {{authority control