Freiburger Barockorchester (Freiburg Baroque Orchestra) is a German

Baroque orchestra A Baroque orchestra is an ensemble for mixed instruments that existed during the Baroque era of Western Classical music, commonly identified as 1600–1750. Baroque orchestras are typically much smaller, in terms of the number of performers, than ...

founded in 1987, with the mission statement: "to enliven the world of

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

music with new sounds".

History

The orchestra is based in

Freiburg im Breisgau Freiburg im Breisgau or simply Freiburg is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, fourth-largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg after Stuttgart, Mannheim and Karlsruhe. Its built-up area has a population of abou ...

. In addition to Baroque music, it has performed works by composers such as

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...

Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; ; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical period (music), Classical and early Romantic music, Romantic eras. Despite his short life, Schubert left behind a List of compositions ...

and Weber, and contemporary music. The orchestra gave its first concert in 1987 and began touring abroad with a performance in

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...

in 1989. The first tour to America in 1995. Violinists

Gottfried von der Goltz Gottfried Graf von der Goltz (born 1 June 1964 in Würzburg, Germany) is a German violinist and conductor, specialising in the baroque repertoire. Early life Born into the ancient Brandenburgish noble von der Goltz family, as the son of Conra ...

and Petra Müllejans from among their own numbers are the regular musical directors. The orchestra performs a quarter of its concerts with guest conductors such as Ivor Bolton,

René Jacobs René Jacobs (born 30 October 1946) is a Belgian musician. He came to fame as a countertenor, but later in his career he became known as a conductor of baroque and classical opera. Biography Countertenor Born in Ghent, Jacobs began his musi ...

Philippe Herreweghe Philippe Maria François Herreweghe, Knight Herreweghe (born 2 May 1947) is a Belgian conductor and choirmaster. Herreweghe founded La Chapelle Royale and Collegium Vocale Gent and is renowned as a conductor, with a repertoire ranging from ...

, Pablo Heras-Casado and Trevor Pinnock.

Awards

The Freiburger Barockorchester was awarded the 2012 Echo Klassik Awards as "Ensemble of the Year (Historical Instruments)".

Selected discography

Wilhelm Friedemann Bach Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (22 November 17101 July 1784) was a German composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was the second child and eldest son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach. Despite his acknowledged genius as an improviser ...

: Concerto in D for flute; Sinfonia in D minor; Concerto in E minor for Cembalo; Concerto in E-flat for Two Cembalos. Performed by Karl Kaiser (flute) and Michael Behringer and Robert Hill (fortepiano and harpsichord), directed by Gottfried von der Goltz (Carus 83.304) *

Christoph Willibald Gluck Christoph Willibald (Ritter von) Gluck (; ; 2 July 1714 – 15 November 1787) was a composer of Italian and French opera in the early classical period (music), classical period. Born in the Upper Palatinate and raised in Bohemia, both part of th ...

: '' Orfeo ed Euridice''. Performed by Bernarda Fink, Veronica Cangemi, and María Cristina Kiehr with the RIAS Kammerchor, directed by

(Harmonia Mundi 901742/43) *

Joseph Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( ; ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...

: Symphonies Nos. 6–8 (Le matin, Le midi, Le soir). Performed by the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra (Harmonia Mundi 901767) *

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...

: Arias from Lucio Silla; Die Zauberflöte; Il rè pastore; Mitridate, rè di Ponto; Die Entführung aus dem Serail; La clemenza di Tito; Zaide. Performed by

Sandrine Piau Sandrine Piau (born 5 June 1965) is a French soprano. She is particularly renowned in Baroque music although also excels in Romantic and modernist art songs. She has the versatility to perform works from Vivaldi, Handel, Mozart to Schumann, Deb ...

(soprano) directed by Gottfried von der Goltz (Naïve-Astrée E8877) *

: Piano Concertos Nos 17 & 22 (K.453 & K.482) with soloist Kristian Bezuidenhout, fortepiano (Harmonia Mundi 902147) *

Felix Mendelssohn Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic music, Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions inc ...

: Violin Concerto – Symphony No. 5 & The Hebrides. Performed by Isabelle Faust (violin) and Pablo Heras-Casado conducting (Harmonia Mundi 902325)

DVD

External links

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The Freiburger Barockorchester & Mozart : a playlist
All About Mozart {{Authority control Early music orchestras Chamber orchestras Freiburg im Breisgau Orchestras in Baden-Württemberg Musical groups established in 1987 1987 establishments in West Germany Harmonia Mundi artists Erato Records artists