Dunedin Consort

Messiah review. Scotsman

dunedin — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:19:00 GMT

MESSIAHS come in all shapes and sizes. And before a bolt of lightning is angled in my direction, let me make it clear that I am referring to Handel’s famous oratorio. There are fat ones and skinny ones, slick ones and pedantic ones, polished professional ones and well-meaning amateur ones. But for me, the approach taken by the Dunedin Consort and Players on Tuesday – the same compact forces that Handel favoured in his later years – would be the chosen one.

Ken Walton. Scotsman. 22nd December 2011.

Full Review

Matthew Passion, Eisenach, Thüringer Bachwochen

dunedin — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:15:00 GMT

Our first German concert could not be at a better location: Eisenach. We will open the 2012 Thuringia Bach Festival. The entire day will be dedicated to its theme “reformation and music”. The opening event includes a podium discussion, in which renowned participants talk about Bach’s religiosity and the connection between religion and music as well as the role that religious beliefs still play in music today. The festival will be kicked off in the afternoon with an ecumenical church service followed by a performance of St. Matthew Passion.

Matthew Passion, Perth

dunedin — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 12:59:51 GMT

Dunedin Consort and Players will perform St Matthew Passion by JS Bach for the twelfth year in succession. The Passion was first performed at Easter between 1727 and 1729 and Dunedin's performances have now become firmly rooted in Scotland’s musical calendar. Dunedin sings in German and the emotion and drama of the Passion story alternates with Picander’s poignant and devotional verse.

John Butt, Director

Julian Podger, Evangelist

Robert Davies, Christ

Brandenburg/Cantata Series III, Perth

dunedin — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 12:55:04 GMT

Dunedin's final season concert completes the Brandenburgs set with the impossibly virtuosic Brandenburg concerto number 2 for Trumpet, Violin, Oboe and Recorder. His Brandenburg Concerto no 3 which aptly uses 3 violins, 3 violas and 3 cellos. The vocal works are truly exceptional with Bach's Wedding Cantata Weichet Nur and to finish off a slight departure from Bach to honour our other passion, Handel's Cantata Cecilia Volgi un Sguardo.

Brandenburg Concerto No 3

Cantata BWV 202 Weichet nur.

Brandenburg Concerto no 2

Handel Cecilia, volgi un sguardo

Brandenburg/Cantata Series II, Perth

dunedin — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 12:49:00 GMT

The Dunedin Consort's interpretations of Bach are internationally acclaimed and this concert promises to be truly uplifting. They continue their cycle of Bach's much-loved Brandenburg Concertos cycle with numbers 4 and 6. These frame two of his great cantatas Actus Tragicus and Tritt auf die Glaubensbahn.

"the audiences felt buoyed and sure the performances they had just heard could not be bettered" Perthshire Advertiser, Sep 2011

Brandenburg Cantata Series I - Dunedin Consort from Dunedin Consort on Vimeo.

Bach Brandenburg Concerto No.6
Bach Cantata BWV 106 Actus Tragicus
Bach Cantata BWV 152 Tritt auf die Glaubesbahn
Bach Brandenburg Concerto No.4

Big Give 2011

dunedin — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 19:53:00 GMT

Dear Supporter,

Thank you to all of you that so generously and patiently have participated in the Big Give this year. The last two days the big give has halted just after 10am. This, coupled with the severe technical issues the scheme experienced during the first two days, have driven us to take the decision to stop the challenge for our donors. If you want to support our St John Passion recording, please ring Alfonso Leal on 01315163718 and he will explain the best option to maximise the value of your donation.

Apologies for what must have been a frustrating experience and once again many thanks again for your generous support. Dunedin would not exist without it.

Yours sincerely,

Alfonso Leal del Ojo
General Manager

OUR PROJECT

A large part of the funds for the Esther recording came from the Big Give 2010, an initiative that allowed us to double the value of your donations. You will be pleased to hear we are doing it again. Do you remember that warm feeling you felt when you saw your money had doubled magically? The project we will need your support for is the recording of Bach’s St John Passion.

It is perhaps no surprise that the John Passion is the next great work on Dunedin’s wish list for recordings. While it will match our recording of the Matthew Passion with the use of eight principal singers and a small specialist orchestra, it will also offer a new and exciting perspective on the work. This involves presenting the liturgical surroundings into which Bach’s setting is embedded. These include a motet, responsories, four congregational chorales and associated organ preludes. Here then we have the opportunity to recruit a ‘congregation’ from the Scottish singing community - but we are still debating what to do about the hour-long sermon? Any volunteers?

The crux of the Big Give is actually very simple. Donations need to be made on-line, and as soon as possible after the scheme opens at 10am on December 5th.

To have any donation you make (up to £5,000) to Dunedin doubled, visit:

The Big Give 2011

If you want to see how the Big Give supported our 2010 recording of Handel's Esther, click here:
Esther Recording Session

Julian Podger

dunedin — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:39:00 GMT

Julian Podger started singing and directing whilst still at school in Kassel, Germany, and during his studies at Trinity College, Cambridge where he founded the ensemble Trinity Baroque. As a soloist he is much in demand in England and abroad, highpoints include part of the Bach cantata pilgrimage with John Eliot Gardiner, a recording of Monteverdi’s Vespers with Tragicomedia, and appearances with Andrew Parrott and the Taverner Consort at the Ansbach Festival.

He has specialised particularly in the role of evangelist for Bach’s passions, appearing with Stephen Stubbs in Bratislava, and with Paul Hillier in Tallinn and Riga, and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

He has appeared in many major concert venues, including the Royal Albert Hall and the Barbican, London, the Mozarteum, Salzburg, the Konzerthaus, Vienna and the Palau de la Musica, Barcelona. Operatic ventures have taken him to Tokyo as ‘Orfeo’, to Venice, Melbourne and the Edinburgh Festival as ‘Ulisse’ (both Monteverdi), to the Boston Early Music Festival and to London and York as ‘Daniel’ in The Play of Daniel with Andrew Lawrence-King. He is a member of one of the world’s leading mediaeval ensembles, Gothic Voices, and continues to direct Trinity Baroque, with whom he has just released a solo voice recording of Bach’s motets.

He Comes! Handel Esther

dunedin — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 17:07:24 GMT

Esther

Aberdeen Choral Workshop. John Passion

dunedin — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:35:00 GMT

We base our workshops on pieces we are passionate about. This year is no different and we will be working on Bach’s John Passion which is the main drive of our recording initiave for 2012.

It is perhaps no surprise that the John Passion is the next great work on Dunedin's wish list for recordings. While it will match our recording of the Matthew Passion with the use of eight principal singers and a small specialist orchestra, it will also offer a new and exciting perspective on the work. This involves presenting the liturgical surroundings into which Bach's setting is embedded. These include a motet, responsories, four congregational chorales and associated organ preludes. Here then we have the opportunity to recruit a 'congregation' from the Scottish singing community.

Glasgow Choral Workshop. John Passion

dunedin — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:28:00 GMT

We base our workshops on pieces we are passionate about. This year is no different and we will be working on Bach’s John Passion which is the main drive of our recording initiave for 2012.