The English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble

The English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble ECSE

 “ …the fabulous English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble would have made Monteverdi proud with their skill and sensitivity”

Toronto Star

“ … this group plays with ease and a superb blend of tones… a winning collection”
(Accendo CD awarded 5 stars - full review )

www.musicweb.uk.net

 

The English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble, based in London is now celebrating it’s 15th year. It’s members are all leading specialists on early brass instruments with a shared aim to take the performance of repertoire for Cornetts and Sackbuts to the highest level.

Since it’s formation, ECSE has played at many major music festivals in the UK and abroad including the Bath International Festival, Spitalfields, Warwick & Leamington and York. Sell out appearances have also been given at London’s Wigmore Hall, St. John’s Smith Square and the Purcell Room. Abroad, they have been invited to play in France, Israel (twice with the assistance of the British Council). In April 2008, ECSE return to Canada following there successful tour back in 2001 with performances in Toronto and Ottawa of their new programme “FLOWER OF CITIES ALL” plus world premiere performances of a new commission by Canadian composer Andrew Ager. Radio appearances include BBC Radio 3 and 4 and BBC Scotland and it’s recordings are often heard on Radio 3 and Classic FM.

Following the success of their first CD, Accendo, released in 2001 with three 5 star awards, ECSE have been a part of some exciting and diverse recordings such as a live BBC Radio 3 broadcast from St. James’s Palace with His Majesty’s Chapel Royal Choir. A world premiere recording then followed with Emma Kirkby and the talented Armonico Consort of Francesco Scarlatti’s Miserere. “The Madrigal in Venice”, a collaborative recording with the highly regarded ensemble, I Fagiolini, of Andrea Gabrieli’s madrigals has also received further 5 star awards, described as “one of the most enthralling madrigal anthologies on the market”. Since the release of a German renaissance music CD in 2004, ECSE not only have released it’s new English CD “Flower of Cities All” but also a new recording of Monteverdi Vespers on the Signum Label with the Rodolfus Choir.

Playing instruments that so naturally compliment the human voice, the English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble have regularly accompanied the country’s leading professional chamber choirs, including I Fagiolini, the Dunedin Consort, Trinity Baroque, His Majesty’s Chapel Royal Choir at St. James’s Palace and the Armonico Consort. They have performed many joint vocal and instrumental programmes with choral societies throughout Britain, including the magnificent 1610 Vespers of Claudio Monteverdi. This is one of ECSE’s most popular requests for concert programmes and the group already has bookings and enquiries for the year 2010, the 400th anniversary of the work.

In addition to their work with ECSE, the members are also regular performers with the worlds leading period instruments groups such as, The Gabrieli Consort, The English Baroque Soloists, The King’s Consort, Ensemble La Fenice, The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Tafelmusik, as well as providing music for the plays at the gloriously reconstructed Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre on London’s Bankside.