Collegium Aureum

Collegium Aureum was a chamber orchestra founded in Cologne, Germany, in 1962, which later focused on historically informed performance. Playing typically without conductor, they recorded for three decades, and performed concerts on international tours.

Collegium Aureum
Chamber orchestra
Founded1962
Disbanded1990s
LocationCologne

History

Collegium Aureum was initiated by the label Deutsche Harmonia Mundi as a group of instrumental soloists dedicated to the recording of early music[1] to up to the 18th century in what was then called "gerechtes Klangbild“ (fair sound image), later called Historische Aufführungspraxis (historically informed performance). They pursued to play Early music, music of the classical period and early Romantic music on historic instruments and with the playing techniques of the earlier times, in appropriate venues. They found a suitable location at the Schloss Kirchheim in Schwaben for rehearsals and recordings. As the Renaissance architecture Zedernsaal hall there had the proportions of the golden ratio they called their group Collegium Aureum (Golden Colleagues). The violinist Franzjosef Maier was concert master,[1] other members included the harpsichordists Bob van Asperen and Gustav Leonhardt, flutists Hans-Martin Linde and Barthold Kuijken, oboist Helmut Hucke, violinist Reinhard Goebel, violist Franz Beyer and timpanist Wolfgang Preissler. The ensemble played without conductor, directed by the concert master.[1]

They made recordings from 1962, followed by concerts and productions for radio and television. The group toured in England, France, Japan, Latin America, Northern Africa, the Netherlands, the USSR and the Near East. They recorded for three decades, and disbanded in the 1990s.[2] Several recordings were reissued on CD. A 2016 reviewer called their playing "smooth, elegant and thoughtful".[1] Their 1971 recording of Bach's Christmas Oratorio with the Tölzer Knabenchor, conducted by Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden, was described as a vigorous exploration of the Nativity, with a "gratifying eloquence throughout".[3]

Further reading
  • Alain Pâris: Klassische Musik im 20. Jahrhundert. Instrumentalisten, Sänger, Dirigenten, Orchester, Chöre. 2nd edition, dtv, Munich 1997, ISBN 3-423-32501-1
  • Robert Strobl: Geschichte der historischen Aufführungspraxis in Grundzügen. Teil II: Von 1970–1990. Pro Musica Antiqua, Regensburg 1992, ISBN 3-929239-04-3.

References
  1. Cookson, Michael (January 2006). "Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) / Concertos". musicweb-international.com. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  2. Reichow, Jan (2005). "Wie alte Musik neu wurde und ferne Musik allmählich näher kam". janreichow.de (in German). Retrieved 2019-02-02. first published in 50 Jahre Alte Musik im WDR 1954–2004 (in German), Cologne: Concerto Verlag, 2005, ISBN 3980357856 and in Concerto, No. 202, June/July 2005
  3. Freeman-Attwood, Jonathan (10 December 2014). "Bach's Christmas Oratorio – which recording is best?". Gramophone. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
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