Orchestra Of The 18th Century

The Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century is one of the most prominent period instrument orchestras in the world. The musicians play internationally in leading (chamber) music ensembles and meet several times a year for performances of iconic and lesser-known repertoire. In the early 1980s, the orchestra achieved world fame by performing grand symphonic work on original instruments and in a historically informed manner. A revolution that never really stopped. But the uniqueness of the orchestra is not only in the sound or the way of playing. Ever since it was founded by Frans Brüggen more than forty years ago, musicians have never taken a score for granted. The approach to the music and how we present it is critical, curious, investigative and progressive. Core values from The Enlightenment that all orchestra members hold in high esteem. That is why every performance is a new challenge and the iconic repertoire remains alive and kicking. Based on the music of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, the orchestra is always looking for the expressiveness of old music in modern times. As a listener, how would you react to Beethoven’s Fifth, if you heard it for the first time? How exuberant was Mozart’s audience at the premiere of ‘Cosí fan Tutte’? Knowledge about the music and its context continues to evolve, and 18c. continues to bring new interpretations; every concert is a witness to this quest.