Biography
Chorus Musicus Köln stands out among German vocal ensembles for its focus on historically informed readings of rarely encountered Classical and Romantic repertoire. The choir has frequently collaborated with Das Neue Orchester under conductor Christoph Spering.
Spering established Chorus Musicus Köln in 1985, drawing its initial members from his Mülheimer Kantorei, a Protestant church ensemble based in the Cologne region. Several years afterward he founded Das Neue Orchester, after which the two ensembles regularly appeared together with Spering at the helm. The choir has nevertheless also engaged distinguished guest conductors such as Philippe Herreweghe, Gerd Albrecht, and Trevor Pinnock. These musicians were drawn by the ensemble’s swift rise to a pan-European profile. In contrast to many period-instrument vocal groups, Chorus Musicus Köln maintains a notably large membership, regularly exceeding one hundred singers. This scale suits its core emphasis on lesser-known Romantic works, even though the repertory reaches back to Bach; an example is Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 54 (“Lobgesang”), whose forces benefit from the choir’s size.
The ensemble has amassed an extensive discography, issued primarily on Opus 111, Naïve, and Deutsche Harmonia Mundi. Its recorded projects concentrate on music from the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, encompassing such uncommon pieces as Robert Schumann’s late oratorio Der Rose Pilgerfahrt, Op. 112 (The Pilgrimage of the Rose) and the Christmas Oratorio by Antonio Cartellieri (1772-1807). In 1992 the choir attracted international notice with the world-premiere recording of Felix Mendelssohn’s 1841 version of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244. It subsequently performed and documented Mendelssohn’s earlier adaptation of the Passion as well. In 2020, under Spering’s direction and joined by Das Neue Orchester, Chorus Musicus Köln released a fresh account of six Bach cantatas on Deutsche Harmonia Mundi.
Spering established Chorus Musicus Köln in 1985, drawing its initial members from his Mülheimer Kantorei, a Protestant church ensemble based in the Cologne region. Several years afterward he founded Das Neue Orchester, after which the two ensembles regularly appeared together with Spering at the helm. The choir has nevertheless also engaged distinguished guest conductors such as Philippe Herreweghe, Gerd Albrecht, and Trevor Pinnock. These musicians were drawn by the ensemble’s swift rise to a pan-European profile. In contrast to many period-instrument vocal groups, Chorus Musicus Köln maintains a notably large membership, regularly exceeding one hundred singers. This scale suits its core emphasis on lesser-known Romantic works, even though the repertory reaches back to Bach; an example is Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 54 (“Lobgesang”), whose forces benefit from the choir’s size.
The ensemble has amassed an extensive discography, issued primarily on Opus 111, Naïve, and Deutsche Harmonia Mundi. Its recorded projects concentrate on music from the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, encompassing such uncommon pieces as Robert Schumann’s late oratorio Der Rose Pilgerfahrt, Op. 112 (The Pilgrimage of the Rose) and the Christmas Oratorio by Antonio Cartellieri (1772-1807). In 1992 the choir attracted international notice with the world-premiere recording of Felix Mendelssohn’s 1841 version of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244. It subsequently performed and documented Mendelssohn’s earlier adaptation of the Passion as well. In 2020, under Spering’s direction and joined by Das Neue Orchester, Chorus Musicus Köln released a fresh account of six Bach cantatas on Deutsche Harmonia Mundi.
Albums
