Cinquecento

The vocal ensemble Cinquecento takes its name from the Italian designation for the sixteenth century, and its work has centered on repertoire from exactly that era, with a pronounced concentration on the court ensembles of the period. Established in 2004 and headquartered in Vienna, the five singers—Achim Schulz, Terry Wey, Tim Scott Whiteley, Tore Tom Denys, and Ulfried Staber—originate from Austria, Belgium, England, Germany, and Switzerland. Their multinational makeup mirrors the historical practice of European courts, which recruited the finest available musicians irrespective of national origin. Recognition arrived swiftly, prompted by the ensemble’s vocal refinement and its distinctive programming that spotlighted unfamiliar sixteenth-century pieces while devoting sustained attention to the output of particular courts. Although its core material has come from the span 1450–1610, the group later broadened its scope to encompass new compositions once several composers indicated a desire to write specifically for Cinquecento. Three years after its formation the ensemble joined the Hyperion roster, where it has continued to release roughly one album annually. Appearances have taken the singers throughout Europe as well as to North America and South Korea. During the 2000s the group developed much of its repertory while serving as artists-in-residence at the Church of St. Rochus and Sebastian in Vienna, presenting a fresh polyphonic mass setting each week. Its recordings have secured the Diapason d’Or, the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik, and multiple Gramophone award nominations. Numerous discs feature overlooked works associated with the Habsburg court and its related European centers, among them music by Philipp Schöndorff, the Flemish musician employed by Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II. In 2019 Cinquecento released a Hyperion recording of Palestrina’s Lamentations. Activity persisted through the COVID-19 pandemic, yielding albums devoted to Johannes van Cleve, Heinrich Isaac, Jacob Regnart, and, in 2023, Ludwig Daser. At that point the ensemble’s discography totaled approximately fifteen releases.