Neumeyer Consort

The Neumeyer Consort maintains a prominent role within western Germany’s early-music landscape, frequently joining forces with vocal ensembles for choral presentations. Multiple German record companies have issued its performances over the years.

Established in Saarbrücken during 2007, the ensemble originated through the initiative of Baroque cellist and conductor Felix Koch, Baroque violinist Barbara Mauch-Heinke, and harpsichordist Markus Stein. These three musicians continue their involvement, with Koch retaining artistic leadership into the 2020s and Stein overseeing management. The name commemorates harpsichordist Fritz Neumeyer (1900-1983), an early advocate of historically informed performance practices in Germany. Although the founding trio forms the group’s nucleus, membership expands to full Baroque-orchestra proportions when repertory demands require it. Koch created the affiliated Neumeyer Chamber Choir in 2008, and the Consort maintains ties to the Gutenberg Chamber Choir and Gutenberg Soloists connected with Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz. Shortly after its formation, the ensemble assumed the role of Ensemble-in-Residence for the university’s annual summer vocal workshops.

While choral works occupy a central place in its programming, the Consort also presents purely instrumental repertoire; its first recording, the 2010 Christophorus release Platti: Ricercate & Sonate, explored music by Giovanni Benedetto Platti. Festival appearances have included Tagen Alter Musik im Saarland, the Magdeburger Telemann-Festtagen, and the Schwetzinger Festspielen des SWR, alongside concerts at Frankfurt’s Alte Oper. The group has toured South Africa and appeared at Britain’s Norfolk Concerts. Educational outreach began in 2010 with the founding of the Neumeyer Consort Scholarship Academy, providing emerging performers opportunities to collaborate with ensemble members. Additional labels Oehms Classics, Rondeau, and CPO have documented its work; on CPO the Consort initiated a complete cycle of Telemann church cantatas with the Gutenberg Soloists in 2020, followed in 2023 by the second installment devoted to the composer’s Französischer Jahrgang cantatas of 1714 and 1715.