Hortus Musicus


Hortus Musicus is an Estonian ensemble that was established in 1972 by Andres Mustonen, a violin student of the Tallinn State Conservatory. Hortus Musicus specialises in performing early music, including 8th–15th-century European forms such as Gregorian Chant, Organum, Medieval Liturgic Hymns and Motets, the Franco-Flemish School, and Renaissance Music. The group also presents early, non-European styles including Indian Ragas, Israeli temple songs, Arabian mughams and Jewish music. The group's repertoire has also included pieces by 20th-century composers.
Hortus Musicus has given concerts in the US, Turkey, Japan, and Israel, and has performed at several major early music festivals. They have recorded c 35 programmes, a portion of which is available from companies such as Erdenklang, Musica Svecia, Forte and Finlandia Records. The group's latest recording is "Ave..." : 'music from the late Middle Ages in memoriam Helle Mustonen '.

Members

  • Andres Mustonen – leader, violin, viola, recorder, cromorn
  • Olev Ainomäe – shawm, oboe, recorder, schalmey, cromorn, rauschpfeiff
  • Valter Jürgenson – sackbut
  • Tõnis Kuurme – curtal, shawm, baroque bassoon, recorder, cromorn, rauschpfeiff
  • Anto Õnnis – tenor, percussion
  • Imre Eenma – violone, viola da gamba
  • Ivo Sillamaa – harpsichord, organ, piano
  • Tõnis Kaumann – baritone, percussion
  • Riho Ridbeck – bass, percussion
  • Taavo Remmel – double bass

    Essential discography

Vinyl Recordings released on "Melodiya" label (USSR)

  • 1975 — Gregorian chant / Early polyphony
  • 1975 — "Ludus Danielis"
  • 1977 — Italian secular music of the 14th c.
  • 1977 — Francesco Landini: Ballate, madrigali, caccia
  • 1979 — French secular music of the 16th c.
  • 1979 — Secular music of the 12th - 14th cc. LP1: France
  • 1979 — Secular music of the 12th - 14th cc. LP2: Italy
  • 1982 — Italian music of the 16th and 17th cc.
  • 1983 — From Yugoslavian manuscripts of the 10th - 12th cc.
  • 1984 — French music of the 16th and 17th cc.
  • 1985 — Adriano Banchieri: "La Pazzia Senile", madrigal comedy of 1607.
  • 1986 — Suite from The Louvain Collection Of Dances
  • 1986 — Guillaume Dufay / Gilles Binchois
  • 1987 — Croatian music of the 11th - 14th cc.
  • 1988 — German Early Baroque Dance Music
  • 1988 — Italian dances of the 14th c. / Liturgical drama "Tractus stellae"

    Compact Discs

Compilations, reissues

  • 1989 — 1200-1600 Medieval - Renaissance
  • 1994 — Gregorianische Choräle -Plainchants-

    Original early music recordings

  • 1989 — Musik över Östersjön/Music across the Baltic
  • 1991 — Vasakungarnas hov
  • 1994 — Johann Valentin Meder: Matthäus Passion 1700
  • 1995 — Vuestros Amores, He Señora
  • 1996 — Ave...
  • 1997 — Maypole
  • 2005 —
  • 2018 —
  • 2018 —
  • 2020 —

    Recordings of modern (Estonian) composers

  • 1995 — Peeter Vähi:
  • 1995 — Peeter Vähi: 2000 Years After the Birth of Christ
  • 1997 — Peeter Vähi:
  • 1998 — René Eespere: Concerto Ritornello, Flute Concerto, Viola Concerto
  • 2003 — Eesti heliloojad/Estonian Composers : works by Galina Grigorjeva and Lepo Sumera
  • 2011 — : Alexander Knaifel, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Peeter Vähi, Arvo Pärt, Valentin Silvestrov, Giya Kancheli.
  • 2020 — Peeter Vähi / Ludwig van Beethoven: