Boston Baroque


Boston Baroque is the oldest continuing period instrument orchestra in North America. It was founded in 1973 by the American harpsichordist and conductor, Martin Pearlman, to present concerts of the Baroque and Classical repertoire on period instruments, drawing on the insights of the historical performance movement.
The Boston Baroque professional chamber chorus was established as an integral part of the ensemble in 1981.
With Pearlman as its music director, the ensemble presents an annual subscription concert series in Greater Boston, Massachusetts; has performed on tour in Carnegie Hall, Chicago's Shubert Theatre, Los Angeles's Disney Hall, at the Ravinia and Tanglewood festivals, and has toured internationally.
The orchestra, originally named "Banchetto Musicale", was renamed Boston Baroque in 1992, when Telarc Records, in its first commitment to a period-instrument orchestra, signed the ensemble to produce a series of recordings of major Baroque and Classical repertoire for international commercial distribution. As of 2007, there are 18 recordings in the series, three of which have received Grammy nominations.
Boston Baroque is the resident professional ensemble for Boston University's Historical Performance Program, where it is helping to train the next generation of period-instrument performers.

Notable performances

Boston Baroque has performed and recorded period-instrument performances of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, Handel's Messiah, Purcell's Dido and Æneas, Monteverdi Vespers of 1610, Bach's Mass in B minor, Handel's Concerti Grossi, Op. 6, Gluck's Iphigénie en Tauride, Mozart's The Impresario and Mozart's Circle's The Beneficent Dervish, Handel's Music for Royal Fireworks and Water Music, Bach: The Complete Orchestral Suites, Mozart: Flute Concertos and Symphony No. 41 "Jupiter", Vivaldi's Gloria, Bach's Magnificat, Cherubini's Requiem in C minor and March funèbre, Beethoven's Elegiac Song, Op. 118.
Boston Baroque has received three Grammy Nominations
Notable premiere recordings by Boston Baroque include: