The Early Music Legend

JAMES BOWMAN Countertenor Bowman at the 1985 recording session for Athalia between Joan Sutherland and Hogwood I first met Christopher Hogwood in 1967, when David Munrow formed his Early Music Consort. He always remained a strong influence on my development as a singer, and I can sincerely say that I learnt all I know about Baroque performance from him. I shall always be grateful to Chris for his help and support when I went through a series of vocal problems in the late 70’s, shortly after Munrow's death. He was always positive about the eventual outcome, and indeed welcomed me back to record with him in several memorable Handel projects, the most notable being the recording of Orlando Chris remained constant in his views on interpretation and actual performance, and I always admired and respected him for it. Source Ref  http://www.theartsdesk.com/classical-music/remembering-christopher-hogwood-1941-2014

March 1, 2008 8:20pm--Meeting the virtuoso David Munrow Christopher Hogwood was for many years the resident keyboard player for the Early Music Consort of London under the director David Munrow, an unparalleled genius when it came to early wind instruments. I remember when the EMC came to perform at Royce Hall, UCLA many years ago and the place was packed to the rafters. Munrow was onstage with countertenor James Bowman, viol player Oliver Brookes, lutenist James Tyler, and Hogwood who, when he wasn't playing keyboard, played little drums and other percussion instruments. All these men were true stars of early music in the mid 1970s. When they came out on stage, Munrow had an array of forty or fifty wind instruments lying on the floor around his chair, and when a piece of music would end, he would just lean down and pick up another instrument and begin to play?a truly amazing artist.  The entire performance was utterly stunning. About ten days later I went to the Mark Taper ...

The following is a cut, and paste listing from the Royal Albert Hall archives. RS Search criteria: Showing performances by 637 Historical filter: 1890 - 2011 Total found: 59 Sorted: By date -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Displaying 1 - 40 of 59 Next | Last -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday 30 July 1970, 7:30PM Francesco Landini La bionda treccia [Her blond tresses] David Munrow medieval wind instruments/director Early Music Consort of London Proms premiere -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday 30 July 1970, 7:30PM Francesco Landini Questa fanciulla, Amor [Love, please make this girl compassionate] David Munrow director Nigel Rogers tenor Early Music Consort of London Proms premiere -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday 30 July 1...

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 David Munrow - more than early music 'David Munrow and the Early Music Consort of London transformed our view of medieval music. The impact of their performances far surparssed any that had gone before: by demonstrating how medieval music could sound normal, they created a niche for it in the concert hall and on record that it has never lost' ~ From Daniel Leech-Wilkinson's notes for Music of the Gothic era May 15 2007 is the thirty-first anniversary of the death of David Munrow. His contribution to the acceptance, understanding and performance of early music almost defies summary. He was born in 1942, and learnt the bassoon and recorder as a child. Between school and university he travelled and taught in South America , and started the collection of ethnic instruments that were to give him, and the world, a new perspective on early music making. He read English at Pembroke College , Cambridge, and was encouraged by Thurston Dart to ta...