Academy of Ancient Music

The Academy of Ancient Music (AAM) was one of the world's first period instrument orchestras, and it has built a reputation as one of the foremost period ensembles in the world.

academy of ancient music

AAM musicians perform on original, or modern copies of period instruments, mostly dating back to the period 1600 - 1850. The AAM's focus on the music of the Baroque and Classical periods has brought it significant acclaim since its foundation by British harpsichordist and conductor Christopher Hogwood in 1973.

Christopher Hogwood

There was in fact an original 'Academy of Ancient Music' founded in London back in 1726. It's purpose was to 'study and perform 'old' music' - a broad definition that initially covered anything composed at least a century beforehand, but gradually grew to include works by more contemporary composers - those who are now said to have made up the 'Classical' era. Although Handel was never a member of the Academy, he is one of the many composers whose music was studied and performed by the group.

The 1973 revival of the concept had a similar aim: to perform music of the 18th- and early 19th-century on period instruments, accompanied for choral music by the Acadey of Ancient Music Chorus, or by a cathedral choir (with boys' voices).

Christopher Hogwood continued to work as Music Director of the Academy until 2006, and he was joined in 1996 by Paul Goodwin, who was appointed Associate Conductor, and Andrew Manze, as Associate Director. In 2003 Andrew Manze resigned as Associate director to be replaced in 2005 by Richard Egarr.

Richard Egarr

In May 2006 it was announced that Richard Egarr would succeed Christopher Hogwood as Music Director of the Academy from September 2006. Christopher Hogwood would become the Academy's Emeritus Director.

Amongst the choirs with which the AAM works are the choirs of King’s College Cambridge (conducted by Stephen Cleobury), New College Oxford (Edward Higginbottom) and Polyphony (Stephen Layton).

The orchestra’s pioneering recordings under Hogwood for Decca’s L’Oiseau-Lyre label cover much of the Baroque and Classical orchestral canon — from concertos and symphonies to opera and oratorio. This includes the first recordings on period instruments of many works, such as Mozart’s complete symphonies, and prize-winning opera recordings of Handel, Haydn and Mozart with soloists such as Emma Kirkby, Cecilia Bartoli and Joan Sutherland.

The Academy has since recorded the complete piano concertos and symphonies of Beethoven, and is part way through recording the complete Haydn symphonies and the complete Mozart piano concertos with fortepianist Robert Levin. The Academy has also recorded Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, Handel's Orlando and Rinaldo, Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito, Haydn's Orfeo and over 200 other recordings for Decca, Harmonia Mundi, EMI, Erato, Chandos and the new live recording label Wigmore Hall Live.`

Contemporary music that is complimentary to the AAM's main genres is increasingly programmed in their repertoire. The orchestras has worked with John Tavener on two works, Eternity's Sunrise and Total Eclipse, and other composers to have written for the ensemble include David Bedford, John Woolrich and Thea Musgrave.

The orchestra is a regular guest at many of the world's prestigious venues and festivals, including Wigmore Hall (London), the Barbican Centre (London), the BBC Proms and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. The AAM is 'Orchestra-in-Residence' at Cambridge University.