Ensemble Zimmermann (Instrumental Ensemble)

Founded: 2001 - Aarhus, Denmark

Ensemble Zimmermann was founded in 2001 by a group of musicians who wanted to create a forum for early music performed on Baroque instruments. Based in Aarhus, the ensemble has since made a significant contribution to the growing interest and understanding of Baroque music and its performance practice in Denmark. The development has paid off in spite of political currents and the financial crisis: the ensemble is today exclusively professional musicians specializing in early music. Then as now, musicians are a traveling public, and the ensemble's musicians come from most of Europe.

Ensemble Zimmermann performs in crews from 5 to 20 musicians depending on the task. The repertoire includes everything from Monteverdi to W.A. Mozart. Central composers are Charpentier (Te Deum), Purcell (King Arthur, Dido), George Frideric Handel (Messiah, Acis & Galatea) and J.S. Bach (Johannes-Passion BWV 245, cantatas, harpsichord concertos).

Ensemble Zimmermann takes its name from Das Zimmermannisches Caffe-Hauß auf der Katharinenstraße. Zimmermann's Kaffehus was for J.S. Bach the musical refuge during the often miserable years as Thomaskantor in Leipzig. J.S. Bach's own orchestra, the Collegium Musicum, held concerts here. J.S. Bach composed his Kaffe Cantata (BWV 211) in 1734 as a kind of humorous advertisement for Zimmermann's Kaffehus. Like J.S. Bach's other secular cantatas from the years in Leipzig, the Coffee Cantata (BWV 211) was also performed in Zimmermann's Kaffehus – one of the very first public concert venues.

The ensemble is managed by Per Buhre, Majbritt Young Christensen and Lars Colding Wolf.

Musicians

Violins: Per Buhre (concert-master), Jens Astrup, Antina Hugosson, Ejnar Balling
Violas: Mikkel Schreiber, Mika Persdotter
Cello/Viola da gamba: Inka Döring (basse de violon/cello), Kjeld Steffensen, Hanna Loftsdottir (viola da gamba/cello), Mogens Rasmussen (viola da gamba)
Double-bass/Violone: Lars Baunkilde
Trumpet: Niels Tilma
Timpani/percussion: Ambjørn Sellin Lebech
Lute/Baroque guitar: Fredrik Bock, Elena Medina
Woodwinds: Majbritt Young Christensen (recorder/transverse flute), Nikolaj Ronimus (transverse flute), Frances Norbury (oboe), Eric Beselin (oboe/bassoon)
Singer: Anna Maria Wierød
Musical Leader: Lars Colding Wolf (harpsichord/organ)

Sources:
Ensemble Zimmermann Website, English translation by Aryeh Oron (September 2023)
Bits & pieces from other sources
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (September 2023)

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Michael Hvas Thomsen

Orchestra

[V-1] (2019, 2-CD): BWV 248/1-6

Links to other Sites

Ensemble Zimmermann (Official Website) [Danish]