The

"Baroque music at its most vigorous and joyful..."

"The highlight of the 2009

Leicester Early Music Festival".

Denner

Ensemble

Since its formation in 2001, the Denner Ensemble has had nothing but praise for its uplifting, energetic and engaging performances from music clubs, theatres, museums and festivals throughout the UK.

The Denner Ensemble were selected for the Making Music Concert Promoters' Network season 2009-2010, during which they were described as "The highlight of the 2009 Leicester Early Music Festival".

The Denner Ensemble

Inspired by the famous Besozzi brothers who performed music for oboe and bassoon to great critical acclaim throughout Europe in the 18th Century, the Denner Ensemble was formed to re-establish this and other neglected double-reed repertoire composed by and for some of the most celebrated masters of the 18th century oboe and bassoon.

Specialising in historically informed interpretations and using copies of 18th century instruments including those of the famed woodwind maker Jakob Denner, the Denner Ensemble is known for its thrilling, informative and exuberant performances. Programmes include concertos, quintets, quartets and sonatas from the Baroque to the Classical period with strings, and other woodwinds as required.

Flexible in line-up, the Denner Ensemble's core members, Mark Baigent (oboe), Nathaniel Harrison (bassoon), Ben Sansom (violin), Rebecca Prosser (recorder) and Karen Glen (harpsichord), are highly experienced chamber, solo and orchestral musicians regularly working in the UK's leading period instrument groups.

The Denner Ensemble produced playing of superb quality: impeccably balanced, expressive and animated. Also, there was a delightful rapport between the players. Each of them leads a distinguished solo career, but it is obvious that they enjoy performing together as a group."- Leicester Early Music Festival, 2009

"One of our best concerts ever!"

- Administrator of the Recital Series, St. James's Piccadilly, London.

"With their wry humour, their modesty and attractively toned and expressive playing, this group re-created the elegance and spirit of chamber music as heard in the courts and inns of early 18th Century England."

"...playing period wind instruments, as Mark Baigent, the oboist joked, was analogous to driving a vintage car instead of a smoother, modern machine, good fun but more likely to leave the road. His comparison belied his nimbleness, and that of his companion, Nathaniel Harrison, on bassoon, in recapturing beautifully the zestfulness of the sonatas played."- Richard Smythe, Newport Advertiser, 2005

Concert Reviews

'The profound, the sublime and the .....frivolous '

CD Reviews

"... a disc that offers real intimacy and insight. This is a Baroque Ensemble with its own personality, one which affords the music space, deep breaths and long phrases."

"These players listen to each other intently and seem to be playing as much for each other's pleasure as for ours."

"...the sense of space around the music...together with the colourful dominance of double reeds...has had me reaching for this disc to relax with first thing in the evening with a nice glass of wine."

Simon Heighes, International Record Review

"Hats off to another splendid ensemble - the Denner Ensemble and their debut recording."

Sean Rafferty, BBC Radio 3, April 2012

"I am very pleased and impressed by this [new CD]....Their sound is crisp and clear and they play with great enthusiasm and much imagination. The ensemble is perfect..."

Johan van Veen, MusicWeb International

"...the brilliant sound has the kind of sumptuous warmth allied to splendid timbre and striking spatial sense that marks the best English sound."

Laurence Vittes, Audiophile Audition, USA

"Mark Baigent's oboe playing is declamatory and soothing by turns, and Nathaniel Harrison's baroque bassoon makes the kind of sounds you'd like to bottle up and save for a rainy day."

Graham Rickson, The Arts Desk

Programmes

BAROQUE PROGRAMMES

3 players:

'The Hautboy in England'- oboe, bassoon, harpsichord

A look at the musical life of the oboe and bassoon in England between 1700 and 1760: introducing the players, musical fashions and the varied and beautiful music of this period. The programme includes works by Handel, Sammartini (Europe's greatest oboist) and his English pupil and successor, Thomas Vincent.

Handel Oboe sonata in F

Galliard Bassoon sonata

Thomas Arne harpsichord solo

Sammartini Oboe sonata in G minor

Vincent Oboe sonata

Merci Bassoon sonata

Purcell A New Ground (hpsd solo)

Handel Trio for oboe and bassoon

4 players:

'Winds of Change' - oboe, recorder, bassoon, harpsichord

Featuring three of the exciting new wind instruments developed in mid-17th century France: recorder, oboe and bassoon, in a mix of solo and trio sonatas that range in expression from the sublime to the virtuosic.

Vivaldi Concerto in G minor RV103 (tutti)

Couperin Septième goûts-ràunis (ob bc)

Royer Vertigo (hpsd)

Vivaldi Sonata in A minor RV86 (rec bsn hpsd)

Boismortier Trio in G minor (ob bsn)

Philidor Sonata (rec hpsd)

Boismortier Sonata (bsn hpsd)

Telemann Trio sonata in A minor (tutti)

'Woodwind, bladders and guts!' - oboe, bassoon, viola da gamba/cello, harpsichord

The listener is invited to share Marais' own experience (in 1720) of an operation to remove a gallstone: from trembling and dread at first sight of the operating table to gruesome detail of the operation, and eventual untying of the silk restraints before being carried off to bed to recover - not for the faint-heated!

Heinichen Trio Sonata in c minor (ob vdg bc)

Platti Trio Sonata in g minor (ob vc bc)

Royer 'Vertigo' (solo hps)

Platti Trio Sonata in c minor (ob bsn bc)

Bach Trio Sonata in e minor (oboe d'amore vdg bc)

Telemann Bassoon Sonata (bsn hps)

Marais 'Le Tableau de l'Opération de la Taille' (vdg hps narrator)

Heinichen Concerto in G (ob bsn vc hps)

'Virtuosi' - oboe, violin, bassoon, harpsichord (+ violone = 5 players)

A concert of Italian and German sonatas and trio-sonatas written by some of the best composer-players of the day. Highly spirited music that tests the daring of the players!

Fasch Trio in F (ob vln bsn bc) 

Sammartini Sonata in g-minor (ob bc) 

Rebel Sonata in G (vln hps)

Zelenka Sonata no.3 (ob vln bsn bc)

 Handel Sonata in F (ob bsn bc) 

Fasch Sonata in C (bsn bc)

Babell 'Vo fa guerra' (solo hps)

Vivaldi Sonata in C (ob vln bsn bc)  

5 players:

'Pastorale' - oboe, recorder/violin, violin, bassoon, harpsichord

Our candlelit Christmas programme! Celebrate the festive season with gentle pastorales and sparkling concerti.

Handel Pifa from the 'Messiah'

Vivaldi La Pastorella

Lalande Noels

Hellendaal Pastorale

Corelli Christmas Concerto

Vivaldi Sonata for organ, oboe and violin

Bach Sinfonia from the Christmas Oratorio

CPE Bach Pastorale

Vivaldi Concerto in G minor

'Music for the Sun King' - oboe, recorder, violin, bassoon, harpsichord (+ viol = 6 players)

Featuring much of the music from our new CD, this programme demonstrates the richness of musical culture at the court of Louis XIV. Lalande's piece has the inscription: 'Que le Roy demandoit souvent' - evidently a favourite, with its hauntingly lambent solos for bassoon.

Philidor Suite

Charpentier Concert pour 4 parties de violes (c.1680)

Marais La Sonnerie de Ste-Geneviève du Mont-de-Paris (1723)

Rebel Les Caractères de la Danse

Couperin Les Goûts-réünis no. 6 (1724)

Boismortier Sonata op.34/no.1 in g minor

Forqueray La Sylva & Jupiter (Harpsichord solo)

Lalande Symphonies des soupers du Roy no.2

CLASSICAL PROGRAMMES

3 players:

'The Gallant Oboe' - oboe, violin, cello

A concert exploring music for oboe trio written between 1750 and 1800, a time when the sonata form was becoming outmoded and explorations into new musical forms were rife. The programme includes music by leading composer-players of the day including, Pla, Besozzi and Fischer.

Besozzi Trio in F

Fischer Rondeaux

Haydn Trio no.4

Suck Trio in C

Wesley Trio in A

Pla Trio

Fiala Trio

4 players:

'The Galant Hoboy' - oboe, bassoon, viola da gamba, harpsichord

A concert exploring the double reed sonata in England between 1750 and1800. Including works by the leading players of the day including Mozart, Pla, Besozzi and Fischer.

T. Vincent Sonata no.1 in D

J.C. Bach Sonata in A op17/5

J.C. Fischer Duetto in G

G. Besozzi Bassoon sonata

C.F. Abel Gamba sonata in d minor.

Mozart Bassoon sonata

M Pla Oboe sonata in c minor

'The English oboe Quartette' - oboe, violin, viola, cello

A concert exploring the music for oboe trio and quartet in England between 1750 and 1800. Including works by J.C.Bach, the leading players of the day and culminating in Mozarts great F major quartet.

J.C. Bach Quartet

J.C. Fischer Rondeau

String Trio

Sheild Quartet in F

Suck Trio in C

String Trio

Mozart Quartet in F

5 players:

'Classical Delights' - flute, oboe, violin, viola, cello

An evening of quartets and quintets for flute, oboe and string trio 'for connoisserurs and fanciers of music', including some of JC Bach's greatest chamber music, his op.6 quintettos.

JC Bach Quintetto no.1 (tutti)

Mozart Quartet for flute in D K285

Haydn Quintet (tutti)

Krommer Quartet for oboe in C

Hoffmeister Terzetto Scholastico (vln vla vc)

JC Bach Quintetto no.6 (tutti)

Mozart & Beethoven Piano Quintets - oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon, piano

Some of the most sublime chamber music in the form of Mozart's piano quintet for piano and winds (ob, cl, hn, bsn) complemented by its only compatible partner, Beethoven's quintet of equal forces. Wonderfully powerful, yet with the delicate sonority which can only be achieved using period instruments.

Haydn Piano Sonata in D (Hob XVI/37)

Mozart Quintet in Eb major KV452

Beethoven Quintet in Eb major op.16

Haydn Adagio in F (Hob XVII/9)

'Mostly Mozart' - oboe & string quartet

A wonderful programme consisting of some of Mozart's greatest chamber music, including his 'Gran Partitta' for 13 winds (K371), here presented in the arrangement by his contemporary, the oboist Franz Rosinack for oboe and string quartet (violin, 2 violas, cello). The programme also includes Mozart's Serenade in C minor for winds arranged by the composer for string quintet and here performed in a version for oboe and strings.

Mozart (arr. Mozart) Serenade in C minor for wind octet (K406)

Mozart (arr. Rosinack (1750-1823) 'Gran Partitta' for 13 winds (K361)

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