224:(horn). In the opinion of William Waterhouse (writing in 1995), "it was the remarkable rapport between this pair of lower strings" (i.e. Terence Weil and Cecil Aronowitz) "which remained constant throughout a succession of distinguished leaders, that gave a special distinction to this outstanding ensemble.", Obituary Gervase de Peyer"the Guardian"
496:
EMI reissued in 2011 a selection from historical recordings, titled "Melos
Ensemble – Music among Friends". The principal players were Richard Adeney (and William Bennett, flute), Gervase de Peyer (and Keith Puddy, clarinet), Peter Graeme (and Sarah Barrington, oboe), Neil Sanders (and James Buck,
61:
The Melos
Ensemble was founded by musicians who wanted to play chamber music scored for a larger ensemble in a combination of strings, winds and other instruments with the quality of musical rapport only regular groups can achieve. The Melos Ensemble played in variable instrumentation, flexible
537:, Jack Lees and Stephen Whittaker (percussion), and singers Mary Thomas (soprano) and Rosemary Phillips (contralto). The collection of 11 CDs contains the works for large ensemble – six to thirteen players – for which the Melos Ensemble was founded, some composed for the ensemble:
765:
Following the death of Ivor McMahon in 1972, and the departure of three other members, the group briefly disbanded in 1973, but was reformed in 1974 with eight of the original players. In the later period the following musicians were also among those playing for the ensemble:
501:, first violin), Ivor McMahon (and Iona Brown, second violin), Cecil Aronowitz (and Kenneth Essex, viola), Terence Weil (and Keith Harvey, cello), Adrian Beers (double bass), Osian Ellis (harp) and Lamar Crowson (piano). The ensemble was expanded for single works by
1145:
258:, for which the instrumental sections accompanying the English texts had been written specifically for the Melos, and were directed by the composer in the performance. The recording received a
753:: Trio for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano / Sonata for Clarinet and Bassoon / Francaix: Divertissement for Oboe, Clarinet and Bassoon / Divertissement for Bassoon and String Quartet EMI (1969)
280:
62:
enough to perform a wide repertory of pieces. All its members were excellent musicians who held positions in notable orchestras and appeared as soloists. The founding members, namely
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for tenor, guitar and eight solo instruments, for example. In that way, the Melos
Ensemble has directly and indirectly influenced music for new combinations of chamber musicians in
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William Hedley, June 2009, quote: Still a new piece when recorded in 1965, it receives a stunning performance here from the Melos
Ensemble under Lawrence Foster.
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broadcasts, and made over 50 recordings, first with the publisher L'Oiseau-Lyre. Gervase de Peyer directed the extensive recording programme of the
Ensemble for
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259:
1106:
Michael
Cookson, May 2008, quote: Berkeley wrote his three movement Sextet for Clarinet, Horn and String Quartet, Op. 47 in 1954 for the Melos Ensemble.
814:
Composers created music for unusual groupings with the Melos
Ensemble specifically in mind, leading in turn to the formation of similar chamber groups.
798:(cello). In 1975 the Melos Ensemble presented its 25th anniversary concert in London. In 1982 the Melos Ensemble appeared in Graz in a retrospective of
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The Melos
Ensemble performed regularly at British and International Festivals, among others Warsaw, Venice, Cheltenham, Edinburgh, Bordeaux and the
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wrote for the Summer School, were performed for the first time. On 20 August they premiered two works they had commissioned,
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was once again the harpist. There is nothing to choose between the two performances: they are both absolutely marvellous.
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128:(double bass) were members from the beginning. All these musicians stayed with the group for decades.
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Ravel/Poulenc/Francaix : Vinyl CDs & more At
Shakedown Records Shakedown Records
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685:(Speaker) / Dorian Singers / Melos Ensemble London conducted by Matyas Seiber (1960)
517:(trumpet), Arthur Wilson and Alfred Flaszinski (trombone), Robert Masters (violin),
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with harp and piano, that might be expanded by other players, to perform the great
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William Hedley, April 2009, quote: The Melos
Ensemble recorded Ravel’s exquisite
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718:: Quintet in G minor for oboe, clarinet, violin, viola and double bass, Op. 39 /
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in 1998. In 1964 and 1965 the Melos Ensemble played several concerts at the new
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They should not be confused with two other chamber groups of similar name, the
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horn), William Waterhouse (and Edgar Williams, bassoon), Emanuel Hurwitz (and
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712:(1963)Benjamin Britten (1913–1976) / War Requiem musicweb-international.com
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for the Melos Ensemble and conducted the group in the first performance in
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Other early members included Gervase de Peyer (first clarinet)
99:
20:
is a group of musicians who started in 1950 in London to play
505:(flute), Anthony Jennings and Stephen Trier (bass clarinet),
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by Messiaen. In 1965, the Melos Ensemble played on 16 August
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Op.11 by Goehr. A chamber concert on 17 August featured the
915:
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349:
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244:. This was followed by the 1962 premiere, and subsequent
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Oktett fĂĽr Klarinette, Fagott, Horn und Streichquintett
529:(cello), Hilary Wilson (harp), Marcal Gazelle (piano),
344:, their first US tour was in 1966. The group gave many
658:: Sextet for clarinet, horn and string quartet (1954)
1066:in 1961, ... this performance dates from 1967, and
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1005:
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1116:Sir Malcolm Arnold (born 1921) / The Collection
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124:(horn, a member for 29 years until 1979), and
53:or the Melos Art Ensemble (an Italian group).
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278:. On 16 August 1964 they played among others
78:(cello) planned a group of twelve players, a
691:: Guitar Concerto, with Julian Bream (1961)
649:
438:for harp, flute, clarinet and string quartet
961:A review of the Wardour Castle Concert 1965
355:
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866:
864:
844:Entries to the Melos Ensemble in WorldCat
728:: Septet / Quintet (1966) (L'oiseau-Lyre)
232:A remarkable premiere for the group was
56:
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679:A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
1342:Contemporary classical music ensembles
1309:
1303:website, history of the Melos Ensemble
942:
332:by Davies, conducted by the composer.
881:
308:by Schoenberg. On 18 August parts of
1327:Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients
1012:Melos Ensemble – Music among Friends
809:
1019:
782:(principal violin for many years),
288:(first performance) by Davies, and
227:
36:composed the chamber music for his
13:
1322:Musical groups established in 1950
905:, William Waterhouse, 9 March 1995
749:Ravel: Introduction and Allegro /
14:
1358:
1294:
1258:, Margaret Campbell, 11 June 2004
836:Entries to the Melos Ensemble in
448:, Sonata for Clarinet and Bassoon
963:The Times, 23 August 1965, p. 15
131:
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1253:Obituary Iona Brown (1941–2004)
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1347:1950 establishments in England
1332:English classical music groups
1191:Original Masters – Janet Baker
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954:
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594:for Bassoon and String Quintet
1:
854:
849:Reviews in Gramophone Archive
761:Melos Ensemble of London 1974
888:Wardour Castle Summer School
742:: Chanson Perpetuelle, with
336:Festivals, broadcasts, tours
324:by Birtwistle, conducted by
299:Quatuor pour la fin du temps
296:by Brahms, on 18 August the
264:Wardour Castle Summer School
7:
606:: Overture on Hebrew Themes
10:
1363:
1337:Musical groups from London
1118:musicweb-international.com
1027:"EMI recordings 1963–1973"
998:Sotone Historic Recordings
916:"Britten-Pears Foundation"
1129:"Recordings in search of"
650:Other selected recordings
471:Overture on Hebrew Themes
383:, Piano and Wind Quintets
328:, and two 'In Nomine" of
281:Monody for Corpus Christi
260:Grammy Hall of Fame Award
1222:23 February 2009 at the
1082:John France, August 2007
1060:Introduction and Allegro
951:Dr. Michael Hooper, 2009
920:Britten-Pears Foundation
664:: Guitar Concerto, with
582:Introduction and Allegro
541:Beethoven: Septet, Octet
521:and Eli Goren (violin),
492:, Sextet, Trios, Sonatas
435:Introduction and Allegro
356:EMI recordings 1963–1973
312:, a cantata on texts by
236:'s 1962 presentation of
184:(clarinet), expanded by
109:Introduction and Allegro
1235:De Peyer and Pryor page
1206:City of London Sinfonia
774:(clarinet, 1974–1993),
722:: Piano Quintet, Op. 57
677:: Three Fragments from
1271:Internet Cello Society
1268:Interview Keith Harvey
1175:Prokofiev Shostakovich
988:Biography Neil Sanders
890:Concert programme 1965
705:, L'Oiseau-Lyre (1962)
697:Schoenberg: Serenade,
613:Richard Rodney Bennett
503:Christopher Hyde-Smith
1217:Sylvie Gazeau (*1950)
1203:Nicholas Ward (*1952)
1158:"Schoenberg Serenade"
1046:Rob Barnett, May 2008
900:Obituary Terence Weil
778:(violin, from 1977),
188:(flute and piccolo),
57:Founding period, 1950
1317:Chamber music groups
1240:23 July 2008 at the
1133:recordings.online.fr
640:Peter Maxwell Davies
272:Peter Maxwell Davies
140:(leader 1956–1972),
1164:on 26 October 2009.
1044:wind quintet review
993:24 May 2010 at the
978:, Eugene Chadbourne
937:Boosey & Hawkes
631:Harrison Birtwistle
268:Harrison Birtwistle
234:Jacques-Louis Monod
1146:Gramophone Archive
878:, Joseph Stevenson
824:contemporary music
644:Leopardi Fragments
626:Concerto Da Camera
609:Louis Spohr: Octet
444:, Divertissement;
342:Aldeburgh Festival
286:Five Little Pieces
242:Concerto for Eight
146:William Waterhouse
30:string instruments
1092:Birtwistle review
949:Wardour 1964 1965
816:Hans Werner Henze
810:New chamber music
738:: French Songs /
192:(bass clarinet),
144:(second violin),
118:Arnold Schoenberg
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1301:Gervase de Peyer
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1033:on 28 June 2011.
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604:Sergei Prokofiev
598:Nikos Skalkottas
562:: Double Quartet
250:Benjamin Britten
228:Special projects
214:Leonard Friedman
198:Leonard Friedman
170:Sarah Barrington
162:Ernst Ueckermann
64:Gervase de Peyer
34:Benjamin Britten
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792:Patrick Ireland
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656:Lennox Berkeley
652:
550:Schubert: Octet
523:Patrick Ireland
519:Manoug Parikian
499:Kenneth Sillito
399:Octet for Winds
358:
338:
330:Seven in Nomine
326:Lawrence Foster
314:Edward Benlowes
305:Pierrot Lunaire
284:by Birtwistle,
276:Alexander Goehr
238:Roberto Gerhard
230:
210:Stephen Pruslin
206:William Bennett
138:Emanuel Hurwitz
134:
68:Cecil Aronowitz
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26:instrumentation
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318:Robin Holloway
310:In Chymick Art
246:1963 recording
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194:Eric Roseberry
186:Colin Chambers
180:(bassoon) and
178:Edgar Williams
156:(percussion),
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80:string quintet
72:Richard Adeney
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158:Lamar Crowson
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132:Early members
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122:Neill Sanders
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1056:Ravel review
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1031:the original
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944:
935:timeline by
928:
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902:
895:
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837:
830:Publications
819:
813:
803:
800:Egon Wellesz
796:Keith Harvey
794:(viola) and
768:Hugh Maguire
764:
720:Shostakovich
709:
678:
666:Julian Bream
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531:James Blades
515:Philip Jones
495:
490:John Ireland
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425:Wind Quintet
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166:Peter Graeme
154:James Blades
142:Ivor McMahon
135:
126:Adrian Beers
113:
107:
84:wind quintet
76:Terence Weil
66:(clarinet),
60:
48:
37:
17:
15:
1287:(in German)
1068:Osian Ellis
744:Janet Baker
710:War Requiem
683:Peter Pears
560:Louis Spohr
535:Tristan Fry
511:David Mason
408:Fairy Tales
379:Mozart and
255:War Requiem
220:(harp) and
202:Kay Hurwitz
190:Alan Hacker
182:Keith Puddy
150:Osian Ellis
148:(bassoon),
96:Mendelssohn
39:War Requiem
1311:Categories
1179:Gramophone
933:Birtwistle
855:References
790:(violin),
788:Iona Brown
770:(violin),
574:Concertino
481:Concertino
419:, Septet;
216:(violin),
200:(violin),
174:James Buck
106:, Ravel's
818:composed
786:(piano),
772:Thea King
716:Prokofiev
708:Britten:
635:Tragoedia
565:Janáček:
525:(viola),
466:Prokofiev
381:Beethoven
322:Tragoedia
294:Horn Trio
212:(piano),
208:(flute),
204:(viola),
196:(piano),
164:(piano),
104:Beethoven
70:(viola),
24:in mixed
1238:Archived
1220:Archived
991:Archived
838:allmusic
740:Chausson
617:Calendar
556:: Septet
509:(horn),
442:Françaix
404:Schumann
387:Schubert
376:Quintets
176:(horn),
172:(oboe),
152:(harp),
114:Serenade
112:and the
92:Schubert
44:Coventry
806:Op.67.
751:Poulenc
600:: Octet
579:Ravel:
477:Janáček
462:, Trios
456:Milhaud
446:Poulenc
421:Nielsen
417:Berwald
746:(1966)
726:Hummel
671:(1959)
452:BartĂłk
395:Septet
366:Brahms
362:Mozart
100:septet
98:, the
88:octets
82:and a
732:Ravel
568:MládĂ
546:Octet
485:MládĂ
430:Ravel
391:Octet
374:Bliss
370:Weber
316:that
290:Suite
248:, of
1062:for
734:and
513:and
458:and
397:and
372:and
274:and
168:and
160:and
94:and
16:The
1285:ORF
1015:EMI
693:RCA
669:RCA
350:EMI
346:BBC
252:'s
240:'s
116:by
102:by
90:by
28:of
1313::
1131:.
1004:^
918:.
863:^
826:.
701:,
642::
633::
624::
615::
590::
571:,
533:,
483:,
479:,
468:,
454:,
432:,
423:,
410:,
406:,
389:,
368:,
364:,
352:.
270:,
120:.
46:.
1135:.
939:,
922:.
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