The Early Music Show

The Tallis Scholars mark their 50th anniversary this year so today, founder Peter Phillips and two of the group's singers meet with Hannah French to choose some highlights from the last five decades of recording and giving concerts at home and abroad.

The Academy of Ancient Music celebrates its golden anniversary this year - 5 decades since harpsichordist Christopher Hogwood and record producer Peter Wadland cooked up the idea of forming a historically-informed orchestra one evening in London's Marquis of Granby pub. Since then, they have produced hundreds of recordings, launched the careers of many international soloists and brought fantastic...

Lucie Skeaping discovers the remarkable Guillaume de Machaut, as both poet and composer in 1300s France, in conversation with Machaut experts Elizabeth Eva Leach and Uri Smilansky. With thanks to French Radio, Le Miroir de Musique, the Orlando Consort and Sollazzo Ensemble for making recordings available for this programme.

The Taverner Consort and Players emerged in 1973 and has since become a world leader in the period performance of Baroque and Classical music. Hannah French talks to its founder Andrew Parrott about the group's extraordinary five decades of success and discovery.

"The most celebrated Italian musician of his generation"...but what do we know now about the 17th century composer Antonio Cesti? In his quatercentenary year, Lucie Skeaping delves into his life and music to find out more, and we'll hear excerpts from his many operas. Plus, your weekly bulletin of Early Music News from Mark Seow.

International performer and lecturer Sietz de Vries takes Hannah French on an organ tour of the Dutch province of Groningen to explore its still thriving tradition of improvisation.

Although best known for his vocal music, William Byrd's keyboard music was rich and diverse, leading the way for composers such as Giles Farnaby and Thomas Tomkins. Lucie Skeaping speaks to Professor of Harpsichord and Fortepiano Carole Cerasi about how Byrd set the future style of English keyboard music and why it remains important now 400 years after his death.

Mark Seow explores the cantata with which JS Bach exploded onto the musical scene in Leipzig in 1723 – Die Elenden sollen essen, BWV75. Bach composed the piece at a decisive turning point in his career. After various positions in churches and courts, he assumed his post of Thomaskantor in Leipzig on the first Sunday after Trinity, performing this cantata. Plus, there's a round-up of the week's Ear...

Lucie Skeaping meets the singer-songwriters of 13th century northern France, in conversation with medieval vocal music experts Joseph Mason and Meghan Quinlan. The trouveres were the northern cousins of the more famous troubadours, and their songs cover the gamut from courtly love to religious devotion via the Crusades and political and personal conflicts.

Hannah French chats to conductor Stephen Rice about his Oxford-based choir The Brabant Ensemble which celebrates its silver anniversary in 2023. Stephen chooses some of his favourite recordings from the group's first 25 years, including music by Pierre de Manchicourt, Nicolas Gombert, Jacobus Clemens non Papa, Cristobal de Morales, Orlando Lassus, Jean Mouton, Francisco Guerrero, Giovanni da Pales...

Hannah French leafs through a book of 100 exhibits exploring Renaissance music history, in conversation with its editors Vincenzo Borghetti and Tim Shephard. Links to images of the exhibits they discuss: Venus (Florence, c. 1464): www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1845-0825-467 Plato charming the wild animals by his music (Lahore, 1595): https://imagesonline.bl.uk/asset/1355 The Whole Book...

Lucie Skeaping charts the history of German art song from its beginnings with the 12th-century Minnesänger through to the Renaissance in the 1500s, with music by Tannhäuser, Walther von Vogelweide, Oswald von Wolkenstein and Heinrich Isaac.

On the first anniversary of the passing of Clare Salaman, Lucie Skeaping celebrates her life and work. Clare founded The Society of Strange and Ancient Instruments, and championed rare and exotic instruments including the trumpet marine. With archive of Clare herself and contributions from fellow practitioners from the world of early music including Rachel Podger.

2023 marks the 400th anniversary of English composer William Byrd - often hailed as one of the finest of the European late Renaissance. Hannah French will explore his influence with the vocal ensemble Stile Antico, including music from their newly released recording.

Hannah French celebrates the 40th birthday of the choir and period instrument orchestra Gabrieli, in conversation with their founder and Artistic Director Paul McCreesh. Including a visit to Coventry Cathedral, the penultimate stop on Gabrieli's winter tour of eight cathedrals performing a Christmas programme of music by Praetorius with teenagers from local schools as part of their ambitious commi...

Lucie Skeaping is joined by three members of His Majestys Sagbutts & Cornetts to mark the ensemble's 40th anniversary this year, including some of their favourite recordings from those four decades.

Hannah French is in Germany to mark the 40th anniversary of one of Europe’s most successful early music ensembles - the Akademie für alte Musik Berlin. Founded in 1982 in what was then East Berlin, the Akademie has blossomed into a Grammy award-winning outfit that tours worldwide and enjoys a reputation to match. Hannah will be talking to the ensemble’s general manager Uwe Schneider, long-standing...

Hannah French chats to the Dunedin Consort's artistic director John Butt in the ensemble's 25th anniversary year, and John chooses some of his favourite recordings from their discography.

Lucie Skeaping is joined by Professor Magnus Williamson of Newcastle University to explore the life & music of 16th Century composer Robert Parsons, who died 450 years ago this year, at the young age of 37.

Hannah French explores the major recording series the Vivaldi Edition, in conversation with its artistic director Susan Orlando. At 68 discs so far - the 69th will be out on Friday - the Edition is one of the biggest recording projects of the 21st century and aims to release every note of music in the manuscripts Vivaldi had with him when he died in 1741. Vivaldi Edition website: https://vivaldied...

Hannah French presents a tribute to the extraordinary musician, linguist and founder of Joglaresa - Belinda Sykes - who died last year. With contributions from friends and colleagues, and tracks from her many recordings.

John Blanke was a trumpet player of African descent employed by the English Kings Henry VII and Henry VIII in the early 1500s. He's the only black person of the Tudor period for whom we have both a name and a picture – in the Westminster Tournament Roll of 1511, currently on display at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool – but he was by no means the only person of African heritage living in Englan...

Radio 3's New Generation Baroque Ensemble - Ensemble Molière - play Lully, Couperin and Telemann, showcasing the coming together of French and Italian musical tastes in the late 18th century, known as the 'Réunion des goûts'. Presented by Hannah French.

Hannah French is in Cambridge exploring links between Handel and the city...which he never visited! She's joined by The Fitzwilliam Museum's Dr Suzanne Reynolds, Handel aficionado Dr Ruth Smith and Emeritus Professor Iain Fenlon to look at a number of treasured items of Handel memorabilia. She'll also be chatting to Cambridge Handel Opera Company's Julian Perkins ahead of their forthcoming product...

Lucie Skeaping celebrates the 450th anniversary of Thomas Tomkins's birth. He studied with William Byrd, was choirmaster at Worcester Cathedral and organist at the Chapel Royal. Born in 1572, his life spanned the end of the Tudor period, the beginning of the reign of the Stuarts and the execution of Charles I to whom he dedicated his Sad Pavan: for these distracted times. His music is still perfor...