Orpheus Baroque – The Ecstatic Palace

English viol music from Byrd to Purcell. During the 16th and 17th centuries, a unique musical culture developed in England, in which the viola da gamba ensemble – the consort – gave rise to a form of music combining refined sonorities with emotional depth.

The programme traces a line from the strict Renaissance forms of William Byrd and Orlando Gibbons to the richly coloured Baroque of Henry Purcell. Along the way, we encounter the great masters of the viol: the dense harmonies of William Lawes, the elegant lines of John Jenkins and the poignant melancholy of John Dowland. We also hear how pioneers such as Daniel Farrant and Alfonso Ferrabosco the Younger explored the instrument’s technical possibilities.

The distinguished English viola da gamba player Liam Byrne, together with musicians from Orfeus Barock, performs the music that once sounded in English courts and private chambers – music that can be both intellectually restrained and intensely expressive.

Orfeus Barock Stockholm was founded in 2015 and has established itself as one of the leading Nordic ensembles for early music. Orfeus Barock consists of musicians from the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra alongside distinguished freelance Baroque specialists. Its artistic directors are the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra’s principal cellist Johannes Rostamo and lutenist Jonas Nordberg. As guest directors, Orfeus Barock invites leading musicians from the Swedish and international early music scene.