The Ricercar Consort’s first concert tour took place in 1985, when the artists presented The Musical Offering by Johann Sebastian Bach. They had already gained a solid international reputation, in particular for their excellent performances of cantatas and instrumental music of the German Baroque. The ensemble frequently tours with musicians such as Henri Ledroit, Max van Egmond and James Bowman. The artists have more than 50 discs to their credit, most of them released on the Mirare label, including complete editions of works by little-known composers, such as Nicolas Bruhns and Matthias Weckmann. Currently, under the direction of Philippe Pierlot, the ensemble is engaged in subsequent major productions, mainly of sacred music (including Bach’s Passions and Cantatas, as well as Pergolesi’s and Vivaldi’s Stabat Mater) and chamber music, in which the viola da gamba plays an important role. With the support of the French Community of Belgium and Wallonie-Bruxelles International, the Ricercar Consort participates in many prestigious festivals in Boston, Edinburgh, Utrecht and at La Folle Journée. The recent albums recorded on the Mirare label include Buxtehude’s masterpiece Membra Jesu Nostri, a disc of works for viola da gamba entitled Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe et ses filles and an album of Irish Songs with songs by Beethoven. In the spring of 2023, an album of Buxtehude’s cantatas was released on the same label. (concert No. 23)
Ricercar Consort
