Gramophone's Orchestra of the Year Award is the only Gramophone Classical Music Award decided by public vote. The 10 orchestras nominated this year are: Academy of Ancient Music, Accademia Bizantina, Bamberger Symphoniker, Berliner Philharmoniker, The Cleveland Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Philharmonia Orchestra, Singapore Symphony Orchestra and Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich.

This week, we focus on Academy of Ancient Music ...

Introduction

As Richard Egarr’s reign as Music Director draws to a close, it’s worth reflecting on how this fine British period-instrument ensemble has maintained the pioneering spirit of its founder, Christopher Hogwood. Last November, David Threasher welcomed a first recording of Dussek’s Messe solennelle, relishing an AAM ‘on top form’, while in April Richard Wigmore wrote of John Eccles’s Semele that ‘the playing of the AAM strings tingles with theatrical life’.

Recommended Albums

Dussek Messe solennelle

Soloists; AAM & Chor / Richard Egarr

‘Dussek himself could scarcely have hoped for a performance as fine as this one, with the Academy on top form, a well-drilled choir of 20 clearly in thrall to Egarr’s infectious enthusiasm for the work and four finely matched soloists imparting plenty of personality ...’ (David Threasher)

Read the review in the Reviews Database

Eccles Semele

AAM & Chor / Richard Egarr

‘Pacing, not least in the expressive recitatives, is fluid and natural, the playing of the AAM strings tingles with theatrical life and the young cast is uniformly fine ...’ (Richard Wigmore)

Read the review in the Reviews Database

Academy of Ancient Music Playlist

Enjoy recent highlights from the Academy of Ancient Music in our exclusive Apple Music playlist.

Apple Music offers a three-month free trial to new subscribers and with its vast catalogue of recordings – plus the addition of lossless audio and Spatial Audio, offering an immersive audio experience from 44.1kHz/16-bit (CD quality) up to 192kHz/24-bit – it is the perfect music streaming platform for anyone who loves classical music. Find out more and start your free trial here: Apple Music 

Listen to all of the Orchestra of the Year playlists on Apple Music: Orchestra of the Year 2021

Vote for Academy of Ancient Music

You can cast your vote for Gramophone's Orchestra of the Year 2021 either using the voting form below or by following this link: 2021 Orchestra of the Year Vote

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