John Eliot Gardiner
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Biography
A brilliant and innovative English conductor who has worked with some of the world's greatest orchestras, John Eliot Gardiner has changed people's attitudes to classical music with his dynamic and even aggressive approach. The Monteverdi Choir he set up early in his career revolutionised what he believed was a complacent and bland attitude to choral singing, determined to replace technical perfection with raw passion, performing Baroque music with period instruments.
Born in Dorset in the south west of England, his love of music stemmed from singing in the local church choir. He taught himself to play violin, took up conducting at the age of 15 and studied Arabic, history and medieval Spanish at King's College, Cambridge. While at Cambridge, he began his career as a conductor with a performance of Monteverdi's 'Vespro della Beata Vergine', which directly led to him forming the Monteverdi Choir, while he also toured the Middle East conducting the Oxford and Cambridge Singers.
He went on to study with Thurston Dart in London and Nadia Boulanger in Paris, made his London debut with the English National Opera, conducted the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in America and in 1968 formed the influential Monteverdi Orchestra, changing their name in 1978 to the English Baroque Soloists. He went on to become lead conductor of CBC's Vancouver Orchestra and from 1983-88 was music director of the Opéra National de Lyon and in 1990 he formed the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique playing music from the 19th century. He also had a spell as principal conductor of the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra and guest conducted with leading orchestras all over the world.
Despite a reputation as a hard taskmaster with little patience for those who failed to meet his required standards, he acquired an unmatched reputation for his brilliance and vision, winning numerous awards and the admiration of leading figures in the classical world and even the royal family.
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Albums
John Eliot Gardiner
John Eliot Gardiner Conducts French Baroque Music: Couperin, Rameau, Campra & Leclair
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John Eliot Gardiner
John Eliot Gardiner Conducts French Baroque Music: Couperin, Rameau, Campra & Leclair
FEATURED
John Eliot Gardiner
Scarlatti: Stabat Mater - Clément: O Maria, vernans rosa - Gesualdo: Ave dulcissima Maria - Cavalli:
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John Eliot Gardiner
Massenet: Scènes dramatiques, Scènes de féérie, Scènes alsaciennes & Scènes pittorresques
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John Eliot Gardiner
Purcell: King Arthur, Music for Queen Mary, Come Ye Sons of Art, Hail! Bright Cecilia, The Indian Que
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John Eliot Gardiner
Handel: Dixit Dominus, HWV 232 & Coronation Anthem No. 1, HWV 258 "Zadok the Priest"
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Top Tracks
- Track Popularity
- Schumann: Das Paradies und die Peri / Part Two - No. 15 "Verlassener Jüngling...Doch sieh...Du hier?" featuring Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
- Schumann: Das Paradies und die Peri / Part Three - No. 22 "Und wie sie... Peri, ist's wahr... Mit ihrer" featuring Gerald Finley
- Schumann: Das Paradies und die Peri / Part Three - No. 21 "Jetzt sank des Abends goldner Schein" featuring Gerald Finley
- Schumann: Das Paradies und die Peri / Part Three - No. 18 "Schmücket die...Auch der Geliebten...Seht da" featuring Susanna Spicer [Contralto]
- Schumann: Das Paradies und die Peri / Part Two - No. 16 "O laà mich von der Luft...Sie wankt-sie sinkt" featuring Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
- Symphony No.3 in E flat, Op.97 - "Rhenish": 3. Nicht schnell by Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
- Symphony No.3 in E flat, Op.97 - "Rhenish": 1. Lebhaft by Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
- Schumann: Konzertstück Op. 86 In F For 4 Horns And Orchestra - 3. Sehr lebhaft featuring Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
- Schumann: Konzertstück Op. 86 In F For 4 Horns And Orchestra - 2. Romanze featuring Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
- Overture, Scherzo, and Finale, Op.52: 2. Scherzo (vivo) by Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
- Schumann: Konzertstück Op. 86 In F For 4 Horns And Orchestra - 1. Lebhaft - featuring Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
- Overture, Scherzo, and Finale, Op.52: 3. Finale (Allegro molto vivace) by Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
- Schumann: Symphony No. 4 In D Minor, Op. 120 - 2. Romanze (Ziemlich langsam) by Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
- Symphony No.4 in D minor, Op.120: 4. Etwas zurückhaltend - Langsam by Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
- Symphony No.1 in B flat, Op.38 - "Spring": 3. Scherzo (Molto vivace) by Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
- Symphony No.3 in E flat, Op.97 - "Rhenish": 5. Lebhaft by Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
- Symphony No.3 in E flat, Op.97 - "Rhenish": 4. Feierlich by Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
- Symphony No.1 in B flat, Op.38 - "Spring": 1. Andante un poco maestoso - Allegro molto vivace by Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
- Symphony in G minor "Zwickau" (Unfinished): 2. Andantino - Intermezzo:Allegro assai - Andantino by Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
- Symphony No.2 in C, Op.61: 1. Sostenuto assai - Un poco più vivace - Allegro ma non troppo - Con fuo by Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
- Schumann: Symphony No.4 In D Minor, Op.120 - Original Version (1841) - 1. Andante con moto - Allegro di molto by Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
- Symphony No.1 in B flat, Op.38 - "Spring": 2. Larghetto by Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
- Symphony No.2 in C, Op.61: 4. Allegro molto vivace by Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
- Monteverdi: L'incoronazione di Poppea, SV 308 / Act II - Sento un certo non so che featuring John Eliot Gardiner
