Capella Helvetica
They once revitalised cities and shaped the cultural image of Switzerland during the Renaissance: the Swiss town pipers, which the historical ensemble Capella Helvetica takes as its musical model. Shawm, tabor and dulcian: the colourful variety of sounds that shaped everyday life 500 years ago is dusted off by the virtuoso bridge builders and poured into entertaining concert events.
About the Ensemble
historical wind ensemble
Ensemble for STYRIARTE 26 – Stat felix domus Austriae:
Katharina Haun – cornett, director
Henry van Engen – historical trombone, slide trumpet
Phillip Boyle – historical trombone, slide trumpet
Adam Bregman – historical trombone, slide trumpet
Hanna Geisel – shawm, pommer
Amy Power – shawm, pommer
Ann Allen – pommer, dulcian
Melissa Sandel – dulcian
Capella Helvetica is a historical wind ensemble modeled after the Swiss town musicians (Stadtpfeifer) of the Renaissance. With cornett, trombone, shawm, dulcian, recorders, voice, and more, the quintet - led by flutist Katharina Haun - performs 500-year-old music in an engaging and audience-friendly way. The ensemble reads from original notation and improvises, diminishes, and arranges according to historical sources.
The musicians engage with music of the past in a historically informed manner in order to better understand the people who lived then - their musical language and the themes they set to music. Their aim is to bring these long-vanished worlds closer to today’s audiences and to create an artistic and human connection between past and present. More than simply performing music on stage, they seek to enter into a dialogue with the audience through their artistry and passion: to entertain, to inform, to inspire, and to lead listeners on a musical journey into the past - supported by the most up-to-date research and performance practice.
Capella Helvetica is a historical wind ensemble featuring cornett, trombone, dulcian, recorder, and more.
