Although valued as an important aspect, for HORTUS MUSICUS authenticity in terms of music history has always been a means to an end, not a goal! Authenticity of this kind can be learned, and humbly approached. But if the hearts, heads and hands of the musicians are directed by self-knowledge and self-determination, the results will be different. For 28 years now, the Estonian Ensemble for Ancient Music has followed its vision of a unique manner of interpretation.
In medieval written music nothing is left out deliberately which would be regarded as stylistically undue or as not matching the traditional "bon ton". But keeping their eyes ahead, behind, up and down, the musicians are discovering new things all the time which inspire them to extend the sparse written material. The hands have been "educated by age" and want to juxtapose contemporarity against theoretical education. The head knows about the cultural and music historical interconnectedness with our remote neighbours in the Islamic countries, in Asia Minor, India and the Far East, and about what our music owes to their music. And the hearts are the hearts of full-blooded young musicians who want to play medieval music in a way that the contemporary listener will find it understandable and pleasant, and maybe even necessary.
The result is a spirited, sparkling music which is newly born in every performance, understandable not only to the expert but to every benevolent listener who is longing for something fresh and inconceivable. This is the "musical garden" of the 21st Century.
HORTUS MUSICUS
Early Music Consort
Artistic director Andres Mustonen
Helle Mustonen – soprano
Joosep Vahermägi – tenor
Jaan Arder – tenor
Riho Ridbeck – bass, percussion
Neeme Punder – recorder, transverse flute, crumhorn
Olev Ainomäe – bombardone, recorder, crumhorn
Tõnis Kuurme – dulcian, crumhorn
Valter Jürgenson – trombone
Andres Mustonen – violin, viola da gamba, recorder
Peeter Klaas – viola da gamba
Imre Eenma – violone
Ivo Sillamaa – positive organ
