Rachel Podger
Encyclopedia
Rachel Podger is an English violin
ist specialising in the performance of baroque music
. She often conducts baroque orchestra
s from the violin, and in 2004 took up a guest directorship with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
, having previously been leader of The English Concert
from 1997 to 2002.
, and worked with period instrument ensembles such as the New London Consort, and London Baroque.
She was leader of the Gabrieli Consort and Players and later of The English Concert
, c. 1997–2002, touring extensively, often as soloist in Vivaldi's le quattro stagioni and grosso mogul concertos. In 2004 she began a guest directorship of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
, opening with a tour in the USA with Bach's Brandenburg Concertos
. She also works as a guest director with Arte dei Suonatori (Poland), Musica Angelica
(USA) and Santa Fe Pro Musica (USA), and as soloist with The Academy of Ancient Music.
She is a professor of baroque violin
at both the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
and also teaches regularly at the Hochschule in Bremen. She has recently been appointed professor of baroque violin at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen
.
When not touring with various orchestras and other classical players, Rachel works with her husband in Brecon
, South Wales
helping young musicians through the Mozart Music Fund, which she founded in 2006, as well as holding workshops and giving recitals. She is a major figure at the annual Brecon Baroque music festival held during the last weekend of October every year.
In September 2008, Rachel Podger took up the newly-founded Micaela Comberti Chair for Baroque Violin at the Royal Academy of Music
in London
.
in 1739 by Pesarini, a later student of Antonio Stradivari
.
Initially Rachel played a modern Stradivarius copy.
.
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist specialising in the performance of baroque music
Baroque music
Baroque music describes a style of Western Classical music approximately extending from 1600 to 1760. This era follows the Renaissance and was followed in turn by the Classical era...
. She often conducts baroque orchestra
Baroque orchestra
The Baroque orchestra is the type of orchestra that existed during the Baroque period, commonly identified as 1600-1750. Its origins were in France where Jean-Baptiste Lully added the newly re-designed hautboy and transverse flutes to his vingt-quatre violons du Roy...
s from the violin, and in 2004 took up a guest directorship with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment is a British period instrument orchestra. The OAE is a resident orchestra of the Southbank Centre, London, associate orchestra at Glyndebourne Festival Opera and has its headquarters at Kings Place...
, having previously been leader of The English Concert
The English Concert
The English Concert is a baroque orchestra playing on period instruments based in London. Founded in 1972 and directed from the harpsichord by Trevor Pinnock for 30 years, it is now directed by harpsichordist Harry Bicket...
from 1997 to 2002.
Career
Rachel Podger was born in England but educated at a German Steiner school. She returned to study first with Perry Hart, then at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama with David Takeno, Pauline Scott, and Micaela Comberti. During her studies, she co-founded baroque chamber groups The Palladian Ensemble and FlorilegiumFlorilegium early music ensemble
Florilegium is an early music ensemble based in London. The Director, Ashley Solomon co-founded the group in 1991, and Florilegium's performances range from intimate chamber music to large-scale orchestral repertoire...
, and worked with period instrument ensembles such as the New London Consort, and London Baroque.
She was leader of the Gabrieli Consort and Players and later of The English Concert
The English Concert
The English Concert is a baroque orchestra playing on period instruments based in London. Founded in 1972 and directed from the harpsichord by Trevor Pinnock for 30 years, it is now directed by harpsichordist Harry Bicket...
, c. 1997–2002, touring extensively, often as soloist in Vivaldi's le quattro stagioni and grosso mogul concertos. In 2004 she began a guest directorship of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment is a British period instrument orchestra. The OAE is a resident orchestra of the Southbank Centre, London, associate orchestra at Glyndebourne Festival Opera and has its headquarters at Kings Place...
, opening with a tour in the USA with Bach's Brandenburg Concertos
Brandenburg concertos
The Brandenburg concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach are a collection of six instrumental works presented by Bach to Christian Ludwig, margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt, in 1721 . They are widely regarded as among the finest musical compositions of the Baroque era...
. She also works as a guest director with Arte dei Suonatori (Poland), Musica Angelica
Musica angelica
The Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra is a period chamber orchestra specializing in historically informed performance of music from the Baroque through early Classical eras. They are based in Santa Monica, California.-History and Musicians:...
(USA) and Santa Fe Pro Musica (USA), and as soloist with The Academy of Ancient Music.
She is a professor of baroque violin
Baroque violin
A baroque violin is, in common usage, any violin whose neck, fingerboard, bridge, and tailpiece are of the type used during the baroque period. Such an instrument may be an original built during the baroque and never changed to modern form; or a modern replica built as a baroque violin; or an...
at both the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama is a conservatoire within the University of Glamorgan Group located in Cardiff, Wales....
and also teaches regularly at the Hochschule in Bremen. She has recently been appointed professor of baroque violin at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
.
When not touring with various orchestras and other classical players, Rachel works with her husband in Brecon
Brecon
Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre...
, South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
helping young musicians through the Mozart Music Fund, which she founded in 2006, as well as holding workshops and giving recitals. She is a major figure at the annual Brecon Baroque music festival held during the last weekend of October every year.
In September 2008, Rachel Podger took up the newly-founded Micaela Comberti Chair for Baroque Violin at the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Instruments
Podger currently plays a violin made in GenoaGenoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
in 1739 by Pesarini, a later student of Antonio Stradivari
Antonio Stradivari
Antonio Stradivari was an Italian luthier and a crafter of string instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars, violas, and harps. Stradivari is generally considered the most significant artisan in this field. The Latinized form of his surname, Stradivarius, as well as the colloquial, "Strad", is...
.
Initially Rachel played a modern Stradivarius copy.
Recordings
Rachel Podger records for Channel Classics RecordsChannel Classics Records
Channel Classics Records is a record label from the Netherlands, specializing in classical music. The managing director and producer is C. Jared Sacks, who grew up in Boston. Sacks was schooled as a professional horn player at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the Conservatorium van Amsterdam...
.
- BachBạchBạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
's complete sonatas and partitas for violin solo volume 1, volume 2 and complete (top recommendation in BBC Radio 3 "Building a Library") - Telemann's twelve fantasies for solo violin (1746)
- BachBạchBạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
's complete sonatas for violin and harpsichord, with Trevor PinnockTrevor PinnockTrevor David Pinnock CBE is an English conductor, harpsichordist, and occasional organist and pianist.He is best known for his association with the period-performance orchestra The English Concert which he helped found and directed from the keyboard for over 30 years in baroque and early classical... - PurcellHenry PurcellHenry Purcell – 21 November 1695), was an English organist and Baroque composer of secular and sacred music. Although Purcell incorporated Italian and French stylistic elements into his compositions, his legacy was a uniquely English form of Baroque music...
's sonatas of 3 parts, with Pavlo Beznosiuk and Christopher HogwoodChristopher HogwoodChristopher Jarvis Haley Hogwood CBE, MA , HonMusD , born 10 September 1941, Nottingham, is an English conductor, harpsichordist, writer and musicologist, well known as the founder of the Academy of Ancient Music.-Biography:... - BachBạchBạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
's solo and double violin concertos, with Andrew ManzeAndrew ManzeAndrew Manze is an English violinist and conductor.As a guest conductor Manze has regular relationships with a number of leading international orchestras including the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Munich Philharmonic, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra,... - Vivaldi's 12 concertos 'La Stravaganza', directing Arte dei Suonatori (won Gramophone magazine's Best Baroque Recording of 2003) available on CD, SACD and Studio Master.
- Mozart's complete sonatas for violin and fortepiano, with Gary CooperGary Cooper (musician)Gary Cooper is an English conductor and classical keyboardist He is particularly known as an interpreter of the keyboard music of Bach and Mozart, and as a conductor of historically informed performances of music from the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods.-Career:Gary Cooper...
– volumes 1–8 - Rameau's Pieces de clavecin en concertsPièces de Clavecin en ConcertsThe Pièces de clavecin en concert, published in 1741, constitute the only chamber music by Jean-Philippe Rameau and were composed in full maturity; they came after his music for solo harpsichord, and just before Les Indes galantes....
, with Trevor Pinnock and Jonathan MansonJonathan MansonJonathan Manson is a Scottish cellist and viol player. Born in Edinburgh, he studied cello with Jane Cowan and later went on to the Eastman School of Music in New York, where he studied with Steven Doane and Christel Thielmann. He studied viola da gamba with Wieland Kuijken in The Hague.While a... - Mozart & Haydn Violin Concertos, with The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Pavlo Beznosiuk viola (available on CD, SACD and Studio Master).
- BachBạchBạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
's solo violin concertos, with Brecon Baroque (2010)
Sources
- BBC Radio 3BBC Radio 3BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
, Profile: Rachel Podger , The Early Music Show, broadcast 27 April 2008. Accessed 8 May 2009. - James Reel, "Master of the Universe: In early music, violinist Rachel Podger found a second calling", Strings magazine, February 2005, No. 126. Accessed 2009-09-02.