Madrigal

[b]The Ensemble Madrigal[/b] is one of the oldest and most respected early music orchestras in Russia. Established in 1965 by the composer and harpsichord player Andr'e Volkonsky, Madrigal was specializing in Western European music of the pre-Bach era. Eventually, the ensemble started performing a broader range of composers up to IX–XII centuries, as well as Byzantine, South Slavic, and Russian music. After Volkonsky emigrated in 1972, the ensemble was directed by Lydia Davydova (1972-1983; 1992-2008) and Oleg Yanchenko (1983-1992). Madrigal gave over 2500 concerts in USSR, Russia and all over the world, and recorded 21 albums. Best presses from the Thousand Years of Music series, released by Melodiya from 1966 to the late 1980s, are highly valued by record collectors in Russia. In 2008, the ensemble was reorganized with a new line-up. Most original members continued performing under the Madrigal name as well, conducted by Lydia Davydova until she passed away in 2011. New Madrigal is directed by lute player Alexander Suetin. The group presented over 20 original programs and recorded their first CD [i]LLibre Vermell de Montserrat[/i] in 2013. [b]New Madrigal[/b] (since 2008) Alexander Suetin – director Anatoly Grindenko – viola da gamba, rebec Dmitry Bulkin – baroque trombone Tatiana Lubavskaya – flutes Katerina Anokhina – cymbals Kadyr Saidharun – percussion Anna Toncheva – vihuela, gothic harp, arpa doppia, dulcimer, psalterium, crumhorn Vocalists: Anastasia Melnik – soprano Elizaveta Svetozarova – soprano Yulia Makaryantz – mezzo-soprano Aleksey Sulimov – tenor Oleg Bankovsky – bass