Conception & research: Pierre-F. Roberge
For comments, additions and corrections
mccomb@medieval.org
(continuing this discography for PFR)
Last update: 07/21/2002
This is an "under construction and incomplete"
comprehensive discography of the Austrian early music ensemble
"Wiener Ensemble für Alte Musik, Les Menestrels".
This is not the official
site, where much more information can be found (you can even
order LPs or CDs). This site is limited to discographic information.
The Ensemble Les Menestrels was founded in 1963 by Marie
Therese Escribano, Klaus Walter and Michael Walter - all acquainted
from the Viennese ensemble for contemporary music, "Die
Reihe." Through being involved with the music of the 20th
century, interest arose in constructive polyphonic compositions of
the 14th and 15th centuries, and above all, the Ars Nova.
Despite expansion of the repertory to cover the period around 1600,
this has remained the main interest of the group. Instruments were
added step by step to make possible the reproduction of each epoch
and its characteristic sound. Les Menestrels achieved their first
great success at the Vienna Festival Weeks in 1965 with the scenic
performance of the cantefable Aucassin et Nicolette, for
which H.C. Artmann contributed the translation. Together with
purely concert programs, those with a literary theme were also held
(such as Le livre du voir dit from Guillaume de Machaut),
as well as scenic performances (such as Balletti and Mascherate
of the Cinquecento.) The group has not forgotten its origins
in contemporary music to this day. In one of their programs
("There is Nothing New in Music!?!") parallel appearances
of Ancient and Contemporary Music were compared. Concerts, radio,
and television recordings led the Ensemble to almost every European
country, the USA, Canada and Japan. The Ensemble took part in
numerous festivals ... (excerpts from the
CD booklet acommpanying the CD "Oswald von Wolkenstein
and his Italian contemporaries").
And still producing; this is one (if not the only one) of the very
few Early Music ensembles which is nearly 40 years old.
Part I lists the original (commercially released) recordings
(around 15) and re-edited material containing tracks not previously
released. Each individual title is (or will be) linked to a
descriptive section containing as much information as possible
about the original recording; this description is cross-linked to
available CDs actually on the market (August 2002) in North America
or Western Europe. Great care has been taken to prevent misinformation,
and a large part of the data originates from records themselves
(although often not as reliable as they should be) and owned by
myself. If the recording was not available, the content originates
from the usual sources (contributors to this site, periodicals such
as The Gramophone (and the Catalogue), Diapason (and the Catalogue),
Bielefelder Katalog, Notes, and Fanfare, Goldberg, etc.). Alas, if
all else failed, reference was made to the French book "Diapason
- Guide de la musique ancienne et baroque" (Coll. Bouquins,
Robert Laffond, 1993) [GMAB]; although impressive in terms of the
quality and quantity of content, readers should be careful about
many recording dates listed. Also data has been re-checked using
the IUCAT database of the Indiana
University Library, the Melvyl®
database of the University of California,
BN-Opale database of the
Bibliothèque Nationale de France and from time-to-time other
sources.
For those interested in further discographies of medieval and
renaissance period, they should refer to the following publications
Gramophone Shop, inc., New York
Encyclopedia of the world's best recorded music
New York, Gramophone Shop, 1930
214 p. 19 cm.
Gramophone Shop, inc., New York
Encyclopedia of the world's best recorded music
2d ed. Completely revised and compiled by Richard Gilbert
New York, Gramophone Shop, 1931
x, 371 p. 19 cm.
Gramophone Shop, inc., New York
The Gramophone Shop encyclopedia of recorded music
Compiled by R.D. Darrell, with a foreword by Lawrence Gilman
New York city, The Gramophone shop, inc 1936
xii, 574 p. 25 1/2cm.
Gramophone Shop, inc., New York
The Gramophone Shop encyclopedia of recorded music
2d ed., rev. and enl. by George Clark Leslie, supervising editor
New York, Simon and Schuster, 1942
558 p., 26 cm.
Gramophone Shop, inc., New York
The Gramophone Shop encyclopedia of recorded music
3d ed., rev. and enl. by Robert H. Reid, supervising editor
New York, Crown Publishers, 1948
xii, 639 p. 25 cm.
F.F. Clough and G.J. Cuming; associate editor: E.A. Hughes
The world's encyclopædia of recorded music (First supplement,
April 1950 to May-June 1951: p. 725-860)
London: Sidgwick and Jackson Limited in association with the Decca
Record Company Limited, 1953 and in the U. S. A., the London
Gramophone Corp., 1952
xvi, 1890 p. 26cm
F.F. Clough and G.J. Cuming; associate editor: E.A. Hughes
The world's encyclopædia of recorded music: second supplement,
1951-1952
London: Sidgwick and Jackson Limited in association with the Decca
Record Company Limited, 1953
262 p.; 26 cm
F.F. Clough and G.J. Cuming; associate editor: E.A. Hughes;
research associate Angela Noble
Third supplement 1953-1955 to the world's encyclopædia recorded
music
London: Sidgwick and Jackson Limited in association with the Decca
Record Company Limited, 1957
xxvi, 564 p.; 26 cm
James Coover and Richard Colvig
Medieval and Renaissance music on long-playing records
(covers earliest LPs - end of 1961)
Detroit, Information Service, 1964
Detroit studies in music bibliography, no. 6
xii, 122 p. 23 cm.
James Coover and Richard Colvig
Medieval and Renaissance music on long-playing records
Supplement, 1962-1971
Detroit, Information Coordinators, 1973
Detroit studies in music bibliography; no. 26
258 p. 23 cm.
Trevor Croucher (compil.)
Early music discography: from plainsong to the sons of Bach
1981 ed.
Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, c1981
2 v.; 21 cm.
v. 1. Record index (covers 1970-1980)
v. 2. Composer, plainsong, anonymous work, and performer indexes
ISBN: 089774018
I tried to list titles according to their release dates. In the linked section, I tried to follow the track order of the recording; in some cases when the recording was not available, the order may need correction by a careful reader owning the disc. In Part I, my goal is to cover all original recordings, but this may well be wishful thinking without comments and corrections. These should be directed to my e-mail address. Credit for any significant contribution will be given at the end of the discography.
The content needs validation and will be regularly up-dated.
Part II deals mostly with editions or reeditions on CDs, but includes some LPs still available; I will try to be complete, but the goal is really to inform readers about currently available recordings on the market.
Part III lists newly released, or soon to be released, CDs when the available information is not sufficient to be added as a specific entry in the preceeding list.
Pierre-F. RobergeNotes: Original recordings are preceded by a number; those containing only composite material are not numbered.
Amadeo 5052 [LP]
Tanzmusik der Gotik und Renaissance
Rec.: 1965 or prior
Belvedere ELY 04-30 [LP]
Guillaume de Machaut: La Messe de Notre Dame et les Propres grégoriens pour la
fête de l'Assomption
The London Ambrosian Singers & Ensemble "Les Menestrels" de Vienne -
John McCarthy, dir.
Rec.: 1966 or prior
Belvedere ELY 05-01 [LP]
Musique au temps de la Renaissance
London Ambrosian Singers / Franz Tenta Consort / Les Menestrels
Rec.: 1970 or prior
Belvédère ELY-520 /
521
Le Triomphe de Maximilien 1er
Les Menestrels
Rec.: 1970 or prior
Tudor 0501 [LP]
Das Fest der Pierbaldo (Le Festin de Pierbaldo) - Nach dem Sonetenkranz "Mundus
Pacidus" des Simon d'Orvieto
Rec.: 1970 or prior
Tudor 0531 [LP]
Musica Maximiliana
Les Menestrels & Franz Haselböck (organ)
Rec.: 1970 or prior
Mirror Music 00001 [LP]
Musik aus osterreichs vergangenheit von 1200 bis 1550
Rec.: 1973
Mirror Music 00002 [LP]
Ein Fest im Palast des umbrischen Grafen Pierbaldo im Jahre 1400
Rec.: 1973
Mirror Music 00003 [LP]
Einladung zum tanz
Rec.: 1975 or prior
Mirror Music 00004 [45 rpm - 17 cm]
Tänze des mittelalters und der Renaissance - Medieval and
renaissance dances - Danse du moyen-âge et du temps de la
renaissance
Rel.: 1975
Mirror Music 00005 [LP]
Liebe und Minne
Rec.: 1977 or prior
Mirror Music 00006 / 0009 [LPx4]
Machaut - Le Livre du voir dit & Messe Nostre Dame
Les Menestrels / Mozart-Sängerknaben - Klaus Walter, Michel Walter & Eva
Brunner
Rec.: 1977 or prior
Mirror Music 00007a [LP]
Machaut - Messe Nostre Dame
Les Menestrels / Mozart-Sängerknaben - Klaus Walter, Michel Walter & Eva
Brunner
Rec.: 1978 or prior
Mirror Music 00010 [LP]
In adventu Domini - Vorweihnachtliche musik von 1200 bis 1600
Rec.: 1983 or prior; rel. 1983
ORF "Edition Alte Musik" CD 048
[CDx2]
In Gottes Namen fahren wir - Musik aus der Zeit der Babenberger
Rec.: 1995
ORF "Edition Alte Musik" CD 091
[CDx2]
Resonanzen '96 - Musik aus den Habsburgerlanden
Various performers
Rec.: 1996
Arte Nova 74321 58969 2 [CD]
Oswald von Wolkenstein and his Italian contemporaries
Rec.: 1998
ORF "Edition Alte Musik" CD 215
[CDx2]
Resonanzen '99 - Bürger - Bauer - Edelmann
Various performers
Rec.: 1999
Arte Nova 74321 89517 2 [CD]
Ludwig Senfl - Lust hab ich gehabt zur Musica...
Rec.: 2001 or prior
K&K Verlagsanstalt 95
Hosanna in Excelsis
Les Menestrels
Rel.: 2006
under construction
....And thanks to all contributors....
Todd McComb <mccomb@medieval.org>
I am waiting.... for others...