Stimmwerck

History

Stimmwerck was founded in Munich, Germany in 2001, by four specialists in classical vocal ensemble singing; the two tenors, Gerhard Hölzle and Klaus Wenk, bass singer Marcus Schmidl, and counter tenor Franz Vitzthum.

Purpose

Their name reflects the ensemble's structure and purpose. "Stimmwerck" comes from a 16th-century German term often used (for example, by Michael Praetorius) for a group of instruments of the same type but of different ranges, similar to the English term "consort of instruments". Thus, the ensemble is a “Stimmwerck” of classically trained male voices in varying ranges, attuned to one another in skill.

The focus of their work together is the bringing of forgotten or less well known renaissance composers of early music in the German-speaking regions once again into public recognition. To achieve this, they collaborate extensively with musicologists such as Ian Rumbold, Inga Mai Groote, and Katelijne Schiltz and actively engage in research. The results take form as recordings, public performance in concerts, on tour and at early music festivals, and as their own 3-day annual festival in August, the Stimmwercktage, on the Adlersberg near Regensburg, Germany, which is broadcast each year by Bayerischer Rundfunk.

Recordings

Stimmwerck records with Christophorus Records, Aeolus and Cavalli Records, among others, and has received praise for their work from the critical press. Their first compact disks, with works by Heinrich Finck (1445–1527), and Adam of Fulda (1444–1505), each received the highest possible rating of 5 stars in “Goldberg Magazine”.

Discography

Live performance

Stimmwerck give concerts both in Germany and abroad. They have been featured guests at

Festival: Stimmwercktage – Stimmwerck Days

Since 2005, the ensemble holds an annual festival in early August named the “Stimmwercktage” (Stimmwerck Days) on the Adlersberg near Regensburg. There, using such modern technology as laptops and projectors in place of paper manuscripts, the works of a particular renaissance composer are the subject of German language lectures by musicologists and performances by Stimmwerck.

In previous years, works by the following composers were examined:

Videos