Ensemble for the music of the Renaissance
“A gem from a past age, subtly chiselled, melancholic and delicate, full of emotions ...
a celebration of breathtaking virtuosity”
O luci belle | Biagio Marini
The ensemble astrophil & stella is dedicated to the music of the Renaissance and early Baroque. Founded in 2016 by flutist Johanna Bartz, it has since performed in a variety of vocal and instrumental constellations throughout Europe. A special focus is on concert formats that place the music of the Renaissance in new contexts - the audience should be able to experience it differently and in a new way. The ensemble uses the Renaissance transverse flute, rarely heard today - much played at the time and praised for its expressive power.
On the occasion of the Luther Year 2017, astrophil & stella was appointed to the "Rheinsberger Hofkapelle" (DE) and has performed as Ensemble in Residence at the Music Academy and Palace there. In 2020, astrophil & stella was selected for the ECOS Lab for innovative concert formats of the Ecos Festival Sierra Espuña (ES).
Incidentally, the name "astrophil & stella" means "lover of stars and star" and comes from the collection of sonnets of the same name by the English poet Sir Philip Sidney from 1591.
“An extraordinary musical experience!”
Musicians of the season 2023/24:
Charlotte Nachtsheim, soprano
Giovanna Baviera, viola da gamba
Anna Danilevskaia, viola da gamba
Filipa Meneses, viola da gamba
Martin Jantzen, viola da gamba
Bruno Hurtado, viola da gamba
Claire Piganiol, harp
Vincent Kibildis, harp and music editions
Guilherme Barroso, lute and vihuela
Mira Lange, virginal
Julio Caballero Pérez, organ
Mara Winter, renaissance traverso
Darina Ablogina, renaissance traverso
Eleonora Bišćević, renaissance traverso
Tommaso Simonetta, renaissance traverso
Johanna Bartz, renaissance traverso and direction
MEDIA
“A fascinating listening experience! [...] impressive richness of sound colors - a glorious moment of music!”
Mentre, lumi maggior del secol nostro | Cipriano de Rore
Io son ferito - G. P. da Palestrina/G. B. Bovicelli (live recording by rbb)
Vox in Rama - Giaches de Wert (live)
Die sonn die ist verblichen - Stephan Zirler
PROGRAMMES
TO MUSICKE BENT IS MY RETYRED MIND
A triptych with music from Elisabethan England by Campion, Dowland, Tye, Byrd et al.
NIGHTINGALE’S OWN BROTHER
English music of the Tudor era for Traverso and Virginal
A GARDEN OF BLACK FLOWERS
Love poetry and melancholy in late 16th century diminutions, motets and madrigals by Palestrina, Bovicelli, Rognoni, Bassano et al.
IN TEMPORIBVS - THE ART OF TIME
Music from the 16th and 17th centuries about time, transience, and rhythms of (everyday) life
by Dowland, de Rore, da Milano, Zirler, Othmayr et al.
NOVA ATLANTIS - TRAVEL TO UTOPIA
Music by William Byrd, John Wilbye, Thomas Tomkins et al.; excerpts from Francis Bacon’s „New Atlantis“ (1627) and Marge Piercy’s „Woman on the Edge of Time” (1976)
A TRAVERS LE MIROIR - THROUGH THE MIRROR
Franco-Flemish chansons, new compositions and audio installations for traverso consort and lute
We constantly develop new programmes and projects. If you have interest in a concert, instrumentations, background information or you want to make a booking request, please don’t hesitate to contact us!