Born in 1567 in Cremona, then a border town close to the Republic of Venice, Claudio Monteverdi lived in the city until 1591 before entering the service of Duke Vincenzo I Gonzaga of Mantua (Portrait by Bernardo Strozzi c. 1630)

Peter Phillips and The Tallis Scholars performing in the church San Marcellino (1602), renowned for its Baroque-style interiors (Photo by Francesca Faelutti)

Mezzo-soprano Shakèd Bar and tenor Jorge Navarro Colorado in Cavalli's ‘Ercole amante’ (Photo by Lorenzo Gorini)

Cavalli's ‘Ercole amante’ at Teatro Ponchielli (Photo by Lorenzo Gorini)

Christophe Rousset and Les Talens Lyriques performing in the auditorium of Cremona's Violin Museum (Photo by Lorenzo Gorini)

Apolline and Thaïs Raï-Westphal (Photo by Lorenzo Gorini)

Piazza del Comune, the main public square in Cremona, with its iconic Duomo in the background (Photo by Trolvag)

Continuo’s Writer-in-Residence reviews the final weekend of Cremona's Monteverdi Festival, with Les Talens Lyriques and The Tallis Scholars.

Cremona in full voice: Impressions from the Monteverdi Festival 2025

The Hall of Mirrors, Versailles Palace

Grace, elegance, cultural identity

This playlist explores the jewels of French Baroque music, from well-known names such as Rameau and Lully, to rarely-heard gems by lesser known composers. 

Jewels of the French Baroque

Members of the Linarol Consort of Viols with soprano Héloïse Bernard

The Emperor Maximilian I and his Family (Bernhard Strigel c.1516-1520)

‘La franchoise nouvelle’ from the Bassedance Book of Marguerite

Linarol viols

Claire Horáček

Continuo Connect catches up with viol player Claire Horáček of the Linarol Consort to discuss her route into Early Music, and Linarol’s upcoming recording.

Claire Horáček: Reviving Renaissance Sound

Pretty Yende (Semele)

Handel: Semele

Fair Oriana

  A chamber music ensemble featuring two sopranos and continuo, who perform concerts with a hint of theater.

Ryedale Festival image

The Ryedale Festival

The Ryedale Festival brings two weeks of great music and world-renowned performers to beautiful Yorkshire places every July.

Fair Oriana - Triple Concert

Triple Concert

Apollo's Cabinet

Apollo’s Cabinet are an early music ensemble founded at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2018. Since then they have grown in size and perform with a flexible lineup to offer versatility and variety in programming.

Lichfield Festival

11 days of music and performance across Lichfield

Apollo's Cabinet - The comic muse 

The comic muse

The Oxford 'Early Music by Candlelight' Summer Festival

Early Music by Candlelight Summer Festival

Music and words in a collection of imaginative and scholarly programmes, performed by members of award-winning ensemble Charivari Agréable.

Charivari Agréable - Salve Regina

Salve Regina

Sarah Small

Sarah Small is a viola da gamba player performing regularly as a soloist and chamber musician, and founder of the ensemble Hex.

Sarah Small - Good Again?

Good Again?

Quatuor Mosaïques - Quatuor Mosaïques III

Quatuor Mosaïques III

Yair Avidor

Yair Avidor is a London-based lutenist and guitarist. 

Yair Avidor - Lutenist Yair Avidor plays Bach and Weiss

Lutenist Yair Avidor plays Bach and Weiss

Musical & Amicable Society

The original Musical and Amicable Society was founded in 1762 by James Kempson, who directed the choir at St Bartholomew’s Chapel, Birmingham.

Musical & Amicable Society - Fiddlers Three: Music from Charles I's 'Private Musick'

Fiddlers Three: Charles II's 'Private Musick'

Dunedin Consort

Dunedin Consort is one of the world’s leading Baroque ensembles, recognised for its vivid and insightful performances and recordings.

Dido & Aeneas

Dido and Aeneas

Flutes & Frets Duo

The Flutes & Frets Duo are a unique ensemble passionate about showing the versatility of the flute and plucked instruments combination. Fundamentally, their aim is to play all types of music on the instruments they were in use at the time of composition.

Lewes Baroquefest 2025 image

Lewes Baroquefest 

Five professional concerts in historic Lewes, East Sussex featuring top baroque performers and culminating in Handel’s Dixit Dominus and J S Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins and Magnificat. 

Your ultimate guide to
Early & Baroque Music

Classical concerts across the UK

What's On

Explore period-instrument performances of medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, classical and new music, and choral & vocal repertoire.

Handel: Semele

Royal Ballet & Opera

Triple Concert

Fair Oriana

The comic muse

Apollo's Cabinet

Salve Regina

Charivari Agréable

Good Again?

Sarah Small

Quatuor Mosaïques III

Quatuor Mosaïques

Lutenist Yair Avidor plays Bach and Weiss

Yair Avidor

Fiddlers Three: Charles II's 'Private Musick'

Musical & Amicable Society

Dido and Aeneas

Dunedin Consort

Don't Stop the Music!

Flutes & Frets Duo

Features

Discover the fascinating world of Early and Baroque music through artist interviews, festival reviews, playlists, album features, and expert insights.

Cremona in full voice: Impressions from the Monteverdi Festival 2025

Jewels of the French Baroque

Claire Horáček: Reviving Renaissance Sound

Don't miss a beat – subscribe today!

Help early music flourish!

Your ultimate guide toEarly & Baroque Music

Classical concerts across the UK

What's On

Explore period-instrument performances of medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, classical and new music, and choral & vocal repertoire.

Handel: Semele

Royal Ballet & Opera

Triple Concert

Fair Oriana

The comic muse

Apollo's Cabinet

Salve Regina

Charivari Agréable

Good Again?

Sarah Small

Quatuor Mosaïques III

Quatuor Mosaïques

Lutenist Yair Avidor plays Bach and Weiss

Yair Avidor

Fiddlers Three: Charles II's 'Private Musick'

Musical & Amicable Society

Dido and Aeneas

Dunedin Consort

Don't Stop the Music!

Flutes & Frets Duo

Features

Discover the fascinating world of Early and Baroque music through artist interviews, festival reviews, playlists, album features, and expert insights.

Cremona in full voice: Impressions from the Monteverdi Festival 2025

Jewels of the French Baroque

Claire Horáček: Reviving Renaissance Sound

Don't miss a beat – subscribe today!

Help early music flourish!

Your ultimate guide to
Early & Baroque Music