About Us

The Hungarian early music group Affetti Musicali Budapest, founded by the musicologist János Malina in 1984, specializes in the historic performance of 17^th- and 18^th-century European vocal chamber music, both sacred and secular. Cantatas, duets, solo motets etc. alternate in their programs with contemporary sonatas and trio sonatas. The repertoire of the ensemble is especially rich and exciting; they often unearth and perform practically unknown masterpieces by great composers.

 

The basic composition of the group is one or two recorders plus continuo, completed with vocal soloist(s). They regularly co-operate with internationally acclaimed singers like the sopranos Mária Zádori and Ingrid Kertesi or the mezzo-soprano Éva Lax. The additional instruments vary according to the performed repertoire: they include violins, viols, traverso, oboe, bassoon, trumpet etc. Most instrumentalists playing with the ensemble enjoy considerable international reputation.

 

Affetti Musicali Budapest often performs at concerts or in radio and TV. They have appeared at music festivals in Hungary, Estonia, Germany, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Italy. The ensemble has made so far four CD’s on Hungaroton Classic label: the first one (HCD 31597) contains first recordings of little-known sacred cantatas by Telemann, mostly with obbligato trumpet; the second one (HCD 31736) is a collection of Pachelbel’s entirely forgotten strophic arias and duets. Their third CD (HCD 31843) commemorates the Hasse tercentenary with a selection of this composer’s Italian secular solo cantatas. The fourth record of the group (HCD 32078) is the first recording of Agostino Steffani’s cantata series Scherzi musicali.

Important appearances

Five Churches Festival, Győr 2009

Budapest Early Music Forum: 1996, 1997, 1998, 2003, 2006

Summer Festival of Early Music, Prague: 2004

“The Valley of Arts Festival”, Hungary: 1999, 2004

Tallinn Music Festival: 2002

Sopron Early Music Days: 1985, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2002

Budapest Spring Festival: 1986, 1993, 1999, 2000

Manoel Theatre Baroque Festival, La Valletta, Malta: 2001

Hannover World Exhibition: 1998

Bratislava Music Festival: 1998

Musica Antiqua Europæ Orientalis Festival, Bydgoszcz, Poland: 1997

Institut Français, Budapest: 1993

Associazione Musicale, Rome, Festival “Musica a’ palazzo”: 1992