The Music

Here is a list of composers, ensembles and/or recordings of new music for early instruments.

Entries are organized alphabetically by composer's last name or ensemble name. This listing is not nearly comprehensive, but a starting point for exploration. If you know of something good that's missing, contribute!

• Bang On a Can - Composer's collective/new music ensemble has collaborated with EM groups - Webste
• Various / New Music for Early Instruments - Ensemble Nova - 1995 - Website
• Fretwork - Viol consort, commissions new music from major composers (John Tavener, Tan Dun, Elvis Costello, etc) - Website
• Michel Godard / Sous Les Voûtes, Le Serpent... - Soloist on the serpent - Website
• Gryphon - 1970s prog rock band, used recorder and crumhorn - Website
• Larry Lipkis - Viol player/composer - Website
• Ronn McFarlane - Lutenist/composer - Website
• Melomanie - Commissions new music - Website
• New York Consort of Viols - Commissions new music - Website
• Paolo Pandolfo / Travel Notes: New Music for Viola da Gamba - 2004 - Website
• Parthenia Consort of Viols - Commissions new music - Website
  
• Roy Wheldon / Galax: Music for Viola da Gamba - 1994
• Visit this website for an extensive listing of new music for harpsichord, which features plenty of audio excerpts.

A note on how the listing is constructed: CDs that feature several works are listed rather than each individual piece, and a composer who was written extensively for early instruments is listed under the composer's name rather than under the title of each piece. Similarly, an ensemble that commissions a lot of new works will be listed rather than each piece that they've commissioned, or each composer they have commissioned from, unless that composer has written extensively for early instruments outside of that group's commissions.

For example, if a group commissions composers who have not written for early instruments outside of that group's commissions, only the group will be listed to avoid redundancies. But if one composer has been commissioned by a variety early music groups, then the composer will be listed.

Although this makes for a less thorough listing, I hope that it will be cleaner and easier to browse and that readers will take it upon themselves to explore each artist's work!