Konrad Junghänel (born 27 February 1953) is a German
lute
A lute ( or ) is any plucked string instrument with a neck (music), neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted.
More specifically, the term "lu ...
nist and
conductor
Conductor or conduction may refer to:
Biology and medicine
* Bone conduction, the conduction of sound to the inner ear
* Conduction aphasia, a language disorder
Mathematics
* Conductor (ring theory)
* Conductor of an abelian variety
* Cond ...
in the field of
historically informed performance
Historically informed performance (also referred to as period performance, authentic performance, or HIP) is an approach to the performance of Western classical music, classical music which aims to be faithful to the approach, manner and style of ...
, the founder and director of the vocal ensemble Cantus Cölln.
Career
Junghänel studied at the
Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln
The Cologne University of Music () is a public university of music and dance located in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Established in 1850 as the Conservatorium der Musik in Coeln, it is one of the largest music academies in Europe, w ...
. He has given solo concerts internationally and has worked with ensembles such as Les Arts Florissants,
La Petite Bande
La Petite Bande is a Belgium-based ensemble specialising in music of the Baroque and Classical eras played on period instruments. They are particularly known for their recordings of works by Corelli, Rameau, Handel, Bach, Haydn, and Mozart.
Hi ...
,
Musica Antiqua Köln
Musica Antiqua Köln was an early music group that was founded in 1973 by Reinhard Goebel and fellow students from the Conservatory of Music in Cologne
Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhin ...
and
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra
The Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra (also known simply as Tafelmusik) is a Canadian orchestra specializing in historically-informed performance and based in Toronto. The orchestra plays period instruments appropriate to the era of music, including ba ...
. As a lutenist, he recorded works by Jacques Bittner in 1984. He is particularly known for his lute recitals of
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach (German: Help:IPA/Standard German, joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque music, Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety ...
and
Sylvius Leopold Weiss
Sylvius Leopold Weiss (12 October 168716 October 1750) was a German composer and lutenist.
Born in Grottkau near Breslau, the son of Johann Jacob Weiss, also a lutenist, Weiss was one of the most important and most prolific composers of lute m ...
, and received the
Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik Preis is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Alfred Preis (1911–1993), Austrian architect
* Ellen Preis (Ellen Müller-Preis) (1912–2007), German-born Austrian Olympic champion foil fencer
* Mary Louise Preis (born 1941), ...
for his solo recording of a piece by Weiss in 1985. He has collaborated with countertenor
René Jacobs
René Jacobs (born 30 October 1946) is a Belgian musician. He came to fame as a countertenor, but later in his career he became known as a conductor of baroque and classical opera.
Biography Countertenor
Born in Ghent, Jacobs began his musi ...
and gambist
Wieland Kuijken
Wieland Kuijken (; born 31 August 1938 in Dilbeek) is a Belgian musician and player of the viola da gamba and baroque cello.
Biography
Kuijken started his career in music in 1952 with the Brussels Alariusensemble of which he formed part until ...
, and has also played
theorbo
The theorbo is a plucked string instrument of the lute family, with an extended neck that houses the second pegbox. Like a lute, a theorbo has a curved-back sound box with a flat top, typically with one or three sound holes decorated with rose ...
, such as a 13-course
chitarrone
The theorbo is a plucked string instrument of the lute family, with an extended neck that houses the second pegbox. Like a lute, a theorbo has a curved-back sound box with a flat top, typically with one or three sound holes decorated with ro ...
and a 14 course liuto attiorbato, among others.
In 1987, Junghänel founded the vocal ensemble Cantus Cölln, which he has directed ever since. Numerous recordings of Cantus Cölln have received international recognition. They recorded, among others,
Monteverdi
Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi (baptized 15 May 1567 – 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, choirmaster and string player. A composer of both secular and sacred music, and a pioneer in the development of opera, he is considere ...
's ''
Vespro della Beata Vergine
''Vespro della Beata Vergine'' (''Vespers for the Blessed Virgin''), Stattkus-Verzeichnis, SV 206, is a musical setting by Claudio Monteverdi of the evening vespers on Marian feasts, scored for soloists, choirs, and orchestra. It is an ambitio ...
'',
Dieterich Buxtehude
Dieterich Buxtehude (; born Diderich Hansen Buxtehude, ; – 9 May 1707) was a Danish composer and organist of the Baroque music, Baroque period, whose works are typical of the North German organ school. As a composer who worked in various vocal ...
's ''
Membra Jesu Nostri
''Membra Jesu nostri'', List of compositions by Dieterich Buxtehude, BuxWV 75, is a cycle of seven cantatas composed in 1680 by Dieterich Buxtehude and dedicated to Gustaf Düben. More specifically and fully it is, in Buxtehude's phrase, a ''“ ...
'' and ''Geistliche Kantaten'' (Sacred Cantatas), and
Johann Rosenmüller
Johann Rosenmüller (1619 – 10 September 1684) was a German Baroque music, Baroque composer, who played a part in transmitting Italian musical styles to the north.
Career
Rosenmüller was born in Oelsnitz, Vogtland, Oelsnitz, near Plauen in El ...
's Vespers, ''Weihnachtshistorie'' ( Christmas Story) and ''Sacri Concerti'' (Sacred Concerts). In 1989, they recorded ''Psalms, Motets and Concertos'' by
Heinrich Schütz
Heinrich Schütz (; 6 November 1672) was a German early Baroque music, Baroque composer and organ (music), organist, generally regarded as the most important German composer before Johann Sebastian Bach and one of the most important composers of ...
, with the
Knabenchor Hannover
The Knabenchor Hannover (Hannover Boys' Choir) is a Boys' choir, boys choir founded in 1950 by Heinz Hennig, who served as conductor until the end of 2001. Since 2002, the conductor has been Jörg Breiding.
History and music
The Knabenchor Hann ...
and singers
Johanna Koslowsky
Johanna Koslowsky is a German soprano and vocal coach in the field of historically informed performance.
Koslowsky began her vocal training with Hilde Wesselmann in Essen. After graduation, she studied church music at the Hochschule für Musik K ...
,
María Cristina Kiehr María Cristina Kiehr (born in Tandil, Argentina) is a soprano vocalist associated with Baroque music. After receiving her early musical training in Argentina, she moved in 1983 to Europe and studied under René Jacobs at the Schola Cantorum Basilie ...
,
Heike Halaschka
Heike may refer to:
* Heike (name), a (not exclusively) feminine given name and a surname
* Taira clan
The was one of the four most important Japanese clans, clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian period, Heian period of Hi ...
,
David Cordier
David Cordier (1 May 1959 – 19 May 2025) was an English countertenor. He made an international career based in Germany, and appeared both in concert and opera. While focused on roles by Handel such as Radamisto, he also performed in contempo ...
Andreas Scholl
Andreas Scholl (born 10 November 1967) is a German countertenor, a male classical singer in the alto vocal range, specialising in Baroque music.
Born into a family of singers, Scholl was enrolled at the age of seven into the Kiedricher Chorbube ...
Stephan Schreckenberger Stephan Schreckenberger (born 16 February 1955) is a German bass singer and conductor, especially in the field of early music. From 2003, he has been a teacher at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt, and from 2011 the director ...
. In 2000, they recorded early
Bach cantatas
This is a sortable list of Bach cantatas, the cantatas composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. His almost 200 extant cantatas are among his important vocal compositions. Many are known to be lost. Bach composed both church cantatas, most of them for ...
Actus Tragicus
(God's time is the very best time), , also known as ''Actus tragicus'', is an early sacred cantata composed by Johann Sebastian Bach in Mühlhausen, intended for a funeral.
The earliest source for the composition is a copied manuscript dated 1 ...
Elisabeth Popien
Elisabeth Popien is a German alto singer.
A graduate in Protestant church music at the Musikhochschule Köln in 1992, she mainly performs works predating 1800, particularly the Bach cantatas such as ''Christ lag in Todes Banden'', BWV 4, ''Weine ...
, Jochens, Türk and Schreckenberger. In 2002, they won the
Gramophone Award
The Gramophone Classical Music Awards, launched in 1977, are one of the most significant honours bestowed on recordings in the classical record industry. The British awards are often viewed as equivalent to or surpassing the American Grammy ...
in the category "Baroque Vocal" for the first complete recording of Monteverdi's '' Selva morale e spirituale'', accompanied by the
Concerto Palatino
The Concerto Palatino was a wind ensemble and important civic institution in Bologna associated with San Petronio. The band performed morning and evening concerts in the city.
The Concerto Palatino began in the 13th century as a group of eight tru ...
. Following the concept of
Joshua Rifkin
Joshua Rifkin (born April 22, 1944) is an American conductor, pianist, and musicologist. He is currently a professor of music at Boston University. As a performer, he has recorded music by composers from Antoine Busnois to Silvestre Revueltas; ...
of one singer on a part, they recorded in 2003 Bach's Mass in B minor with ten singers, one on each part for the six-part and eight-part movements, but two on each part for most of the four-part and five-part movements. Junghänel has featured on over 100 recordings with
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi (founded 1958) is a German classical music record label. It was founded by Rudolf Ruby and based in Freiburg, Breisgau. The company was acquired by BMG Music in 1992 and is now part of Sony Music Entertainment. Ruby had Alf ...
,
Harmonia Mundi France
Harmonia Mundi is a record label that specializes in classical music, jazz, and world music (on the World Village label). It was founded in France in 1958 and is now a subsidiary of PIAS Entertainment Group, which is itself owned by Universal Mu ...
,
EMI
EMI Group Limited (formerly EMI Group plc until 2007; originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At t ...
Deutsche Grammophon
Deutsche Grammophon (; DGG) is a German classical music record label that was the precursor of the corporation PolyGram. Headquartered in Berlin Friedrichshain, it is now part of Universal Music Group (UMG) since its merger with the UMG family of ...
/Archiv Produktion.
Junghänel became professor of the
Hochschule für Musik Köln
' (, plural: ') is the generic term in German for institutions of higher education, corresponding to ''universities'' and ''colleges'' in English. The term ''Universität'' (plural: ''Universitäten'') is reserved for institutions with the right t ...
in 1994. He conducted opera at the
Theater Basel
Theater Basel is the municipal theatre of the city of Basel, Switzerland, which is home to the city's opera and ballet companies. The theatre also presents plays and musicals in addition to operas and operettas.
Because the theatre does not h ...
, the
Staatsoper Hamburg
The Hamburg State Opera (in German: ) is a German opera company based in Hamburg. Its theatre is near the square of Gänsemarkt. Since 2015, the current ''Intendant'' of the company is Georges Delnon, and the current ''Generalmusikdirektor'' of ...
,
Staatsoper Hannover
Hanover State Opera () is a German opera company based in Hanover, the state capital of Lower Saxony. The company is resident in the Hanover Opera House (), and is part of a publicly-funded umbrella performing arts organisation called Hanover S ...
and
Staatsoper Stuttgart
The Staatsoper Stuttgart (Stuttgart State Opera) is a German opera company based in Stuttgart, the capital of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The Staatsorchester Stuttgart serves as its resident orchestra.
History
Performances of operas, ballet an ...
,
Cologne Opera
The Cologne Opera (German language, German: Oper der Stadt Köln or Oper Köln) refers to both the main opera house in Cologne, Germany and its resident opera company.
History of the company
From the mid 18th century, opera was performed in the ...
,
Komische Oper Berlin
The Komische Oper Berlin is a German opera company based in Berlin. The company produces operas, operettas and musicals.
The opera house is located on Behrenstraße, near Unter den Linden. Since 2004, the Komische Oper Berlin, along with the Be ...
,
Deutsche Oper am Rhein
The Deutsche Oper am Rhein (German Opera on the Rhine) is an opera company based in Düsseldorf and Duisburg. The opera also has an associated classical ballet company. Axel Kober has been its music director since 2009. The resident orchestra, t ...
Karin Beier
Karin Beier (born 1965 in Cologne) is a German theatre director.
Biography
After studying English in Cologne, Karin Beier moved into theatre. She established an English language theatre and staged Shakespeare plays in their source language. Th ...
and
Calixto Bieito
Calixto Bieito (Miranda de Ebro, 2 November 1963) is a Spanish theater director known for his radical interpretations of classic operas.
Biography
Born in the small town of Miranda de Ebro, Bieito moved to Barcelona with his family when he was ...
. Since the 2009/2010 season, Junghänel has collaborated with director
Uwe Eric Laufenberg
Uwe Eric Laufenberg (born 11 December 1960) is a German actor, stage director for play and opera, and theatre manager who has directed at international opera houses and festivals, such as '' Elektra'' at the Vienna State Opera and ''Parsifal'' at t ...
at the Cologne Opera. In 2012, he conducted
Handel
George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( ; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well-known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concerti.
Born in Halle, Germany, H ...
Komische Oper Berlin
The Komische Oper Berlin is a German opera company based in Berlin. The company produces operas, operettas and musicals.
The opera house is located on Behrenstraße, near Unter den Linden. Since 2004, the Komische Oper Berlin, along with the Be ...
, directed by
Stefan Herheim
Stefan Herheim (born Oslo, 13 March 1970), is a Norwegian opera director, based in Germany.
__NOTOC__ Life
He studied cello while working as a production assistant at Norwegian National Opera in Oslo. From 1994 to 1999, he studied opera directio ...
, with
Stella Doufexis
Stella Doufexis (15 April 1968 – 15 December 2015) was a German mezzo-soprano in opera and concert.
She was married to the German composer and musician Christian Jost. She died of cancer at age 47.