The Early Music Ensemble, Contraponto is an a period instrument orchestra and chorus founded in Tokyo in 2005. It is made up of leading specialists and soloists in the performance of Renaissance and baroque music.
Tetsuro Hanai, its founding conductor and music director, named it after an old Italian word "contraponto" which means "counterpoint" in English. The name symbolizes the ensemble's fundamental principle and spirit -- each member freely explores his/her own musical creativity while they respect a common perception of the intended music and play in historically informed styles.
Contraponto's orchestration varies according to the music they perform, from a small-size ensemble with one singer/player per part to a larger orchestra with chorus and solo singers. Its repertory widely ranges from the late 17th century church music, early Italian baroque works such as Monteverdi's, French baroque works such as Charpentier's, German "Three Big S's (Schutz, Schein, Scheidt)" music, and Spanish villancicos to Latin American baroque music.
Concert Information
Choral Music for Holy Week March 22, 2015, Sunday, 17:00
Kanda Christ Church (Tokyo)
Tomas Luis de Victoria (1548-1611)
Lamentatio Jeremiae Prophetae, Responsoria -Officium Hebdomadae Sanctae
Gregorian chant
Matutinum in Parasceve
Chorus: Choir of Contraponto - Ensemble for Early Music
Soprano: Yoshie Kanenari, Aya Kaburaki, Naoko Kamiyama, Sachiyo Tamura
Alto: Mio Aoki, Seiji Kanazawa, Manami Maejima
Tenor: Taku Sato, Yasunari Tomimoto, Shinya Numata
Bass: Genki Sakurai, Takahiro Nishikubo, Kenichiro Watanabe
Conductor: Tetsuro Hanai
Tickets: 4,700 yen (Student discount ticket 2,500 yen)
* Advance-sale tickets are available at 4,200 yen. Tickets for pairs are also available at 7,400 yen in advance-sale only.
Vespro della Beata Vergine
June 22, 2015, Monday, 19:10
Sekiguchi Catholic Church, Tokyo St. Mary's Cathedral (Tokyo)
Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)
Vespro della Beata Vergine
Orchestra and soloists: Contraponto - Ensemble for Early Music
soprano: Naomi Hanai
tenor: Makoto Sakurada
bass: Yasuto Kasuga
violons: Mari Ono, Hiroki Tanzawa
violone: Nakako Nishizawa
cornett: Mashito Kasahara, Daisuke Hosono, Kuniko Ueno
trombone: Nobuko Miyashita, Kuniharu Ouchi, Hiroki Sanda
lute: Hiroshi Kaneko, Asako Ueda
organ: Naoki Ueo Chorus: Choir of Contraponto - Ensemble for Early Music
Aya Kaburaki, Naoko Kamiyama, Sachiyo Tamura
Seiji Kanazawa, Taku Sato, Yasunari Tomimoto, Kenichiro Watanabe
Shinya Numata, Genki Sakurai, Eitaro Matsui
Conductor: Tetsuro Hanai
Tickets: 5,500 yen (Student discount ticket 2,500 yen)
* Advance-sale tickets are available at 5,000 yen. Tickets for pairs are also available at 9,000 yen in advance-sale only.
YouTube
Jean Gilles: Diligam te Domine, Messe des morts Recorded on June 6, 2014 at Sekiguchi Catholic Church, Tokyo St. Mary's Cathedral
Charpentier: Vepres a la Vierge
Recorded on June 5, 2013 at Sekiguchi Catholic Church, Tokyo St. Mary's Cathedral
Carlo Gesualdo (ca.1561-1613), Responsoria ad Hebdomadae Sanctae Responsor ia in Coena Domini
In II. Nocturno "Amicus meus"
"Unus ex discipulis meis"
In III. Nocturno "Una hora non potuistis"
Recorded on March 17, 2013 at Seibo Byoin
Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704) Te Deum H.146
First part
Second part
Third part
Recorded on June 10, 2011 at Shibuya Caltural Center, Owada Sakura Hall (Tokyo)
The Early Music Ensemble, Contraponto is an a period instrument orchestra and chorus founded in Tokyo in 2005. It is made up of leading specialists and soloists in the performance of Renaissance and baroque music.
March 22, 2015, Sunday, 17:00
Responsor ia in Coena Domini
Te Deum H.146