After 1600, the imagination of instrumental virtuosos knew no bounds. In their highly expressive sonatas, they experimented with new musical structures and playing techniques, and soon, a fitting term emerged for this bold approach: Stylus phantasticus. Harmonie Universelle presents this captivating style through brilliant examples, including works by Antonio Bertali, Heinrich Schmelzer, and Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber.
Passion and virtuosity, softness and sharpness — these are the qualities that Harmonie Universelle brings together in its artistic vision. The ensemble’s name reflects its mission, drawing inspiration from the writings of the French scholar Marin Mersenne, who portrayed the world as a harmonious whole. Harmonie Universelle unites international musicians who explore the full range of ensemble playing, from intimate chamber duos to grand orchestral settings.
At the helm of the ensemble are German violinist Florian Deuter and Argentine violinist Mónica Waisman. Its members hail from Italy, Hungary, France, Austria, England, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Portugal, and Spain, as well as from Japan, the USA, Canada, Colombia, and Australia. Since its founding, the ensemble has been a regular guest at leading music festivals and renowned concert venues, including the Utrecht Festival of Early Music, Bachfest Leipzig, Musikfest Bremen, Festival d’Ambronay, Festival de Música Antigua de Barcelona, Styriarte Graz, the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Versailles, and the Kölner Philharmonie, among many others.
The ensemble’s outstanding interpretations can be heard on various CD productions released by the French label Eloquentia and the German label Accent, which have been widely acclaimed by the international music press and honored with numerous awards.
We are delighted about the cooperation with the Aachen Bach Society (Evangelische Kirchengemeinde Aachen) and the concert series Musik in der Annakirche.
The Annakirche is accessible without barriers.
