Capella Corelli
Capella Corelli, one of Australia's foremost baroque chamber ensembles, was formed 21 years ago. The violin works of the great Italian virtuoso Arcangelo Corelli and of his Italian predecessors were the initial inspiration for the group.
For its first ten years the group was based in Canberra. Working with harpsichordist and philosopher Paul Thom, they quickly established a name for performances based on the rich repertoire and newly-researched performance practices of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. There have been many tours throughout Australia and New Zealand, especially with the support of Musica Viva Australia, and the group has been in demand for workshops and teaching.
Since 1988, with the distinguished harpsichordist and scholar John O'Donnell and gamba player Ruth Wilkinson, Capella Corelli has continued its touring more frequently in Europe particularly to Austria where the group's violinist Cynthia O'Brien now resides. Capella Corelli is delighted to have recorded some of the great solo instrumental music of seventeenth century Italy on the Move label.
Capella Corelli is featured on the following titles
La Prima Stravaganza
Sonatas of 17th-century Italy from Capella Corelli: a window on instrumental music as it found its own voice, from the experimental works of Cima, Castello, Montalbano, Fontana, Frescobaldi, Marini and Uccellini through to Corelli.
Capella Corelli Plays Handel and Telemann
Capella Corelli has long been one of Australia’s foremost baroque chamber ensembles. Here they present sonatas by Handel and Telemann for baroque violin, recorder, viola da gamba and harpsichord.
Duos
An extraordinary acoustic frames extraordinary music: Ruth Wilkinson (recorders and bass viola da gamba) and Cynthia O’Brien (baroque violin), the duo known as Capella Corelli, in late Baroque two-part repertoire.
Members of Capella Corelli
Cynthia O'Brien
The emphasis of baroque violinist Cynthia O'Brien's artistic work today lies in the interpretation of solo and chamber music of the Baroque and Classical periods performed on historical instruments.
John O'Donnell
John O’Donnell, Director of Ensemble Gombert, studied at the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music in Sydney and at the University of Durham. After performing Bach’s complete organ works in 1974, he built an international reputation as an organist and harpsichordist.
Ruth Wilkinson
Ruth Wilkinson is a recorder and viol player devoted to music from the twelfth to the eighteenth century. Her performances are praised for their musical integrity, imagination and brilliance.