In November 2006 I read about the excitement surrounding the recording of the Bach Brandenburg Concertos in the Ballroom at Sheffield City Hall by the European Brandenburg Ensemble.
Mitzi Matlock was the Project Manager for the new ensemble, gathered together by Trevor Pinnock. I already knew Mitzi from her days as the 'Nashville Nightingale' when she promoted wonderful Nashville Nights at the Boardwalk.
A quick flurry of emails and a coffee in town and for two days I covered the final rehearsals of the ensemble before their concert in Sheffield City Hall on 16th December 2006 and their final recording sessions in Sheffield.
You can learn more about the European Brandenburg Ensemble by following the link to their website on my links page. Their website, created by Soundhouse Media, also carries my pictures of Trevor Pinnock's 60th Birthday celebration in the Memorial Hall.
Mitzi Matlock writes:
'Andrew Stepan's abilitiy to capture great 'in the moment' photos within a very limited time schedule and in an inflexible and unsuitable photographic environment is a testament to his professionalism, creativity and perseverance.
In the case of the European Brandenburg Ensesemble's (EBE) photos, Andrew had to find a way to photograph musicians during a high-pressured, pre-recording rehearsal without rearranging the bright halogen lighting and without any communication with the musicians about instrument positioning. Andrew also worked under limiting conditions as he shot the EBE during Trevor Pinnock's 60th birthday concert at the Sheffield City Hall.
Nevertheless, Andrew's work has documented beautifully the EBE's recording period in the Sheffield City Hall Ballroom and has produced one of the most iconic photos of the EBE project. The photo of the ensemble on stage at the Sheffield City hall will be part of the upcoming CD's internal artwork.
The European Brandenburg Ensemble's recording of the Bach Brandenburg Concertos will be released on CD in October 2007 by Avie Records.'
Mitzi Matlock
Project Manager for Trevor Pinnock CBE
View images from the European Baroque Ensemble
