Smearing and sliding: Huelgas Ensemble at Laus Polyphoniae

Huelgas Ensemble at Antwerp Handelsbeurs

Paul Van Nevel directs the Huelgas Ensemble

By Lawrence Dunn, 23 August 2025

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“the portamento smearing, the tempo slowing, the dissonance frying”

Reviewed at Handelsbeurs, Antwerp on 22 August 2025

Léonin, Pérotin, Anonymous, Motets, conductus pieces and organum

Works by Léonin

Works by Pérotin

Huelgas Ensemble

Proms Chamber Music 2: The Huelgas Ensemble in Renaissance Poland

Paul Kilbey, 22nd July

The theme of Polish music running subtly throughout this year’s BBC Proms is mostly evident through late 19th- and 20th-century repertoire: Szymanowski, Tchaikovsky’s “Polish” Symphony, lots of Lutosławski. Perhaps oddly, Chopin hasn’t featured at all.

****1

Einladung zum Innehalten: Renaissancemusik mit dem Huelgas Ensemble

Michael Klier, 17th September

Paul Van Nevel zeigt im Amsterdamer Muziekgebouw verborgene Schätze der Renaissance.

****1

Viel mehr als Schall und Rauch: Huelgas Ensemble bei der Ruhrtriennale

Michael Klier, 25th September

Das Huelgas Ensemble verzückt die Sinne und nährt den Intellekt mit vergessenen Musikschätzen.

*****

Gesangskultur auf höchstem Niveau

Simon Haasis, 19th January

Das Huelgas Ensemble unter Paul Van Nevel präsentiert einen berückend schönen Konzertabend mit Musik aus dem hugenottischen Umfeld des 16. Jahrhunderts.

****1

Mystère de Noël en clair-obscur

Christophe Dilys, 21st December

Guirlandes décolorées, neige fondue et dinde fade : un voyage à travers le répertoire de Noël à toutes les époques qui nous laisse perplexes. Contre-performance du Huelgas Ensemble.

**111

Concertos – for violin and for orchestra – from the Hallé

Peter Connors, 22nd March

Viktoria Mullova is a superb soloist in Brahms' Violin Concerto, while an orchestra full of soloists play Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra with Kahchun Wong presiding.

*****

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Lawrence Dunn

Lawrence is commissioning editor at Bachtrack. He is a composer, improviser, pianist and writer. He has taught at Cambridge, Huddersfield and Sheffield universities. He has written music for, among others the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble Modern, Slagwerk Den Haag, Philip Thomas, Juliet Fraser, Ilya Gringolts, Plus-Minus, Exaudi, Apartment House and Explore Ensemble.

Smearing and sliding: Huelgas Ensemble a revelation at Laus Polyphoniae