Philippe Herreweghe is a renowned Belgian conductor, best known for his historically informed performances of Baroque, Classical, and Romantic music. He was born in Ghent, Belgium, on May 2, 1947, and initially cultivated an interest in music alongside a pursuit of medicine at the University of Ghent. His passion for early music led him to found the Collegium Vocale Gent in 1970, a pioneering ensemble that embraced the use of period instruments and historically informed performance practices, particularly in the music of J.S. Bach.

Herreweghe's career has been marked by a deep dedication to choral and orchestral works, earning him the reputation of a specialist in the works of Bach, as well as other major composers such as Beethoven, Schubert, and Bruckner. Throughout the years, he has collaborated with numerous ensembles and has founded several others, including the ensemble La Chapelle Royale in Paris, the Orchestre des Champs-Élysées, and the ensemble Collegium Vocale Gent. His extensive discography includes critically acclaimed interpretations of major choral and symphonic repertoire, among them the recent releases such as Schumann's Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3, and the ethereal "Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147, Pt. 2: IV. Choral. Jesus bleibet meine Freude" from J.S. Bach’s Cantatas. Herreweghe's contributions to music have been recognized with numerous awards, and he continues to be an influential figure in the field of classical music, bringing the nuances of historical performance to contemporary audiences.

Genres

Choral

Classical Performance

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Ton Koopman

John Eliot Gardiner

René Jacobs

Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Jordi Savall

Masaaki Suzuki

William Christie

Harry Christophers

Marc Minkowski

Christophe Rousset

Rinaldo Alessandrini

Gustav Leonhardt

Latest Release

Gesualdo: Silenzio mio. Il quarto libro di madrigali

Carlo Gesualdo•

Collegium Vocale Gent•

Philippe Herreweghe

Album - 21 Tracks - Released September 13, 2024