Conductor Christopher Hogwood Dies at Age 73

The English conductor Christopher Hogwood died today after a long illness at the age of 73. He was the noted founder of the period-instrument orchestra The Academy of Ancient Music, a group he started in 1973 and directed for some 30 years. His many fine recordings with that ensemble helped introduce people to high-quality performances in what is now called an "historically informed manner."  Indeed, looking back, one of my first "period-instrument" recordings was of The Academy of Ancient Music's Mozart releases.  In fact, it's the one pictured in Norman Lebrecht's Slipped Disc blog post with information about Hogwood's passing. Symphonies Nos. 38 & 39 with the Academy were my introduction to hearing Mozart on period instruments, having already sampled Vivaldi and Bach in other recordings. The comparisons in sound and feeling between traditional modern instrument orchestras playing Mozart, such as the Vienna or Berlin Philharmonic, with the more leonine, and sometimes to my young ears, austere-sounding approach of Hogwood with the Academy, are fascinating. I felt I learned so much at a time when classical music was really opening up. Hogwood has also in recent years conducted modern instrument orchestras in music up to, and including, contemporary works, but for most of us will always be associated with the fine group he founded back in 1973. Perhaps one of the major figures of the of the "period-instrument" movement has left us too soon, but Christopher Howgood did accomplish much in his 73 years.