For now 25 years, Musica Antiqua Köln and Reinhard Goebel have been associated with virtually every important musical centre and festival at which early music is performed. The ensemble is renowned for their lively interpretations of 17th- and 18th-century works and for their virtuoso and imaginative historical performance practice.
Founded in 1973 by Reinhard Goebel and fellow students from the Cologne Conservatory, Musica Antiqua Köln initially devoted itself to the performance of Baroque chamber and sacred music. Musica Antiqua Köln’s international breakthrough came in 1979, when the ensemble made its debut at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall during the annual English Bach Festival and gave five concerts at the Holland Festival. On the occasion of their 10th anniversary, Reinhard Goebel augmented the ensemble’s chamber-group nucleus with additional string and wind players to allow the performance of orchestral music as well - both in the concert hall and in the recording studio. Since 1981, Musica Antiqua Köln and Reinhard Goebel have made regular tours of the USA, visiting Australia and South America several times and touring China in The Bach Year 1985. Musica Antiqua Köln received the Buxtehude Prize from the City of Lübeck and has also received awards from Siemens and the State of Nordrhein-Westfalen. In 1981 the ensemble was named Artist of the Year by the Deutsche Phonoakademie.
Reinhard Goebel was born in Siegen (Westfalen) in 1952. After leaving school, he took up his studies at the Cologne Conservatory with Franzjosef Maier, then with Saschko Gawriloff at the Folkwangschule in Essen, followed by an intensive course of study with Eduard Melkus and several years under the guidance of Marie Leonhardt. In addition, Reinhard Goebel studied musicology for several years at Cologne University. It was here that he laid the foundations of his immense knowledge of early music, a knowledge that is amply reflected in his ensemble’s concerts and recordings. In the meantime, Reinhard Goebel and Musica Antiqua Köln have played an unprecedented role in increasing general awareness and knowledge of Baroque music.
For their recordings Musica Antiqua Köln and Reinhard Goebel have received many prizes, a.o. the Deutscher Schallplattenpreis 1981, Grand Prix International du Disque 1987, Grand Prix National du Disque 1984, Gramophone Award 1984, and CD Compact Award 1990.