We are a ‘period instrument’ orchestra formed in 1986 specialising in music composed between the 17th and 19th Centuries (and occasionally beyond) – by composers such as Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and many, many others. We play on instruments – or replicas of instruments – from the time the music we play was written. Our sound is rooted in research and experiments to discover how these instruments were played. The result is a vivid contrast with the sounds of a ‘modern’ symphony orchestra that highlights the ongoing developments of musical language. 

We are fascinated by the ideas behind the Enlightenment. It was a remarkable period of history. It is typically described as beginning with Newton’s scientific discoveries published in Principia Mathematica in 1687 – in which he outlines his theories of motion and gravity – and was followed shortly by the ‘Glorious Revolution’ in Britain which established once-and-for-all the supremacy of Parliament over the monarch. 

The music of this time tapped into this revolutionary thinking that had been unleashed in a powerful way. It often put centre stage the very stuff that was fueling the French and American revolutions, and was also catalyst for long-term change in British society.

At the OAE we seek to meet their challenge through our commitment to performing and sharing this powerful, radical music.