Performing on original woodwind instruments – as they were at the time of the compositions. This is the basic principle behind the ensemble Vecchio legno (in English: old wood). A shared enthusiasm for historical performance practice brought the musicians together in 2013. With period clarinets, bassoons and horns, the musicians unravel the original timbres of the 18th and 19th centuries – and open up our modern-day ears to a new and transparent soundscape.

The ensemble's repertoire is diverse. It encompasses well-known works that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven composed for wind ensembles as well as opera excerpts that their contemporaries arranged for winds. Above all however, the repertoire breaks new musical ground: in music libraries, the ensemble members were able to track down composers who have fallen into oblivion over the years. As a result, a recording will be released soon of the wind arrangements of string quartets by Joseph Haydn that were discovered in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.

The instrumentation of Vecchio legno is flexible and varies according to program. The spectrum ranges from trio to octet – the highest of quality and a multifaceted musical experience is guaranteed!