Romanian Christmas Carols by Madrigal Chamber Choir (old post)

The Romanian National Chamber Choir "Madrigal" is one of the most celebrated and highly thought of choral ensembles, both in Romania and throughout the world. Their fame is due to their unique singing artistry - an experience testified to by Lord Yehudi Menuhin and Elizabeth Schwartzkopf, among others, in the Golden Book, a guest book begun in the 1960's to accommodate the many international accolades and endorsements the choir has received.

The Madrigal choir was founded on the 11th of April 1963, as a component of the "Ciprian Porumbescu" Music Conservatory (now National University of Music) under the initiative of Mr. Constantin - professor in residence, together with a few post-graduate students, all choral music lovers.

They had their first concert on the 7th of July 1963, at the Music Theatre in Brasov, and their first international performance as part of the third edition of the International "George Enescu" Festival in 1964.

Conceived as a Renaissance chamber ensemble, Madrigal choir and its director, Marin Constantin, aimed to prepare and popularise the canon of the European Renaissance school in the original languages of the songs. The development and diversification of the repertoire involved the rediscovery of the great treasure of Byzantine and old Romanian music, Christmas Carols, folk influenced music and, in very short time since it was created, Romanian contemporary music and vocal-symphonic works.

The Madrigal choir has constituted, for young or experienced composers, professors or students of composition at the Music Academy, a unique musical interpreter and original laboratory of creation in which bloomed the trio composer- director-interpreter: Anatol Vieru, Miriam Marbe, Tiberiu Olah, Stefan Niculescu, Irina Odagescu, Dan Buciu and many others.

The choir was affiliated with education programs at the Music Conservatory by the activity of Marin Constantin at the Faculty of Ensemble and Choral Directing and through the presence in the ensemble of the students and post-graduate students of Music Conservatory. National Chamber Choir "Madrigal" was permanently present in the teaching activity through concert-lessons, meetings with pupils, students and professors within the musical field, symposia or special concerts for different aniversaries.

Maestro Marin Constantin...

Was mentioned in seven editions of Who's who and in the famous Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. He is also a doctor of Musicology and Philosophy, Doctor Honoris Causa, of Cluj Music University. On the June 1st the Madrigal Choir will be touring japan, and on June 16th they will perform in Efes, Turkey.