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Sir John Eliot Gardiner

CBE
Grey-haired man holding conductor's baton in both hands
Gardiner in rehearsal, 2007
Born (1943-04-20) 20 April 1943 (age 82)
Fontmell Magna, Dorset, England
Education Bryanston School
Alma mater King's College, Cambridge
King's College London
Occupation Conductor of classical music
Years active 1964–Present
Spouse(s)
Elizabeth Wilcock
​
​
(m. 1981; div. 1997)​
Isabella de Sabata
​
​
(m. 2001; div. 2019)​
Children 3, including Francesca Gardiner
Parent(s)
  • Rolf Gardiner (father)
Relatives Alan Gardiner (grandfather)
Margaret Gardiner (aunt)
Martin Bernal (cousin)
Howard Hodgkin (cousin)

Sir John Eliot Gardiner (born April 20, 1943) is a famous English conductor. He is especially known for performing the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. In 2000, he led a special project called the Bach Cantata Pilgrimage. During this project, he performed all of Bach's church cantatas in churches across Europe and New York City. He did this with his group, the Monteverdi Choir, and recorded the performances where they happened.

A Conductor's Journey

Early Life and Musical Start

John Eliot Gardiner was born in Fontmell Magna, a village in Dorset, England. His father was Rolf Gardiner. John Eliot grew up surrounded by music, singing with his family and in a local church choir. As a child, he even lived with a famous painting of J. S. Bach. This painting was kept safe at his home during World War II.

Gardiner taught himself music and also played the violin. He started learning to conduct when he was 15 years old. He went to Bryanston School and then studied History at King's College, Cambridge.

Johann Sebastian Bach
Portrait of Johann Sebastian Bach, by Elias Gottlob Haussmann, which was in Gardiner's childhood home

Starting His Conducting Career

While at Cambridge, Gardiner began his conducting career. In 1964, he led a performance of Monteverdi's Vespers in King's College Chapel. This led to him forming the Monteverdi Choir. He made his first London conducting appearance with this choir in 1966. After college, he continued his music studies in London and Paris.

Forming Orchestras and Opera Debut

In 1968, Gardiner created the Monteverdi Orchestra. Later, in 1977, this orchestra started using period instruments, which are instruments from the time the music was written. Because of this change, they became known as the English Baroque Soloists in 1978.

Gardiner also started conducting opera. In 1969, he led his first opera, Mozart's The Magic Flute. He later conducted at the Royal Opera House in London. His English Baroque Soloists also performed opera with him in 1977. He made his first appearance in America in 1979, conducting the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

Leading Orchestras Around the World

From 1983 to 1988, Gardiner was the Music Director of the Opéra National de Lyon in France. He even started a brand new orchestra there. He also directed the Göttingen Handel Festival for many years.

In 1989, the Monteverdi Choir celebrated its 25th anniversary. They went on a world tour, performing works by Handel and Bach. In 1990, Gardiner formed another new orchestra, the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique. This group plays music from the 19th century using period instruments. He also served as the main conductor for the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1991 to 1995.

Famous Tours and Recordings

Gardiner has led many world tours with his musical groups.

  • In 1993, he toured Europe with the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique. They performed Berlioz's Messe solennelle, which had been rediscovered.
  • In 2000, he began his famous Bach Cantata Pilgrimage. For 52 weeks, he performed all of Bach's sacred cantatas in churches across Europe and the United States.
  • In 2004, he toured France and Spain with the Monteverdi Choir. They performed ancient music in cathedrals along the Camino de Santiago.
John Eliot Gardiner at rehearsal in Wroclaw, PL
In rehearsal, 2007

Sir John Eliot Gardiner has recorded over 250 albums. Many of these were released by famous labels like Deutsche Grammophon and Philips Classics. He also has his own label, Soli Deo Gloria, which features his recordings.

He is most famous for his performances of Baroque music using period instruments. However, he also conducts and records music from the Classical and Romantic periods. This includes works by Berlioz and all of Beethoven's symphonies. He has also been a guest conductor for major orchestras around the world.

Recent Events

In 2013, Gardiner wrote a book called Bach: Music in the Castle of Heaven. He also served as President of the Leipzig Bach Archive from 2014 to 2019. In 2018, during his time there, the Archive helped create the Bach 333 box set, which includes all of Bach's recorded works.

In 2023, Gardiner conducted his Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists at a concert before the Coronation of King Charles III. He also narrated a BBC Two documentary about Bach's life.

Changes in Leadership

In August 2023, following an incident, Gardiner decided to step back from his conducting engagements. He announced he would take time for reflection and focus on his mental health. In July 2024, it was announced that he would be stepping down as the leader and artistic director of the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestras. He plans to focus on other activities like guest conducting, recording, and writing.

In September 2024, Gardiner started a new group called the Constellation Choir and Orchestra. Many former members of his Monteverdi groups joined him in this new venture.

Awards and Recognitions

Sir John Eliot Gardiner has received many awards and honors for his contributions to music:

Famous Recordings

Gardiner is well-known for his recordings of choral and opera music from the Baroque and early Classical periods. Many of his recordings have won international awards. He has won over a dozen Gramophone Classical Music Awards, three Grammy Awards, and other important prizes. Most of these recordings feature the Monteverdi Choir and the English Baroque Soloists. He has also recorded Romantic composers with the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique.

Here are some of his notable recordings:

Personal Life

John Eliot Gardiner is the son of Rolf Gardiner and Marabel Hodgkin. His grandfather was the Egyptologist Alan Gardiner. His aunt was Margaret Gardiner, an art collector.

Gardiner has three daughters with his first wife, Elizabeth Wilcock. One of his daughters is the screenwriter Francesca Gardiner. He was later married to Isabella de Sabata.

In his free time, Gardiner manages a farm in Dorset, England. This farm was started by his great-uncle, the composer Henry Balfour Gardiner. His work on the farm has even earned him the nickname 'Uphill Gardiner' because of his unique farming methods.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: John Eliot Gardiner para niños

  • Soli Deo Gloria record label
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