Watch & Listen
Immerse yourself in early music through curated playlists, films and features showcasing recorded repertoire.
Playlist: Curated by Harry Christophers
Acclaimed conductor and Founder of The Sixteen, Harry Christophers has spent his career bringing Early Music to life, though his tastes span centuries. For our feature interview, he curated a playlist, sharing the works that have most inspired him.
Playlist: The Tallis Scholars
Continuo's latest playest explores the extensive discography built up by Peter Phillips and the Tallis Scholars over the last 50 years.
Fiddlers Three | Musical & Amicable Society
New from Musical & Amicable Society, directed by Martin Perkins, Fiddlers Three presents an astonishingly varied cross-section of music associated with Charles II’s ‘Private Musick.
Ensemble Diderot: ‘Bach Beyond Borders’ at Wigmore Hall
Ensemble Diderot are tireless in their search through library catalogues and uncover forgotten treasures which, in this programme, stand alongside some of the most iconic masterpieces of the baroque.
Lead, Kindly Light | The Sixteen
Harry Christophers & The Sixteen present ‘Lead, Kindly Light’, featuring music by Spanish Renaissance masters Morales and Vivanco, alongside new commissions by Kerensa Briggs and Sir James MacMillan.
Oxford Bach Soloists | Bach: Easter Oratorio
Oxford Bach Soloists perform Bach’s Easter Oratorio, recorded live on 20 April 2019 in New College Chapel, Oxford.
Time Stands Still | Kieran White & Cédric Meyer
SOMM RECORDINGS celebrates the 400th anniversary of two Renaissance masters of the First Golden Age of English Song: John Dowland (1563–1626)and John Danyel (1564–1626). This recital for tenor and lute takes its name from Dowland’s song, Time Stands Still.
The Art of Philippe Jaroussky
Philippe Jaroussky’s discography is a rich showcase of Baroque & Early Music. From operatic arias by Vivaldi and Handel to rediscovered gems, his projects, including those wit his Ensemble Artaserse, have led to a diverse and authoritative catalogue.
Anne Sofie von Otter: From Ariodante to ABBA
Star Swedish mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter’s fascinatingly diverse discography spans everything from Ariodante to ABBA. To accompany our latest feature, we have put together a playlist of tracks from some of her most-loved recordings.
La Nuova Musica | ‘Il trionfo del tempo e del disinganno’ at Wigmore Hall
La Nuova Musica perform Handel’s debut oratorio, ‘Il trionfo del tempo e del disinganno’ live at Wigmore Hall, directed by David Bates on harpsichord. Featuring soloists Jeanine De Bique, Polly Leech, Christopher Lowrey and Nick Pritchard. [150 mins]
Bellot Ensemble | Cavalli: ‘Se dardo pungente’
‘Se dardo pungente’ is Medea’s strophic lament in Cavalli’s Il Giasone. Alone on stage, she describes love as a wound, an inescapable force that both exalts and consumes. [4 mins]
Playlist: Women in Music
Continuo's latest playlist celebrates International Women's Day through tracks by women composers from the 11th century to the present day.
From the Heart | Sabi Ensemble
Sabi Ensemble releases its debut album, 'From the Heart', featuring chamber works by Coleridge-Taylor and Louise Farrenc.
Ensemble Hesperi with Hesperi Voices | Celestial music did the Gods inspire
Ensemble Hesperi presents a programme inspired by the historic ‘Organ Battle’ at the Temple Church in the 1680s between two leading organ builders of the day, Bernhard Smith and Renatus Harris. Featuring the music of John Blow and Henry Purcell...
Passacaglia | Danican-Philidor ‘fils aîné’: ‘Le tombeau’
Passacaglia performs ‘Le tombeau’ in a video from their forthcoming album, ‘La Parisienne’, showcasing the music by the Danican-Philidor family.
Nathaniel Mander: Bach’s Goldberg Variations
Haprsichordist Nathaniel Mander introduces and performs Bach’s monumental ‘Goldberg Variations’, 12 July 2024 at St Martin in the Fields, London.
Playlist: Handel in London
A playlist that explores the music written by George Frideric Handel in London: from operas and oratorios to instrumental highlights.
Bellot Ensemble | Cavalli: ‘Delizie, contenti’
Bellot Ensemble and tenor Kieran White perform ‘Delizie, contenti’ from Francesco Cavalli's 1649 opera, 'Il Giasone' on the album, ‘Cupid's Ground Bass.’
Double, Double Toil & Trouble | Palisander
Palisander’s new album, Double, Double Toil & Trouble, features repertoire spanning 900 years, inspired by the mystical and magical.
Spiritato with Elizabeth Kenny | Music to her Majestie: Odes for the last Stuart
On Queen Anne’s birthday, we share Spiritato and lutenist Elizabeth Kenny’s musical portrayal of the last Stuart and her lifelong patronage of the arts.
Jeffrey Skidmore: Playlist
In this playlist, Jeffrey Skidmore reflects on what Ex Cathedra have performed and recorded, as well as what continues to shape their musical identity.
Playlist: Mozart’s Travels
In celebration of Mozart's 270th birthday on 27th January, we trace his travels across Europe throughout his life.
The Faerie Round: Music from the time of Elizabeth I
PIVA – The Renaissance Collective’s third album features dance and ballad music from late Elizabethan England.
Bellot Ensemble | Strozzi: ‘Amor dormiglione’
Barbara Strozzi’s ‘Amor dormiglione’ is one of her most beguiling and subtly witty arias, a gently teasing address to Cupid himself.
Playlist: 1726 in music
To begin the new year, we explore the year 1726 in music. It includes works written in 1726, as well as works to marking musical occasions that year.
Joseph Gibbs: 8 Sonatas for violin and basso continuo, Op. 1 | The Brook Street Band
Joseph Gibbs is one of the 18th century’s best-kept secrets; his music is characterful, fusing the best of Italianate virtuosity with English and quirky humour.
The Continuo Collection | 2025 Albums
A curated selection of tracks from the 12 recordings supported by Continuo Foundation which were released in 2025.
Cantoría | ‘A la fiesta, zagales’: Spanish Baroque at Wigmore Hall
Cantoría leads listeners into a vibrant Spanish festive world filled with the joyful energy of Baroque villancicos, carols, jácaras and dances.
Playlist: The Gesualdo Six
This playlist explores The Gesualdo Six's extensive discography, featuring some new works commissioned by the group, alongside a wide range of early music.
Bellot Ensemble | Monteverdi: ‘Oblivion soave’
Tenor Kieran White, joined by Daniel Murphy on theorbo, performs Arnalta’s aria, ‘Oblivion soave’ from Monteverdi's ‘L’incoronazione di Poppea’.
Playlist: Jane Austen at 250
Our latest playlist celebrates the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth with music used in TV adaptations and music she would have played herself.
Gluck Arias | Ann Hallenberg with The Mozartists & Ian Page
Ian Page and The Mozartists’ latest recording for Signum Classics features a programme of Gluck arias sung by celebrated Swedish mezzo-soprano Ann Hallenberg.
Playlist: The Seasons
Journey through musical depictions of the four seasons, from Vivaldi’s best-loved concertos to other seasonal works by Purcell, Guido, Simpson, Haydn and more.
Playlist: The Sacred Baroque
This playlist explores sacred music written during the Baroque period. It includes movements from masses, passions, oratorios and more.
Ricordanze: a record of love | Musica Secreta
On the new release Ricordanze: a record of love, Musica Secreta present a deep exploration of the haunting and extraordinary music of sixteenth-century nuns.
Iberian Echoes: Early Music from Spain
A playlist that explores Baroque & Early Music from Spain, featuring recordings by the Lowe Ensemble, Lux Musicae, Jordi Savall and more...
Playlist: The Lully Operas
This playlist explores Christophe Rousset's and Les Talens Lyriques' discography of operas by Jean-Baptiste Lully.
Playlist: Baroque Dances
A playlist in celebration of the 300th anniversary of the publication of Pierre Rameau’s seminal treatise, ‘Le Maître à danser’.
Ground – Music as sanctuary
Holly Harman introduces her debut solo album, Ground, which pairs music by Biber and Uccellini with new commissions and folk music.
Tra le fiamme | Rowan Pierce with Florilegium & Ashley Solomon
Soprano Rowan Pierce joins forces with Florilegium & Ashley Solomon in ‘Tra le fiamme’, an album featuring secular Baroque cantatas and concertos.
Cupid’s Ground Bass | Bellot Ensemble
Bellot Ensemble’s debut album, ‘Cupid’s Ground Bass’, captures love’s extremes in the vivid sound-world of 17th-century Italy.
Soler’s Fandango: a new arrangement by the Lowe Ensemble
The Lowe Ensemble performs Antonio Soler's Fandango in an arrangement for strings, harpsichord, baroque guitar, and percussion.
Still Life: Early Baroque Fantasy
Musica d'Outrora release their debut album, ‘Still Life’ on the Deux-Elles label, exploring the radical expressivity of the 17th-century ‘stylus phantasticus’.
Henry Purcell: A Playlist
A playlist to mark the birthday of composer Henry Purcell, featuring some of his greatest hits, from opera to song and music written for English monarchs.
A beautiful ‘table book’ from the 1600s
Join Dowland’s Foundry in the Old Library at Magdalen College, Oxford, for a filmed series exploring the music and legacy of John Dowland (1563-1626).
Playlist: The best of Dame Emma Kirkby
A playlist, illustrating the rich career of Continuo Patron, Dame Emma Kirkby, with some of her most beloved recordings.
The Best of Bach Cantatas
A compilation of some of the most beloved movements from Bach’s Cantatas, as well as some lesser-known gems...
Playlist: Baroque Folk
A playlist that explores the crossover between Early Music and Folk Music, through recordings by Barokksolistene, Holly Harman, Irlandiani and many more...
Jewels of the French Baroque
This playlist explores the jewels of French Baroque music, from well-known names such as Rameau and Lully, to rarely-heard gems by lesser known composers.
Music for Viol Consort
This playlist celebrates music for viol consort, including tracks from recordings my Continuo grantee ensembles Linarol Consort, Rose Consort and Fretwork.
Bach Cantatas
A recording celebrating Oxford Bach Soloist's journey with Bach, and an invitation to experience his timeless music
Biber: Violin Sonatas – 1681
Bojan Čičić records Heinrich Biber’s collection of sonatas from 1681 - comprising some of the most ambitious and inventive violin works of the 17th century.
Crossing Borders
La Serenissima return with an album of works by Telemann, Sieber, Durante, and Brescianello – their 11th with Signum Records.
Playlist: Baroque Opera
A playlist that brings together standout arias & orchestral moments from the operas being staged at UK summer opera festivals, plus Continuo-supported albums.
Playlist: The 'Exotic' Baroque
Inspired by The Grange Festival’s upcoming production of Rameau’s Les Indes galantes, our latest playlist explores 'exoticism' in Baroque & Classical periods.
Bellot Ensemble | Strozzi: ‘Che si può fare’
Bellot Ensemble performs Barbara Strozzi’s Che si può fare, with soprano Lucine Musaelian, at St Mary Le Strand, London.
David Hill: Playlist
David Hill's top early music choices, alongside tracks from his own recordings, to celebrate the conductor's birthday.
If the Fates allow
On her first solo recital for BIS, Gramophone Award-winner Helen Charlston performs songs by the English composer Henry Purcell and his contemporaries.
Bartolomeo Cristofori
This playlist explores early works for the fortepiano, in celebration of the 370th anniversary of the birth of Bartolomeo Cristofori, inventor of the piano.
Delair: The Violin Sonatas
The Levée, Marguerite Wassermann & Josef Laming release the world premiere recording of Denis Delair's Violin Sonatas.
Maurice Greene: Jephtha
Christian Curnyn directs the Early Opera Company Orchestra & Chorus in a premiere recording of Maurice Greene's masterpiece, 'Jephtha.'
Jordi Savall: Playlist
This playlist explores the wealth of recordings by Jordi Savall to accompany Ash Khandekar's interview with the extraordinary musician.
Private Passions: 30 Years
In celebration of the 30th anniversary of BBC R3's 'Private Passions', we have created a playlist with some Berkeley's guests' Early & Baroque music choices.
Cooking a Musical Pie
Julian Perkins reflects on 'Casanova', his Baroque 'pasticcio' - a musical form where composers created dazzling operas with a mix-and-match approach.
Music in Europe during Casanova's time
We trace Casanova's travels across Europe through some of the music that would have been written and heard in these places at that time.
International Day of Happiness
In celebration of the International Day of Happiness, we have put together a playlist of uplifting tracks from Continuo-funded albums.
In Chains of Gold: The English Pre-Restoration Verse Anthem Vol. 3
In Chains of Gold: The English Pre-Restoration Verse Anthem Vol. 3. A recording by Fretwork, His Majesty's Sagbutts & Cornetts and the Magdalena Consort.
Early Music from Latin America
We explore the wealth of early music from Latin America, through the music of composers living and working in the 16th-18th centuries.
Bach X Mansfield
Liturina blend the timeless genius of Johann Sebastian Bach with contemporary jazz by Jonny Mansfield, on historical instruments.
Music in 18th-Century Britain
We explore the music of 18th-Century Britain, focusing on some of the acclaimed recordings funded by Continuo Foundation over the past few years.
Beethoven and Schumann Quintets
Consone Quartet and Kate Bennett Wadsworth explore Beethoven and Schumann through innovative chamber arrangements in a new Deux-Elles recording.
Journey through the Night
Our Journey through the Night playlist traces the passing of time through the dark hours, featuring music for Compline, wind serenades and songs.
John Weldon: The Judgment of Paris
Academy of Ancient Music and Cambridge Handel Opera present the first recording of Weldon’s The Judgment of Paris, the 1701 Musick Prize entry.
The Secrets Of Andalusia
Lux Musicae London’s 'The Secrets of Andalusia' explores Flamenco’s roots through Arabic, Sephardic, and Spanish music.
Heritage and Identity
The Heritage and Identity playlist surveys the relationship between folk music and early music, through arrangements and shared sound-worlds.
Sweet Stillness
Sweet Stillness: Davina Clarke and Mary Bevan bring Handel’s Nine German Arias to life, blending music, art and poetry.
The Art of Obligato
In The Art of Obligato, Davina Clarke explores Bach’s cantata arias with violin, joined by Nick Pritchard, Hugh Cutting, and a skilled continuo ensemble.
The Art of Variation
The Art of Variation playlist traces the development of the form from its origins to the height of the Baroque.
Newe Vialles, Old Viols
Newe Vialles/Old Viols explores 17th-century English music for two historical bass viols and continuo, featuring works by Jenkins, Simpson and more.
Handel In Rome
Handel in Rome features Nardus Williams & Dunedin Consort performing three Italian cantatas, showcasing Handel’s early Roman period under John Butt's direction.
'Childhood's Awe'
“Childhood’s’ Awe” is a new work for Archlute and Harpsichord, by France-based Irish composer Sam Perkin.
Early Music at its Peripheries
This playlist explores the world of early instrumental music, featuring rare works and fresh takes on familiar pieces that expand perceptions of early music.
The Muses Restor'd
Baroque violinist Rachel Podger takes the resurgence of the Arts in England post-1660 as inspiration for her album, The Muses Restor’d.
Johann Ludwig Krebs: Keyboard Works
Steven Devine has recorded the complete keyboard works by Johann Ludwig Krebs with a number of world premiere recordings.
Bach Motets
Solomon's Knot's CD features JS Bach's complete motets, recorded at Arnstadt’s Bachkirche, highlighting the influence of his family's musical tradition.
The Enchanted Forest
Our Enchanted Forest playlist offers space to reflect on the ephemeral nature of life, and to experience wonder and joy.
Ebb and Flow
Water has long been a vital and rich source of inspiration. It can symbolise purity, cleansing and transformation, as well as wealth and power.
The Madrigal Reimagined
We sat down with Oliver Webber, violinist and director of The Monteverdi String Band to discuss the making of their recording The Madrigal Reimagined.
Midsummer Night
Celebratory and contemplative, with a strong nod to nature, this is music for a midsummer's evening.
The Complete String Trios: Schubert & Purcell
In their debut album, the Sakuntala Trio unveils a world premiere of Schubert’s String Trio in B-flat major, D.471, alongside Purcell’s Three-Part Fantasias.
The Spohr Collection Vol. 3
On the latest volume, Ashley Solomon plays on nine original 18th century flutes from Peter Spohr’s private collection.
Ecco la Primavera
Hopeful, happy and giddy in anticipation of what Spring might bring: listen to our playlist, anticipating the warmer months.
A German In Venice
This album explores Heinrich Schütz's solo cantatas alongside examples of the brilliant and virtuosic Venetian style instrumental music.
Beethoven Piano Trios
The Rautio Piano Trio returns with this second volume of Beethoven’s Piano Trios, recorded on period instruments.
Ensemble Molière - The King's Playlist
Ensemble Molière's debut album, ‘The King’s Playlist', reimagines a day in the life of one of the most magnificent royals of the baroque era.
Through the Day
An early music playlist to accompany you through your day, with and inspired by musicians you find on Continuo Connect
The King's Playlist
Ensemble Molière present their debut album, ‘The King’s Playlist’, a musical day in the life of King Louis XIV.
Music after a while
New creations and their Inspirations - new music for old instruments: exploring new sound worlds with period ensembles.
Recorder Playlist
This playlist celebrates the recorder with beautiful pieces from 'early' to 'contemporary', all by artists you can find on Continuo Connect.
Barnstorming!
Barnstorming! was born out of the desire to reconnect with colleagues and audiences during the COVID pandemic. Three concert films were created.
Playlist - February 2024
Check out our Love-themed playlist with a selection of recordings by artists featured on Continuo Connect.