|
Those prizes marked the beginning of his full-time distinguished
career as a singer of oratorio, lieder and baroque opera. Max
van Egmond achieved his greatest fame as an interpreter of J.
S. Bach's cantatas, masses and passions and from 1965 participated
in complete recordings and performances of these masterpieces
with conductors Gustav Leonhardt, Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Frans
Brüggen. (Teldec, Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, Seon). One of
Holland's most beloved artists, he has received numerous awards
and honours including a special decoration from Queen Beatrix
of the Netherlands for his decades of service to Dutch musical
life. His forty-year career has taken him throughout Europe,
Canada, the USA, Israel and Asia.
For many years a professor at Amsterdam's Sweelinck Conservatory,
Max van Egmond continues to give master classes throughout the
world, and returns every year to Mateus, Portugal, and, in this
country, to the Baroque Performance Institute at Oberlin, Ohio.
His recent recordings with the Belgian-based Ricercar Consort
have explored the extensive seventeenth-century German cantata
repertory in a highly successful ongoing series of recordings
(Deutsche Barock Kantaten - Ricercar). In recent years, Max van
Egmond has concentrated on performing lieder and French art songs,
and has produced highly acclaimed recordings (with the Belgian
pianist, Jos van Immerseel) of Schubert's 'Winterreise' and chansons
of Gabriel Fauré (Channel Classics). His concerts, recordings
and many prominent students all provide eloquent testimony not
only to his expertise in all areas of the vocal repertoire, but
also to his great kindness and humanity in the service of music.
 Joseph Haydn, 'Das
Leben ist ein Traum', text Gleim
Source: Kutsch/Riemens Lexicon; Bach Cantatas
website
Homepage of Max van
Egmond, baritone in respose |
