Ensemble Zefiro Photo: Andrea Rognoni
The extraordinary colours of 17th and 18th century woodwind instruments have lent Italy’s Ensemble Zefiro a cult following. Founded by Maestri dei legni Alfredo Bernardini (oboe) and Alberto Grazzi (bassoon), this period-instrument ensemble have won numerous awards, including the Premio Abbiati 2016 for best chamber group. They’re performing two programmes in New Zealand: the first features Handel, Fasch, Telemann, Haydn and Mozart; and the second is dedicated to Mozart. They are performing eight concerts nationally 10 to 22 August with Chamber Music New Zealand, beginning today at Wellington Michael Fowler Centre.
In 1989, the oboists Alfredo Bernardini and Paolo Grazzi, and the bassoonist Alberto Grazzi, members of the most outstanding baroque orchestras, founded Zefiro, a versatile music group specialising in the eighteenth-century (Baroque) repertoire that gives particular prominence to wind instruments. They have made numerous recordings the latest released on Arcana records in 2017, from which the following is drawn.
