York Early Music Festival announces 40th anniversary programme for changing times

"Such an anniversary is clearly a significant milestone causing us both to celebrate, and to review, the changes that have occurred during the period," says National Centre for Early Music administrative director Delma Tomlin.

"The festival has blossomed into an event which is renowned throughout Europe, bringing together musicians at the height of their careers with audiences keen to learn and engage, becoming a beacon of musical excellence.

"Our association with BBC Radio 3 helps ensure that festival concerts are heard worldwide. The International Young Artists Competition draws in emerging talent – young ensembles wanting to make their mark on history – from across the globe. This year musicians will join us from as far afield as Russia, Japan, Israel, the UK and continental Europe."

As well as a "reflection on changing times", the 2017 festival will mark anniversaries of two giants of the early music world: Monteverdi, who was born in 1567 and Telemann, who died in 1767.

"Monteverdi's 1610 Vespers is an enduring favourite and will make a spectacular festival-opening concert on July 7, as we present Robert Hollingworth and I Fagiolini in a unique promenade performance, encouraging audiences to engage directly with the musicians and to absorb the glorious sonorities of York Minster," says Delma.

I Fagiolini, the English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble and the University of York's The 24 will join forces for this free-moving concert in the Central Nave of York Minster, where doors will open at 7.30pm for these Vespers On The Move.

Telemann's music will be represented in concerts by the University of York Baroque Ensemble and the viola da gamba specialist Richard Boothby. On July 10, at 1pm at a sold-out NCEM, the university ensemble will join the Compagnia d'Istrumenti to present Telemann's Collegium Musicum, while Boothby will perform Telemann's Fantasias on July 13 at 9pm in the Chapter House of York Minster.

Delma believes it is also timely to commemorate the Reformation. "It sparked one of the greatest political upheavals ever faced by Europe as Martin Luther's burning resentment against corruption changed lives and enforced migration," she says.

"Five hundred years later, there are some unfortunate parallels, so it is appropriate that we are taking time for reflection through the music of that great Lutheran, J S Bach, with soloists Kati Debretzeni, Carole Cerasi and Alison McGillivray and with a semi-staged production of the St Matthew Passion, led by Peter Seymour."

Debretzeni, violin, Cerasi, harpsichord, and McGillivray, cello, will present a series of four concerts under the title of The Soul Of The Man at the NCEM on July 10 at 6pm and 8.30pm and July 11 at 10.15pm, concluding at St Olave's Church, Marygate, on July 12 at 12.30pm.

I Fagiolini with Robert Hollingworth

Later that day, at 6.30pm to 10pm at the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York, St Matthew Passion will be performed in a new edition by Peter Seymour of Bach's early version of his work from 1727. Charles Daniels will be the Evangelist; Thomas Guthrie, Christus, and Matthew Brook, Pilate, joined by sopranos Bethany Seymour and Helen Neeves, altos William Towers and Nancy Cole, tenor Jason Darnell and bass Frederick Long, plus the Yorkshire Baroque Soloists.

"In our very complicated world at the moment, we decided we would present some peaceful Bach pieces to help us find some inner strength and calm," says Delma.

Other artists who will be joining the 2017 festival include the award-winning vocal ensemble Cinquecento; the sparklingly virtuosic B'Rock Orchestra, from Ghent; The Sixteen, directed as ever by Harry Christophers, and medievalists Mala Punica.

Cinquecento will be singing Musica Invictissima, Harmonies For A Habsburg Dynasty, on July 8 in the Chapter House of York Minster, where countertenor Terry Wey, tenors Achim Schutz and Tore Tom Denys, York baritone Tim Scott Whiteley and bass Ulfried Staber will perform works by Jacobus Vaet and his pupil and friend Jacobus Regnart.

B'Rock Orchestra will head from Belgium to perform Passions Of The Night at the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall on July 9 in a 7.30pm programme of four colourful and contrasting works from the 1770s by Haydn, Boccherini and two by Mozart.

The Sixteen will return to the Nave of York Minster on their cathedral tour on July 11 at 7.30pm to present The Olive Branch, a selection of choral music by two masters separated by 400 years: Palestrina and Poulenc, broadcast live by BBC Radio 3.

Directed by recorder player Pedro Memelsdorff, Mala Punica will focus on Exile, Music and Migration in Late Medieval Europe on July 14 in The Quire of York Minster at 7.30pm.

Soprano Emma Kirkby and mezzo soprano Clare Wilkinson's Musica Transalpina concert with the Rose Consort of Viols on July 8 at 5pm at St Olave's Church, Marygate, has sold out.

Look out too for the return of the Consone Quartet, performing works by Mozart and Haydn in Masters Of Their Art at the Unitarian Chapel, St Saviourgate, on July 11 at 4pm. "They were the winners of our Emerging Artists prize at the 2015 York Early Music International Young Artists Competition and were then our musicians in residence at last year's Beverley Early Music Festival," says Delma. "Now we've invited them back to York as fully fledged professional musicians and they're really going places."

The full festival programme and ticket details can be found at ncem.co.uk/yemf; bookings can be made online or on 01904 658338.