Alan Hacker - Basset-Horn

He acquired an International reputation as a performer and champion of new music and was a founder member of the Pierrot Players, The Fires of London and Matrix. He restored Mozart’s Clarinet concerto and Quintet playing on his specially made extended basset clarinet. His pioneer work in classical and early romantic chamber music on original instruments led to the establishment of the Music Party in 1971 – and later in York the Classical Orchestra which gave first performances of the classics on original instruments.

In Venice he gave six staged performances of Bach’s St John Passion in the Bach/Handel centennial year complemented with performances of Handel’s Passion. A guest appearance at the Schwetzingen Festival led to work in Sweden and the U.K. including his acclaimed British performances of Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera.

In Mozart’s centennial year, besides performances of the Quintet and the concerto he conducted four Mozart operatic productions.

Besides his operatic work in Stuttgart, Barcelona, Berlin, Paris, Vienna and Cologne he has given wide ranging Orchestral concerts.

In the 1998 CD catalogue his recordings of Mozart, Weber, Hummel and Finzi are given the highest recommendation. A few of his pioneer authentic recordings – of the Haydn Nocturnes, the Brahms Trio and Sonatas are still available. In March 1999 he will give the first performance of Philip Grange’s Clarinet concerto in Manchester and conduct a new production of Handel’s Saul in Berlin.