Frans Brüggen  (1934-2014)
Last updated: 02.04.23
This very youthful photo of Frans Brüggen is inexpertly scanned from a November 1966 issue of the "Recorder and Music Magazine", the accredited photographer being Eddy de Jongh. This issue also has a fascinating article by Frans Brüggen on "Gesti" by Luciano Berio prior to the premier of this work in Britain at Wigmore Hall, London on 07.12.1966. (I, personally, had to wait until 1982 before finally hearing it on a Michala Petri NDR broadcast).
I have seen Frans Brüggen twice in the flesh. The first occasion was on 19.10.1981 at Haus Delme in Delmenhorst, North Germany where he gave a brilliant virtuoso performance. I was absolutely fascinated at the spectacle of this very tall man and his huge hands performing acoustic miracles on the sopranino. I have lost my notes of that evening and unfortunately do not recall his programme. At that time I was just starting my musical apprenticeship as the leader of a youth recorder group, the The Schwanewede Recorder Consort, so I was particularly amused to note that his posture was completely at odds with that given by Carl Dolmetsch in his tutor. He played sitting, cross-legged with rounded shoulders hunched over his instruments - not exactly the ideal for youthful beginners - but as the saying goes, exceptions are needed to prove the rule.
The second occasion was a few weeks later together with my young ladies from the Schwanewede Recorder Consort on 14.12.1981, this time as conductor of his "18th-Century Orchestra". Here he gave a wonderful concert of standard works by J.S. Bach, G.P. Telemann, C.P.E. Bach and J. Haydn somewhat to the disappointment of my youthful companions who had hoped to hear more virtuoso recorder music.
I have just one recording by Frans Brüggen in my personal collection and that is:
  • Teldec: Das alte Werk 6.41357 AH, Blockflötenwerke des Barock Vol. 1
    (1) Konzert c-moll für Blockflöte (in f) für Streicher und Basso continuo von Antonio Vivaldi
    (2) Variationen über "La Follia" für Blockflöte (in f) und Basso continuo von Arcangelo Corelli
    (3) Dances and Airs a 5 von Anthony Holborne
    (4) Variationen über "Doen Daphne d'over schoone maeght" für Blockflöte (in c) von Jacob van Eyck
    (5) Sonate c-moll für Blockflöte (in f) und Basso continuo von J. B. Loeillet [de Gant].

Websites:
url15.gif Frans Brüggen Biography by wikipedia.org.  
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Recorder Music CDs:
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Couperin: Concerts Royaux no 1-4 / Kuijken, et al flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Frans Brüggen Edition Vol. 01 flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Frans Brüggen Edition Vol. 02 Italian Recorder Sonatas flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Frans Brüggen Edition Vol. 03 (Englische Ensemblemusik) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Frans Brüggen Edition Vol. 04 (Early Baroque Recorder Music) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Frans Brüggen Edition Vol. 05 (Kammermusik des Spätbarocks) flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Frans Brüggen Edition Vol. 06 (Französische Blockflötensuiten flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Frans Brüggen Edition Vol. 07 (Französische Blockflötensonate) flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Frans Brüggen Edition Vol. 08 (Vivaldi: Concerti) flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Frans Brüggen Edition Vol. 09 (Händel: Blockflötensonaten) flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif
cd15.gif  Frans Brüggen Frans Brüggen Edition Vol. 10 (Telemann: Concerti) flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Frans Brüggen Edition Vol. 11 (Bach: Kammermusik und Orch.) flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Frans Brüggen Edition Vol. 12 flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Frans Brüggen Edition Vols. 1-12 flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15it.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Hotteterre: Complete Wind Music flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Rameau-Keyboard Works flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Seon - Corelli (Sonaten) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen The Art of Recorder flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Leclair/Naudot-Concertos flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Telemann: Orchestral Works flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Telemann: Darmstadt Overtures flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif  Frans Brüggen Vivaldi: Le Quattro Stagioni flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Recorder Concerti flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Handel: The Complete Wind Sonatas flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Vivaldi: Flute Concerti, Op.10 CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Le Charme de la Flûte à bec flag15us.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Frans Brüggen Telemann: Recorder Sonatas & Fantasias flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Wiener Blockflötenensemble Venice Music flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Michala Petri Greensleeves flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Michala Petri Recorder Favourites flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif