Ornamentum Philharmonicum began its activities in 2013 at the chamber music concerts of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra at the Vienna State Opera. It is the first chamber music ensemble from the ranks of this famous Viennese orchestra with a focus on performing baroque and classical music on period instruments from the era of Bach to Schubert. The main concept of Ornamentum Philharmonicum is to connect the philharmonic sound with the experience of authentic performance.

 

The instruments used by the ensemble include, among others, a baroque violin from the dynasty of Wildhalm, which is still in its original condition, a baroque viola by Leidolff, a flemish harpsichord by Joel Katzman, and an exact replica of an Anton-Walter-fortepiano (a model from 1780) by Robert Brown. This last instrument was in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's possession.

 

A philharmonic sound in baroque music?

 

At first glance, few people would subscribe to the notion that these two concepts are interrelated. But have another look, and you’ll discover more than a few similarities.

 

The Vienna Philharmonic is noted for its ability to sense and reproduce even those details of a composition which the composer was unwilling - or unable - to put down in writing. Some of these details were self-evident by virtue of tradition. The printed score of a Viennese Waltz, for instance, does not suggest the innumerable tiny modifications in rhythm and meter which, by common agreement, constitute the soul of the piece. A heightened awareness of the composer’s innermost intentions, of the spirit hidden in the score – this is the noblest task of any instrumentalist.

 

Therefore, the question arises: What are those traits of harmony, of rhythm, of phrasing that are so indispensable yet seem to elude notation? Those paraphernalia of interpretation that touch the listener and endow the musical flow with enormous energy? For better or worse, our notation of music is imperfect and ill-equipped to include these small but crucial things. Yet one of the Vienna Philharmonic’s greatest assets - its zest for musical authenticity – is exactly the defining quality of period performance. It is also the defining idea for our ensemble.

 

In our view, blending the philharmonic with the period sound requires the use of period instruments, an historically informed access and, not least, the many unique characteristics that are so emblematic of the Vienna Philharmonic.

 

 

Maxim Brilinsky - Violin

Maxim Brilinsky received his first violin lessons in Lviv (Ukraine) at the age of five years and continued his studies from 2000 with Prof. Michael Frischenschlager at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. From 2005 he studied violin at the Conservatoire National Superior de Musique et de Dance in Paris with Prof. Jean-Jacques Kantorow.

After having served as concertmaster for the chamber ensemble "Orchestre d'Auvergne" in the 2006/07 season, he joined the 2nd violin section of the Vienna State Opera Orchestra on Sept. 1, 2008. Following another successful audition, he moved to the first violin section on September 1, 2011. In the same year he became member in the association of the Vienna Philharmonic.

Maxim Brilinsky was a stipendiary of the Herbert von Karajan Centrum in Vienna and Thyll-Dürr-Foundation Zurich. He is prize winner of numerous prestigious international violin competitions: he won the fourth prize at the "Yehudi Menuhin Competition" in Boulogne-sur-Mer (2002), the second prize and a special prize at the "Paganini-Competition" in Genua (2002) as well as the second prize and a special prize at the "Benjamin-Britten-Competition" in London (2004).

2013 Maxim Brilinsky founded the chamber music ensemble "Ornamentum Philharmonicum", the first chamber music ensemble from the ranks of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with a focus on performing on period instruments.

After another successful audition in June 2014 he became section leader of the first violins of the Vienna Philharmonic.

 

Wolfgang Breinschmid - Flute

Wolfgang Breinschmid was born in 1967 in Vienna, Austria and studied flute with Wolfgang Schulz at the University of Music in his home town. In 1991, he graduated with honours and subsequently joined the Stage Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera. In 1995/96, he was Guest Principal Flutist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and since 2005 he has been holding the second flute/piccolo chair in the Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera. Since 2008 he is also a member of the Vienna Philharmonic.

Wolfgang Breinschmid has an active interest in contemporary music. He has been associated with the Vienna-based "Ensemble of the 20th Century" and has earned a prize for his interpretation of Austrian contemporary music. For over a decade, he was principal flutist with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra and continues to perform with the Cappella Andrea Barca, an ensemble founded and conducted by the eminent pianist, Andras Schiff. He has also been featured as a soloist with all of these ensembles as well as with the Camerata Salzburg.

 

Peter Somodari - Cello

Born 1977 in Veszprem, Hungary. Peter Somodari began playing the cello at the age of three. Between 1997 and 2006 he studied at the music academies of Budapest and Saarbrücken, receiving important impulses from Laszlo Mezö, Miklos Perenyi, Gustav Rivinius and György Kurtag.

He holds numerous awards, among which the first prize at the 2005 International Music Competition in Markneukirchen.

He has appeared in performance with such renowned musicians as Christian Tetzlaff, Leonidas Kavakos, Patricia Kopatschinskaja, Tabea Zimmermann, Boris Pergamenschikov, Truls Mork, Miklos Perenyi, Alexej Lubimov, György Kurtag, Jonatan Gilad and Marta Gulyas.

From 1997 to 2001 Peter Somodari collaborated with the Budapest Strings, both as their section’s cellist as well as appearing as a soloist. In the period to follow he was member of the Keller Quartet and member of the Hungarian State Opera.

Since 2004 he holds the position as solo cellist of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra. From 1th of September 2012 Peter Somodari is Solocellist at the Vienna Stateopera House and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

 

Kotono Brilinsky - Harpsichord, Fortepiano

Kotono Brilinsky took up her first piano lessons at the age of 3, and at 6, started to take violin lessons. She continued on studying piano at Kunitachi High School of Music in Tokyo with Prof. Fumiko Yoshida. Additionally she also studied the organ with the president of the Society for Organ Music in Japan, Prof. Minoru Yoshida.

After graduating High School, she continued and completed her studies at Kunitachi College of Music. At great interest in baroque and classical music, she continued her studies as harpsichordist at the University of Music in Vienna; initially with Prof. Wolfgang Glüxam, and then with Professor Gordon Murray. At the same time she studied piano chamber music with Altenberg-Trio at the Vienna Conservatory.

Kotono's concert performances as a soloist and chamber musician have led her into the most beautiful concert halls of Tokyo, such as Suntory Hall and Tokyo Opera City. After successful concerts she has received voluminous concert reviews and has been featured on special reports in several japanese newspapers and magazines. She has appeared in chamber music matinees of the Vienna Philharmonic at the Vienna State Opera. She was also featured during the tv-movie the brake of the New Year's Concert 2013.

In her possession is a piano of Bösendorfer, two flemish harpsichords of Joel Katzman and Akira Kubota, a 3-manual organ of Ahlborn and an exact replica of fortepiano owned by Mozart of Robert Brown.