Once considered the recorder player of the 20th century, Frans Brüggen left behind a significant legacy and an indelible mark on the development of Early music, particularly in the recorder.

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In 1983, he shifted away from the instrument, occasionally performing in Italy and the USA. His final CD, showcasing his “natural born talent” with the recorder, was released in 1996, no wonder why was called Passion of Reason. 

 

Despite transitioning early in 1983 to become a conductor and co-founding the revolutionary Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century with Lucy van Dael, Brüggen’s reputation as an influential recorder player endured for decades, even until his last days. Perhaps against his will!

 

This website aims to perpetuate the spirit of his early days—a time marked by discovery, rule-breaking, an open mind, and avant-garde experimentation. These were the very elements that elevated early music from amateurism to professional performance.

 

Frans Brüggen was not only a virtuoso recorder player but also a one-of-a-kind romantic musicologist deeply in love with original instruments and early sources. A soft-spoken, charismatic, well-mannered tall man, yet irreverent—and a fiery opponent to ‘mannerisms and egos inside the music world. 

 

He helped to transform the perception of the recorder as a serious musical instrument. His impact on the world of Early music remains profound, and this site serves as a tribute to his enduring spirit