I arrive punctually at his hotel and minutes later I was face to face with him and Sieuwert Verster, his right-hand man. We take a seat in a semi-isolated corner. Brüggen lights up a cigarette and orders coffee for the three of us.

A few days ago I had the priviledge of attending your performance of the Bach B minor Mass in Madrid. It was moving to see how apart from giving you their undivided attention, each and every musician seemed to enjoy what he/she was doing and was dependent on the other members of the orchestra.
It is an orchestra made up of friends. Most of us have known each other for twenty years. We know each other so well. We are always on tour together. We travel together, suffer together, we’re happy together-we do everything together. And that’s what makes us so special.

Is conducting the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century your main musical activity?
That’s right. For some years now ...

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