Our collaboration with Ori Harmelin is more than just a recording project — it’s the fruit of a deep friendship and a shared love for early music.

Born in Haifa and educated in Trossingen and Zurich, Ori has spent years performing with renowned ensembles such as Profeti della Quinta and Voces Suaves. His unique sensitivity and compelling musical personality shine through in every interpretation — always thoughtful, always original.

We’re thrilled and honored that Ori has chosen to record this album with us — a project shaped by trust, shared vision, and musical friendship.

Albums with such a distinctive vision are rare in the world of early music.
This one brings together three composers from three different periods — all connected by the refined and evocative sound of the theorbo.

The program will include a theorbo transcription of J.S. Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 in G major (BWV 1007), the Suite in A minor by Robert de Visée, and the bold, eccentric Toccata Prima by Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger.

This is not only a celebration of the theorbo’s beautiful sound — it’s a statement about the instrument’s expressive range and its place across musical eras.

J.S. Bach never wrote for theorbo, yet his music naturally fits the plucked string idiom.
Ori’s transcription of the First Cello Suite goes far beyond technical adaptation — it’s a reimagining of phrasing, articulation, and resonance.

The theorbo’s long sustain gives new depth to the Prelude, while the Suite’s dances gain elegance and lightness.

A master of the lute, theorbo, and guitar, Robert de Visée served at the court of Louis XIV and XV. His Suite in A minor is the very essence of French elegance — refined yet intimate.

Ori’s interpretation evokes the salons of Versailles, where the sound of the theorbo mingled with dance, architecture, and royal etiquette.

Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger, known as “the German of the theorbo,” was one of the boldest composers of his time.

His Toccata Prima is full of daring rhythms, harmonic surprises, and expressive contrasts — a striking reminder of just how dynamic and versatile the theorbo can be.