Aurelio Virgiliano, a 16th century Italian musician, is only known today for his collection of virtuosic music pieces and technical instructions to which he gave the ambiguous title "Il Dolcimelo", which means at the same time a sweet apple tree and a sweet melody.

"Il Dolcimelo" is a professional ensemble for early music, which since its conception in 1994 by the recorder player Katja Beisch and the baroque cellist Doris Runge has achieved international respect. In 1997 at the international competition for chamber music in Rovereto/Italy they placed in the final round, and in April 2000 at the international competition "Biagio Marini" for early music in Neuburg (by the Danube river) they received the first prize. The Hessen Radio produced several recordings with them, and in 1997 they released their first CD “Affettuoso” with Italian music of the early and high Baroque era, which was praised by the press due to its spontaneous and extroverted interpretations. In 2000 came the second CD “FFor severall ffriends” with English music from the 17th century. As a co-production with the West German Radio (WDR) their newest recording as a SACD Concerti grossi came in 2004 with six concerti of the famous opus 6 of Arcangelo Corelli, in the version for two recorders, violoncello and basso continuo which was published 1725 by Walsh&Hare in London. Special guest of this recording was the recorder player Han Tol.

“Il Dolcimelo” played concerts on wellknown festivals for Early Music in Germany and can look back on more than 200 concerts in Germany, Estonia, Brazil, Switzerland, Austria and the Netherlands. In April 2006 they will make a tour through North-America.

Collaborating with others has given way to a flexible group of musicians, that as a duo, trio, quartet or even a small orchestra can perform music from the 17th and 18th centuries on historical instruments.

"Il Dolcimelo" is not interested in a museum-like reconstruction of music from long-distant epochs, they are more concerned about the presentation of recent aspects and findings of Baroque music. In the music itself, in which the divisions between serious and more entertaining aspects were much more flexible than today, leaves much room for experimentation and interpretative ideas. This is combined with the temperament, joy and spontaneity that "Il Dolcimelo" puts across when playing.