>What are the characteristics of the "Amsterdam " style and who are some of the
>chief practitioners?
>I think I know the answer to this one,  but would like to here someone else's
>description.
 
I tend to associate it initially and principally with Franz Bruggen (much
solo and chamber music recorder performances and discs in the late 60s and
early 70s)........ and only a little bit later with the Kjiuken's (i.e the
Alarius Ensemble recordings) use of mesa da voce (refered to as "The Dutch
Swell"), especially in suspension sequences, and a daring seat of the pants
rhythmic practice (especially apparent but not limited to17th Cent. Italian
music) in the more improvisational passages and and use of inequality
(Leonhardt very important in modeling and teaching this aspect) in order to
establish proper meters and escape the sewing machine renditions of prior
artists.  These were very self-concious applications of HIP as the liner
notes of various recordings of the time attest.  Other Dutch players (most
notably Ton Koopman) and various students (who traveled to study at the
Hague with the originators) emerged almost immediately to refine and carry
these practices further (as the originators did themselves) continuing to
explore and push the envelope until presently, it seems as if there has
been a more or less international assimilation.
 
I think that a rather pronounced contrast can be observed if one compares
Bruggen's recorder performances with those of people like Bernard Kranis
(sp?), then move to the 70s and 80s recordings by English HIPsters like
Christopher Hogwood compare with Leonhardt/Bruggen/Kjuikens and finally
move to some of the 80s recordings of the English Concert/Trevor Pinnock vs
those of Amsterdam Baroque/Koopman.
 
The above is only a very cursory stab at the dramatic development of HIP
performance styles.  Who has influenced whom is a complex subject around
which volumes could be written......as it continues to unfold.
 
Bill Darst