The King's Consort

The King's Consort stands among the world's most respected period-instrument orchestras. Across decades it has traveled widely and produced more than one hundred recordings that span repertory from the mid-sixteenth century to the present, frequently appearing alongside its regular collaborator, the Choir of King's Consort.

Robert King, then an undergraduate at Cambridge University, established the ensemble in Cambridge in 1980. What began as a modest choir and instrumental group became a full-time professional orchestra by 1982, after which touring and commercial recording commenced on the Meridian and IMP labels. Since then the Consort and Choir have appeared on five continents, with engagements in Japan, the United States, and across most of Europe. Although its core activity centers on Baroque and Classical scores—chiefly those of Handel, Monteverdi, Purcell, and Vivaldi—the group also presents works written before the mid-sixteenth century and after the twentieth, regularly commissioning new pieces from composers including Michael Finnissy and Michael Berkeley. It returns often to the BBC Proms; one such occasion was the 2002 concert marking Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee, for which it reconstructed the musical program heard at the Coronation of King George II.

An exclusive and highly productive association with Hyperion began in 1987 and yielded dozens of well-received discs. Among these are the complete sacred music of Monteverdi and of Vivaldi, every ode, welcome song, anthem, and service by Purcell, and several Handel operas and oratorios. In 2013 the Consort launched its own imprint, Vivat; the inaugural release, I Was Glad, earned strong critical notices and reached the final round of that year’s Gramophone Awards. Under Robert King’s direction, the ensemble appears with Iestyn Davies and James Hall on a 2019 Vivat recording devoted to music by Purcell and John Blow.