The King'S Consort
The King's Consort is a period-instrument orchestra held in the highest esteem throughout the world. The Consort has toured extensively and has made over 100 recordings, performing music from the 16th century to the 21st. These performances are often made with its partner ensemble, the Choir of King's Consort.
The King's Consort was founded in Cambridge in 1980 by Robert King, a student at Cambridge University at the time. Initially, the ensemble consisted of a small choir and ensemble, but by 1982, the Consort was established as a full-time professional orchestra and began touring and recording in the years following, with several recordings made on the Meridian and IMP labels. The Consort, along with the Choir of King's Consort, has toured across five continents, including Japan, the U.S., and most of Europe. Its repertoire consists mainly of material from the Baroque and Classical periods, most notably the music of Handel, Monteverdi, Purcell, and Vivaldi. However, it has performed and recorded music dating back to the mid-16th century all the way forward to the present day, oftentimes commissioning new works by composers such as Michael Finnissy and Michael Berkeley. The Consort is also a regular performer at the BBC Proms. One of these concerts was the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 2002, where the Consort performed a reconstruction of the musical program of the Coronation of King George II.
In 1987, the King's Consort began an exclusive, prodigious relationship with Hyperion; it recorded dozens of albums on the label, many to great acclaim. Among the Consort's recordings for Hyperion are complete sacred music sets of Monteverdi and Vivaldi. It has recorded all of the odes, welcome music, anthems, and services of Purcell, as well as several operas and oratorios by Handel. In 2013, it began recording on its own label, Vivat; the first release, I Was Glad, was a critical success and was a finalist for the Gramophone award that year. The King's Consort, under Robert King, can be heard with Iestyn Davies and James Hall on a Vivat album of music by Purcell and John Blow, in 2019.
© Keith Finke /TiVo
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Discography
85 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Purcell - Birthday Odes for Queen Mary
Classical - Released by VIVAT on 24 Sep 2021
Available in24-Bit/96 kHz Stereo -
Purcell: Complete Sacred Music
The King'S Consort, Robert King
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 1 Nov 2002
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Bach: Six Trio Sonatas (arr Robert King)
The King'S Consort, Kati Debretzeni , Huw Daniel, Robin Michael, Eligio Quinteiro, Robert King
Classical - Released by VIVAT on 22 Sep 2023
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Vivaldi: The Complete Cello Sonatas
David Watkin, The King'S Consort
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 1 Mar 1995
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Purcell: The Complete Odes & Welcome Songs
The King'S Consort, Robert King
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 19 Nov 1992
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Purcell: The Complete Secular Solo Songs
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 1 Nov 2003
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Vivaldi: Sacred Music, Vol. 4: Juditha Triumphans
Choir of The King's Consort, The King'S Consort, Robert King
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 1 Apr 1998
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Great Baroque Arias, Pt. 1
The King'S Consort, Robert King
Classical - Released by Allegro on 1 Jan 1994
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Mozart: Exsultate jubilate & Other Sacred Works for Soprano
Carolyn Sampson, The King'S Consort, Robert King
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 1 Feb 2006
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Monteverdi - Heaven and Earth
The King'S Consort, Robert King
Classical - Released by VIVAT on 10 Sep 2013
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Handel - Your tuneful voice
The King'S Consort, Iestyn Davies, Robert King
Classical - Released by VIVAT on 10 Feb 2014
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Essential Purcell
The King'S Consort, Robert King
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 1 Sep 1994
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Elegy - Countertenor duets by Purcell and Blow
Iestyn Davies, James Hall, The King'S Consort, Robert King
Classical - Released by VIVAT on 27 Sep 2019
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Handel-Mendelssohn: Israel in Ägypten
The King'S Consort, Robert King
Classical - Released by VIVAT on 18 Mar 2016
Gramophone: Recording of the MonthAvailable in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
M. Haydn: Requiem in C Minor & Chiemsee-Messe
The King'S Consort, Robert King
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 18 Feb 2005
Gramophone Editor's ChoiceAvailable in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Vivaldi: Sacred Music, Vol. 1
Choir of The King's Consort, The King'S Consort, Robert King
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 1 Apr 1995
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Purcell - Royal Odes
Classical - Released by VIVAT on 26 Feb 2021
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Vivaldi: Salve Regina / Telemann: Easter Cantata
James Bowman, The King'S Consort, Robert King
Classical - Released by Meridian Records on 2 Feb 2010
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Johann Schelle: Sacred Music
The King'S Consort, Robert King
Classical - Released by Hyperion on 1 May 2001
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Couperin - Trois Leçons de Ténèbres
The King'S Consort, Robert King
Classical - Released by VIVAT on 1 Mar 2013
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo -
Favourite Baroque Arias
The King'S Consort, Robert King
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by Musical Concepts on 13 Jul 2010
Available in16-Bit/44.1 kHz Stereo