The Harp Consort is an international early music ensemble directed by Andrew Lawrence-King, specialising in

Baroque opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a ...

, early dance-music, and historical World Music. The Harp Consort improvises within the distinct styles of baroque,

renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD ...

and medieval music. The group takes its inspiration from the 17th-century harp

consort __NOTOC__ Consort may refer to: Music * "The Consort" (Rufus Wainwright song), from the 2000 album ''Poses'' * Consort of instruments, term for instrumental ensembles * Consort song (musical), a characteristic English song form, late 16th–earl ...

formed in England at the court of

Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...

: in contrast to the homogeneous string

orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...

(also formed at this time), the Consorte brought together diverse types of solo instruments – harp,

lutes A lute ( or ) is any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted. More specifically, the term "lute" can re ...

keyboards Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...

, strings – and voices, to create colourful new combinations in the fashion of the day. Like the 17th-century Consorte, The Harp Consort is formed around the accompanying instruments of the basso continuo and brings together an international team of musicians who create a rich variety of timbres.

CDs and awards

The Harp Consort's debut CD, ''Luz y norte'' (17th century dance music from Spain and South America) gained a

Diapason d’Or The Diapason d'Or (French for "Golden Tuning Fork") is a recommendation of outstanding (mostly) classical music recordings given by reviewers of '' Diapason'' magazine in France, broadly equivalent to "Editor's Choice", "Disc of the Month" in the ...

in France, Record of the Year from '' Amadeus magazine'' in Italy, and topped the classical charts for five weeks in Australia. The ensemble's recordings on DHM include 'Carolan's Harp’; ‘Italian Concerto’ est Early Music CD, German Phonographic Academy the medieval ‘Ludus Danielis’; and '' La púrpura de la rosa'' oah Greenberg Award the first New World opera, given in Lima, Peru in 1701. The ensemble has also recorded Lawes for Berlin Classics and

Purcell Henry Purcell (, rare: September 1659 – 21 November 1695) was an English composer. Purcell's style of Baroque music was uniquely English, although it incorporated Italian and French elements. Generally considered among the greatest Eng ...

for Astrée Auvidis, and formed the continuo band for Andrew Lawrence-King's recording of Handel's ‘Almira’ merican Handel Society CD of the year for

Vivaldi Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist and impresario of Baroque music. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lifetime was widesprea ...

's ‘Four Seasons’ with the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra and for ‘Fire-Water’: Spanish renaissance ensaladas with

The King's Singers The King's Singers are a British a cappella vocal ensemble founded in 1968. They are named after King's College in Cambridge, England, where the group was formed by six choral scholars. In the United Kingdom, their popularity peaked in the 19 ...

. The Harp Consort now records exclusively for Harmonia Mundi USA. Their first release was Missa Mexicana: festive polyphony and popular dances from 17th-century Mexico (''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' (f ...

'' (London) CD of the Year). Their second CD, ''Miracles of Notre Dame'' (songs arranged by Gautier de Coincy, 13th-century Prior of Vic) won the Dutch "Edison" award: it was also Gramophone Magazine's Editor's Choice & London Telegraph CD of the Year.

Discography

*Luz y Norte *''Carolan's Harp''. Music by

Turlough O'Carolan Turlough O'Carolan ( ga, Toirdhealbhach Ó Cearbhalláin ; 167025 March 1738) was a blind Celtic harper, composer and singer in Ireland whose great fame is due to his gift for melodic composition. Although not a composer in the classical sense, ...

. Andrew Lawrence-King (Irish harps, renaissance harp, French cittern, psaltery), with Caitríona O'Leary (voice, hurdy-gurdy),

Nigel Rogers Nigel David Rogers (21 March 1935 – 19 January 2022) was an English multilingual tenor, music conductor, and vocal coach, who sang in over seventy classical music album recordings in German, French, Italian, Latin and English, mostly of earl ...

(tenor), with Steve Player as The Frenchman & the Jovial Crew; David Douglass (violin), Nancy Hadden (flute, recorder, gittern), Belinda Sykes (alto shawm, Renaissance bagpipes),

Hille Perl Hille Perl (born ''Hildegard Perl'' on 9 March 1965, in Bremen) is a German virtuoso performer of the viola da gamba and lirone. She is considered to be one of the world's finest viola da gamba players, specializing in solo and ensemble music of ...

(viola da gamba, lyra viol, violone, gittern); Lucy Carolan (harpsichord),

Pat O'Brien Pat O'Brien may refer to: Politicians * Pat O'Brien (Canadian politician) (born 1948), member of the Canadian House of Commons *Pat O'Brien (Irish politician) (c. 1847–1917), Irish Nationalist MP in the United Kingdom Parliament Others *Pat O'Br ...

(bandora, guitar),

Paul O'Dette Paul Raymond O'Dette (born February 2, 1954) is an American lutenist, conductor, and musicologist specializing in early music. Biography O'Dette, who was born in Pittsburgh, began playing the electric guitar in a rock band in Columbus, Ohio, w ...

(theorbo, cittern, guitar), Steve Player (dancer,gittern, French cittern, guitar, whistle, drone pipes), Pedro Estevan (percussion). BMG 05472-77375-2 (1996). *''Italian Concerto'': The Italian "gusto" at home and abroad. Music by

J.S. Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the ''Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wor ...

, Handel. Andrew Lawrence-King (Italian arpa doppia). With

(lira, violone),

(theorbo), and many other performers. BMG DHM 05472-77366-2 (1997). *Ludus Danielis *La púrpura de la rosa *''Spanish Gypsies'': Celtic and Spanish music in Shakespeare's England. Music by

John Playford John Playford (1623–1686/7) was a London bookseller, publisher, minor composer, and member of the Stationers' Company, who published books on music theory, instruction books for several instruments, and psalters with tunes for singing in churc ...

Tobias Hume Tobias Hume (possibly 1579 – 16 April 1645) was a Scottish composer, viol player and soldier. Little is known of his life. Some have suggested that he was born in 1579 because he was admitted to the London Charterhouse in 1629, a prerequisit ...

Giles Farnaby Giles Farnaby (c. 1563 – November 1640) was an English composer and virginalist whose music spans the Transition from Renaissance to Baroque in instrumental music, transition from the Renaissance to the Baroque period. Life Giles Farnaby was ...

, and others.

(viola da gamba, lira viol, baroque guitar),

Rachel Podger Rachel Podger (born 1968 in England) is a British violinist and conductor specialising in the performance of Baroque music. Career Podger was born to a British father and a German mother. She was educated at a German Rudolf Steiner school then ...

(baroque violin), Nancy Hadden (renaissance flute),

Keith McGowan Keith McGowan OAM (9 March 1943 – 22 December 2013) was an Australian radio presenter. He was born in Melbourne, Australia and died there, aged 70 years. Radio career McGowan got his first job in radio in May 1957, when he started as an off ...

(shawm); and Steve Player (baroque guitar, gittern, bagpipes), Lee Santana (cittern, theorbo, baroque guitar), Michael Metzler (percussion), directed by Andrew Lawrence-King (harp, triple harp, Irish harp, Spanish harp, psaltery). BMG Ariola Classics DHM 05472 77516 2 (1999). * Missa Mexicana. Harmonia Mundi HMX 2907923 (2002). *Vivaldi: The Four Seasons -

Freiburger Barockorchester Freiburger Barockorchester (Freiburg Baroque Orchestra) is a German Baroque orchestra founded in 1987, with the mission statement: "to enliven the world of Baroque music with new sounds". History The orchestra is based in Freiburg im Breisgau. ...

*Fire-Water: Spanish renaissance ensaladas - The King's Singers *Miracles of Notre Dame *''El Arte de Fantasía'': Spanish romances and French chansons from the libre de cifra nueva para tecla, arpa & vihuela, transcribed by Luis Venegas de Henestrosa (1557). Music by Cabezón, Mudarra, Josquin, Narváez, Crequillon, et al. Andrew Lawrence-King (Spanish double-harp, renaissance harp, organ, harpsichord, psaltery), with Hille Perl (viola da gamba), Lee Santana (vihuela, cittern), Steve Player (renaissance guitar, percussion), Helen Coombs (organ, harpsichord). Harmonia Mundi USA HMU 907316 (2004). *''Les travailleurs de la mer'': Ancient songs from a small island. Music of Guernsey, after the novel by

Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...

. Directed by Andrew Lawrence-King (triple harp, medieval harp, psaltery, chifournie), with Clara Sanabras (soprano, baroque guitar) and

Paul Hillier Paul Douglas Hillier OBE (born 9 February 1949) is an English conductor, music director and baritone. He specializes in both early and contemporary classical music, especially that by composers Steve Reich and Arvo Pärt. He was a co-foun ...

(baritone); and Jane Achtman (viola da gamba, fiddle), Nancy Hadden (flutes, baroque guitar), Ian Harrison (bagpipes, shawn, cornetto), Steven Player (baroque guitars, percussion), Richardo Padilla (percussion), Helen Coombs (chifournier). HMU 907330 (2004). {{DEFAULTSORT:Harp Consort, The Instrumental early music groups Early music consorts