Consort of Musicke

The Consort of Musicke, directed by Anthony Rooley, is clearly one of the seminal groups of the modern Early Music Movement. They were among the dominant forces in the performance of Renaissance madrigals & lute songs throughout the 1970s & 1980s, and have continued to make important contributions in the 1990s. Their influence was particularly large in the area of English music, although they did record several albums in Italian, as well as a handful of other significant items devoted to non-madrigal repertory.

As defined here, the Consort of Musicke contains Anthony Rooley as its main ingredient. Lutenist Rooley's solo recordings are also included. World-famous soprano Emma Kirkby has also participated in nearly every Consort of Musicke album, as well as several duets with husband Rooley, also included. Kirkby's work with other musicians, a very substantial body of work, is not included. Several other English singers have been defined mostly by their work with the Consort of Musicke.

The present discography is deemed "mostly complete" in that no comprehensive sources have been consulted, and so an item or two is probably missing, but the sheer volume of references consulted leads me to believe that the listing is nearly complete. Many details and additional items have been provided by Jon Stringer. If you can provide more details or additional items, please contact me.

Hopefully this discography will prove useful, and I will attempt to keep it updated as the Consort of Musicke does continue to make new recordings. Since their own label Musica Oscura became defunct, they have recorded a new issue for AS&V.


Original Recordings - Composers

Arcadelt: Madrigals
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 77162
Blow: Venus and Adonis / Locke: Cupid and Death
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi (EMI) 49623
Blow: Welcome Every Guest
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Nonesuch 79156
Brudieu: Madrigals
Consort of Musicke / La Quarta Sciencia
Ona Digital 100 (2 CDs)
Byrd: Psalmes, Sonets & Songs (1588)
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 596
L'Oiseau Lyre 443 187
Byrd: Consort Music
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 599
Coprario: Songs of Mourning / Consort Music
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 511
Coprario: Funeral Tears / Consort Music
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 576
John Danyel: Lute Songs 1606
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 568
Dowland: Lute music
Anthony Rooley et al.
L'Oiseau Lyre 187/91
Dowland: First Booke of Songes (1597)
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 508/9
L'Oiseau Lyre 421 653
Dowland: Second Booke of Songes (1600)
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 528/9
L'Oiseau Lyre 425 889
Dowland: The Third Booke of Songs (1603)
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 531/2
L'Oiseau Lyre 430 284
Dowland: A Pilgrimes Solace (1612)
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 585/6
L'Oiseau Lyre 436 188
Dowland: Mr Henry Noell Lamentations 1597 / Psalmes & Sacred Songs
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 551
L'Oiseau Lyre 436 188
Dowland: Lachrimae
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 517
L'Oiseau Lyre 421 477
Dowland: Consort Music
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 533
Dowland: A Miscellany
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 556
The English Orpheus - John Dowland
Emma Kirkby & Anthony Rooley
Virgin Veritas 59521
Honey from the Hive
Songs by John Dowland
Emma Kirkby / Anthony Rooley
Bis 1475 [SACD]
Eccles: Semele
Florida State University Opera - Anthony Rooley
Forum Classics 9203 (2 CDs)
Gesualdo: Quinto Libro dei Madrigali (1611)
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 410 128
Gibbons: Madrigals and mottets
Madrigals & motets, 1612
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 512
Grabbe: Madrigals, Book 1
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
MD+G 310 0220
Maurice Greene: Songs and Keyboard Works
Emma Kirkby & Lars Ulrik Mortensen
Musica Oscura 70978
Holborne: Pavans & Galliards 1599
Guildhall Waits / Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 569
D'India: Primo Libro de Madrigali a Cinque Voci (1607)
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Musica Oscura 70985
D'India: Il Terzo Libro de Madrigali
Musik am Salzburger Fürstenhof
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi (EMI) 49190
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 77119
D'India: Ottavo libro dei madrigali 1624
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 707
Jenkins: Consort Music
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 600
Theatre Music by Robert Johnson
Shakespeare's Lutenist
Emma Kirkby / David Thomas / Anthony Rooley
Virgin Veritas 59321
Robert Jones: Songs for voice and lute
The muses' gardin
Emma Kirkby & Anthony Rooley
Virgin Veritas 91212
di Lasso & Ockeghem
Lagrime di San Pietro / Missa pro defunctis
The Hilliard Ensemble / The Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Nutech Digital Silverline Classics 323 [DVD]
Lassus: Lagrime di San Pietro
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 706
L'Oiseau Lyre 443 197
Henry Lawes: Psalms, Ayres and Dialogues
Sitting by the Streams
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Hyperion 66135
Lawes: Viol Consort Music
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 560
Lawes: Setts for Violins & Division Viols
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 564
Lawes: Royall Consorts / Sett for Three Lyra Viols
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 573
Lawes: Dialogues, Psalms & Elegies
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 574
Lawes: In Loving Memory
Psalms, Songs and Elegies
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Musica Oscura 70972
Lotti / Scarlatti: Madrigali
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi (EMI) 49189
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 77194
Marenzio: Baci soavi e cari
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Musica Oscura 70992
Marini: Le lagrime d'Erminia / Violin Sonatas
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 570
Marini: Concerto Terzo delle Musiche da Camera
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Musica Oscura 70994
John Maynard: The XII Wonders of the World 1611 / Character Songs
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 545
Monteverdi: Il Primo Libro de Madrigali
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Virgin Veritas 45143
Monteverdi: Madrigals Book II (1590)
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Virgin Veritas 59282
Monteverdi: Madrigals Book III (1592)
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Virgin Veritas 59283
Monteverdi: Quarto libro dei madrigali
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 414 148
Monteverdi: Quinto libro dei madrigali
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 410 291
Decca 455 718
Monteverdi: Madrigals Book VI (1614)
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Virgin 91154
Virgin Veritas 59605
Monteverdi: Duets & Solos
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
MCA Classics 25189
IMP Allegro 881
IMP Allegro 6600 442
Monteverdi / d'India: Olympia's Lament
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Nonesuch 79125
Monteverdi: Madrigali Erotici
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 703
L'Oiseau Lyre 421 480
Monteverdi: Madrigals Book VIII (1638)
Balli
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Virgin 91158
Virgin Veritas 59606
Musical Heritage Society 514087
Monteverdi: Madrigals Book VIII (1638)
Madrigali guerrieri
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Virgin 91156
Virgin Veritas 59620
Monteverdi: Madrigals Book VIII (1638)
Madrigali amorosi
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Virgin 91157
Virgin Veritas 59621
Monteverdi: Madrigali erotici e spirituali
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Musica Oscura 70995
Banquet of the Senses
Monteverdi: Madrigali erotici e spirituali
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Brilliant Classics 99784 (DVD)
Morley: Ayres & Madrigals
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 436 862
Angelo Notari: Musiche Nuove, 1613
Love and Languishment
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Hyperion 66140
Angelo Notari: Prime Nuove Musiche
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Musica Oscura 70983
Pallavicino: Madrigals, Book 6
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Musica Oscura 70976
Walter Porter: Madrigals and Ayres, 1632
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Musica Oscura 70993
Purcell: Songs and airs
Emma Kirkby / Christopher Hogwood / Anthony Rooley / Richard Campbell
L'Oiseau Lyre 713
L'Oiseau Lyre 417 123
Purcell: Songs and dialogues
Emma Kirkby / David Thomas / Anthony Rooley
Hyperion 66056
Songs, rounds and catches by Thomas Ravenscroft
There were three Ravens
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Virgin Veritas 91217
Rore: Il Quinto Libro di Madrigali
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Musica Oscura 70991
Schütz: First Book of Madrigals
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi (EMI) 1C 067 16 9527
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi (EMI) 47600
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 77118
Stradella: L'Anime del purgatorio
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Musica Oscura 70984
Tromboncino: Frottole
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre Florilegium 593
Vecchi: Selva di varia ricreatione
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Ermitage 169
Vecchi: L'Humore Musicale / La Caccia d'Amore
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
AS&V "Gaudeamus" 202
Verrijt: Flammae divinae, opus 5
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
NM Classics 92076
Ward: Madrigals and Fantasias
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 238
Madrigals by John Ward
Sweet Philomel
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Hyperion 66256
Ward: Madrigals & Fantasias
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Musica Oscura 70981
Ward: Psalms & Anthems
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Musica Oscura 70982
Weelkes: Madrigals and Anthems
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
AS&V "Gaudeamus" 195
Wert: Il Settimo Libro de Madrigali (1581)
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Virgin 90763
Virgin Veritas Edition 61177
Wilbye: Madrigals
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 597

Original Recordings - Collections

Amorous Dialogues
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 587
Arie Antiche
Emmy Kirkby & Anthony Rooley
Musica Oscura 07988
Le Chansonnier Cordiforme
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 186 D4
L'Oiseau Lyre (Japan) POCL-3170
Charming Strephon
Celebration of the Life and Times of John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Etcetera 1211
Concerto della donne - madrigali
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 77154
Cor mio, deh non languire
21 settings from Guarini
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Musica Oscura 70989
The Cozens Lute Book
Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 510
Danse fra Christian IV's tid
Anthony Rooley et al.
EMI "Dansk musik antologi" 38125
Don Quixote
Music by Purcell, Eccles and others
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Musica Oscura 70973
Duetti da Camera
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 588
Earth, Water, Air & Fire
A new look at John Dowland and friends
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
AS&V Gaudeamus 187
Elizabethan Songs
Emma Kirkby & Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 425 892
Gemma musicale
David Thomas & Anthony Rooley
Hyperion 66079
Gerusalemme Liberata
Settings of Tasso
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Musica Oscura 70990
Isabella d'Este - First Lady of the Renaissance
The Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
University of Oklahoma Center for Music Television (no number) [VHS]
King of the Low Seas
David Thomas & Anthony Rooley
Musica Oscura 070974
The Lady Musick
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 559
Lamento d'Arianna
Music of Monteverdi, Bonini, Pari, Costa, Verso, and Rascarini
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi (EMI) 1C 165 16 95043
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi (EMI) 49414
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 77115
The Leaves be Greene
The Renaissance of English Music
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 328
Madrigals and Wedding Songs for Diana
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Hyperion 66019
Musical Heritage Society 4941
The Mantle of Orpheus
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Musica Oscura 70977
The Mistress - Poems of Abraham Cowley
Music of Blow & Purcell
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Musica Oscura 70986
Music for the House of Fugger
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley / Baroque Brass of London - Michael Laird
Vol I: Deutsche Harmonia mundi (EMI) 1C 065 16 9554
Vol II: Deutsche Harmonia Mundi (EMI) 1C 065 16 9555
Compilation: Deutsche Harmonia Mundi (EMI) 49234
Music from the Time of Christian IV
Madrigals from South to North
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
BIS 392
Music with her silver sound
Martyn Hill / Anthony Rooley / English Consort
Turnabout 34443
A Musicall Banquet
Compiled by Robert Dowland, 1610
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 555
Musicke of Sundrie Kindes
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 203/6
My Lute Awake!
Anthony Rooley & James Tyler
L'Oiseau Lyre 336
O Vilanella
16th century Italian Popular Music
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 334
Olympia's Lament
Emma Kirkby & Anthony Rooley
Hyperion 66106
Orpheus and Corinna
Works by Lawes, Blow and others
Emma Kirkby & Anthony Rooley
BIS 1435
Pastoral dialogues
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 575
Renaissance Duets
Anthony Rooley & James Tyler
L'Oiseau Lyre 325
Renaissance Fantasias
Anthony Rooley
Hyperion 66089
The scyence of lutynge
Anthony Rooley
Musica Oscura 70971
Time Stands Still
Lute Songs on theme of mutability and metamorphosis
Emma Kirkby & Anthony Rooley
Hyperion 66186

Reissue Compilations

Bringing Light to the Unknown
Musica Oscura Sampler
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Musica Oscura 280826
Dowland: Collected Works
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
L'Oiseau Lyre 452 563 (12 CDs)
Dowland: Airs, Songs, Pavans
Various performers
Deutsche Grammophon 000819102 (2 CDs)
Dowland & Jones: Lute Songs
Emma Kirkby / Anthony Rooley
Virgin Classics 562 410 (2 CDs)
Madrigal History Tour
King's Singers, Consort of Musicke, etc.
EMI Classics 585713
Monteverdi: Madrigals
Consort of Musicke / Concerto Italiano / Ensemble Concerto / et al.
Brilliant Classics 99710 (6 CDs)
Monteverdi: Banquet of Senses
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Brilliant Classics 99784 (6 CDs)
Monteverdi: Madrigals
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Virgin Classics 5 62268 2 (7 CDs)
The Silver Swan
English Madrigals: Gibbons / Wilbye / Morley
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Decca 458 093 (2 CDs)
The World of Early Music
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley, dir.
L'Oiseau Lyre 547

I have been somewhat lax in the area of reissue compilations, and alternate catalog information given above should also be consulted. The primary aim is to list all original recordings.


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Todd M. McComb