Hilliard Ensemble
The Hilliard Ensemble is one of the world's foremost male a
capella ensembles. Their repertory ranges from the medieval to
the modern, to which they bring a unique sound honed by years of
performing together. The ensemble consists of David James
(countertenor), Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor), Steven Harrold (tenor),
and Gordon Jones (baritone), a basic constituency which formed in
2001. The core of the group's repertory is drawn from the ample
volume of scores for four-voice ATTB ensemble, a disposition which
is sometimes expanded for certain programs and especially on the
records from the 1980s. The ensemble takes a cooperative approach
to program planning, while the undirected performances allow a
spontaneity which is sometimes difficult to achieve in more closely
controlled environments.
Based in the UK, the ensemble's historical contribution to the
recorded discography of early music has been substantial, as
evidenced by this page, where several recordings have been among
the most influential for the repertory. Their name is taken from
the English miniaturist Nicholas Hilliard (c.1537-1619), and is
perhaps not incidentally related to that of former member Paul
Hillier, who provided much of the early program planning before
moving to the US. The list of singers who have been members or
performed with the group in the past reads like a who's who of
English male voices, including Paul Agnew, David Beavan, Michael
Chance, Charles Daniels, Paul Elliott, Michael George, David Gould,
Robert Jones, Leigh Nixon, Mark Padmore, John Potter, Christopher
Robson, and Ashley Stafford.
This document is currently under construction. Please help me
by providing additional information, or correcting any mistakes.
Thank you.
Todd M. McComb
mccomb@medieval.org
To Early Music FAQ
Discography
(chronological, by recording date)
- 17th & 18th Century Songs & Catches
- Recorded: 70s?
Saga Classics 3332
- The Romantic Englishman
- Recorded 8/77
Meridian 89009
- Popular Music from the Time of Henry VIII
- Recorded: 1977; Also: Saga 2257
Saga Classics 5444
- Songs for a Tudor King
- Fayrfax / Browne / Cornysh, etc.
Recorded: 1978 ; Also: Saga 3378
Saga Classics 5461
- Power: Masses & Motets
- Recorded: 9/80
Virgin Edition 61345
- The Merry Companions
- Songs and Catches from Purcell to Arne
Recorded: 1981?
Saga Classics 5477
- Isaac: Sacred & Secular Works
- w/ Kees Boeke Consort
Recorded: 12/81
EMI Reflexe 63063
- De Monte: Sacred & Secular Works
- w/ Kees Boeke Consort
Recorded: 12/81
EMI Reflexe 63428
- Medieval English Music - Anon 14th & 15th centuries
- Recorded: 9/82
Harmonia Mundi musique d'abord
1901106
- Rore: Le Vergine
- Recorded: 9/82
Harmonia Mundi musique d'abord
1901107
- Dunstable: Motets
- Recorded: 9/82
Virgin Edition 61342
- Josquin: Motets and Chansons
- Recorded: 2/83
Virgin Veritas Edition 61302
- Marenzio: Madrigals
- Recorded: 1983
UEA Recordings 82126 (LP)
- Schütz: St. Matthew Passion
- Recorded: 9/83
EMI Reflexe 49200
- Lassus: Motets, Stabat Mater, Chansons
- Recorded: 9/83
Virgin Veritas Edition 61166
- Lassus: Penitential Psalms
- w/ Kees Boeke Consort
Recorded: 7/85
Virgin Edition 61216 (2 CDs)
- Byrd: Masses
- Recorded: 10/83
EMI Reflexe 63441
- J.S. Bach: Motets
- w/ Knabenchor Hannover & London Baroque
Recorded: 7/84
EMI Reflexe 49204
- Ockeghem: Requiem / Missa Mi-Mi
- Recorded: 9/84
Virgin Veritas Edition 61219
- The Singing Club
- Ravenscroft / Lawes / Purcell / Arne
Recorded: 9/84
Harmonia Mundi 901153
- Sumer is Icumen in
- Medieval English Songs
Recorded: 9/84
Harmonia Mundi 901154
- Palestrina: Canticum canticorum / Motets Book IV / Spiritual
Madrigals
- Recorded: 11/84
Virgin Veritas Edition 61168
- Schütz: Schwanengesang - Opus Ultimum
- Recorded: 3/85
Virgin Veritas Edition 61306
(2 CDs)
- Dufay: Missa L'homme armé / Motets
- Recorded: 1/86
EMI Reflexe 47628
- Byrd: Songs of Sundrie Natures
- w/ London Baroque
Recorded: 3/86
EMI Reflexe 47961
- Tallis: The Lamentations of Jeremiah
- Lamentations, Mass for 4 voices, Motets
Recorded: 9/86
ECM New Series 1341
- Machaut: Messe de Notre Dame
- w/ Le Lai de la Fonteinne & Ma fin est mon commencement
Recorded: 3/87 & 2/89
Hyperion 66358
- Sacred and Secular Music from Six Centuries
- Recorded: 3/87 & 2/89
Hyperion 66370
- Music from the time of Christian IV
- Recorded: 4/87
Bis 389
- Draw on Sweet Night
- English Madrigals
Recorded: 5/87
EMI Reflexe 49197
- Ockeghem: Missa Prolationum and Marian Motets
- Recorded: 4/88
EMI Reflexe 49798
- Perotin
- Recorded: 9/88
ECM New Series 1385
- Dowland: Ayres
- Recorded: 9/88
EMI Reflexe 49805
- Josquin Desprez: Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae, etc.
- Recorded: 5/89
EMI Reflexe 49960
- German Romantic Partsongs
- Schubert / Schumann / Cornelius / Reger / Strauss
Recorded: 9/89
EMI Reflexe 54017
- di Lasso & Ockeghem
- Lagrime di San Pietro / Missa pro defunctis
The Hilliard Ensemble / The Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Recorded: 1990 or prior
Nutech Digital Silverline Classics
323 [DVD]
- Medieval Music
- Recorded: 1/90
Conifer Records "Sunday Times
Music Collection" 4
- Gesualdo: Tenebrae Responsories
- Recorded: 3/90
ECM New Series 21422 (2 CDs)
- Pierre de la Rue: Missa Cum iocunditate / Motets
- Recorded: 9/90
Virgin Edition 61392
- The Old Hall Manuscript
- Recorded: 9/90
Virgin Edition 61393
- Introitus
- w/ Hespèrion XX
Recorded: compilation & 1990
EMI Reflexe 55207
- Spanish and Mexican Renaissance Vocal Music
- Music in the Age of Columbus / Music in the New World
Recorded: 1/91
Virgin Edition 61394 (2 CDs)
- Morales: Missa Mille regretz / Magnificat
- w/ Junta de Andalucia
Recorded: 1991
Almaviva 0101
- Italian Renaissance Madrigals
- Recorded: 1991
EMI Reflexe 54435
- Walter Frye
- Recorded: 1/92
ECM New Series 1476
- Codex Speciálník
- Recorded: 1/93
ECM New Series 1504
- Lassus: Missa pro defunctis / Prophetiae Sibyllarum
- Recorded: 1993
ECM 1658
- Sweet love, sweet hope
- Music from a 15th-century Bodleian manuscript
Recorded: 1996
Isis Records 030
- Perotin and the Ars Antiqua
- Recorded: 8/96
Hilliard Live 1001
- For Ockeghem
- Recorded: 1997
Hilliard Live 1002
- Antoine Brumel
- Recorded: 1997
Hilliard Live 1003
- In Paradisum - Victoria: Officium defunctorum / Palestrina
- Recorded: 1997
ECM 1653
- Guillaume Dufay - Missa Se la face ay pale
- Recorded: 1998
Hilliard Live 1004
- Machaut: Motets
- Recorded: 2001
ECM 1823
- Gombert: Missa Media Vita In Morte Sumus
- Recorded: 2002
ECM 1884
- J.S. Bach: Motetten
- Recorded: 2003
ECM "New Series"
1875
- Audivi vocem
- Works by Tallis, Tye & Sheppard
Recorded: 2005
ECM 1936
- Elemente
- Trigonale 2007 - Festival der Alten Musik
Recorded: 2007
Raum Klang 2705 (2 CDs)
- Royal Manuscripts: The Genius of Illumination
- The Sixteen - Harry Christophers / The Hilliard Ensemble
Released: 2012
Coro 16098
- Transeamus
- Recorded: 2012
ECM "New Series"
2408
In each case, the catalog number given in italics is the most
recent known release; only a percentage are currently available.
Modern Recordings
- Arvo Pärt: Arbos
- w/ many other performers
Recorded: 8/86 & 1/87
ECM New Series 1325
- Arvo Pärt: Passio
- Recorded: 3/88
ECM New Series 1370
- Arvo Pärt: Miserere
- Recorded 9/90 & 12/90
ECM New Series 1430
- Giya Kancheli: Abii ne viderem
- w/ many other performers
ECM New Series 1510
- Officium
- w/ Jan Garbarek
Recorded: 9/93
ECM New Series 1525
- Gavin Bryars: Vita Nova
- ECM New Series 1533
- Arvo Pärt: Litany
- ECM New Series 1592
- A Hilliard Songbook
- ECM New Series 1614/15 (2 CDs)
- Mnemosyne
- w/ Jan Garbarek
ECM New Series 21700 (2
CDs)
- Gavin Bryars: Cadman Requiem
- w/ Fretwork
Point Music 462 511
- Morimur (after J.S. Bach)
- w/ Christoph Poppen
ECM New Series 1765 (2 CDs)
- Andrew Keeling: Quickening the Dead
- w/ Bacchanalia / Susanna Pell
Recorded: 10/98
Riverrun 55
- Lockerby Memorial Concert
- w/ Gavin Bryars / Fretwork
Gavin Bryars Recordings 3
- Bach-Webern: Ricercar
- w/ Munich Chamber Orchestra - Christoph Poppen
ECM New Series 1774
- Cornelius de Bondt: Blood
- w/ Nederlands Blazers Ensemble
Nederlands Blazers Ensemble "Live"
4
- Thy Kiss of a Divine Nature
- The Contemporary Perotin
Arthaus Musik 100 695 (2 DVDs +
CD)
- Raskatov: Prayers and Praise
- w/ Netherlands Chamber Orchestra - Krystof Maratka
Released: 2013
Challenge Classics 72578
- In Search of the Miraculous
- w/ EQ Ensemble
Louth Contemporary Music 1301
- Holliger: Machaut-Transkriptionen
- w/ viola trio
ECM "New Series"
2224
I have not generally listed reissue extracts or compilations
here. Links to them should be available in the individual files
where appropriate.
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