The brothers Lawes and their colleague Christopher Simpson were on the cutting edge of England’s musical life in the first half of the 17th century. Virtuoso viols and voice were their medium. Paradise was lost when Charles I was executed in 1649, leaving a drab stage and a musical moratorium to the Puritans. After a decade, the Merry Monarch, Charles II, returned from Europe bringing a new musical dream to the Fairest Isle. The stage was set for Henry Purcell and a new golden age of English music.

Les Voix Humaines is one of Canada’s best known early music ensembles. Charles Daniels, a renowned English soloist particularly noted for his performances of baroque music, has made over 25 recordings with The Kings Consort.

“Not only is the musicianship world-class, but the players also convey a combination of pomp and dancing physicality that draws on English folk traditions. This is Englishry at its best, comparable with the native genius of Shakespeare and the King James Bible.” -Tom Moore, Early Music America