Advanced Higher - Consort

Consort

In the Renaissance period, musical instruments were grouped into ensembles called "Consorts".

For instance: a group of various "Viols" playing a piece of music is known as a "Consort of Viols".

A bunch of Lutes being played together would be known as a "Consort of Lutes".

A group of Sackbuts would be known as a "Consort of Sackbuts".


... simple!


But what if the Consort was made up of different instruments? Say, a Lute, a Viol and a Sackbut?

We'd call this a "Broken" or a "Mixed" Consort. Either is acceptable.

Here's a Consort of Viols:

And here, a Consort of Recorders:

This bunch, or "Consort" - are playing a Galliard, which has its own post for you to learn all about.

And finally let's look at a Broken, or Mixed Consort:

See all the various instruments?

The Broken Consort laid the foundations for the Baroque Orchestra. You can perhaps see the parallels - wind and stringed instruments, and a Chordal Lute - which then obviously evolved into the Harpsichord of the Baroque era.