Fretwork
Fretwork, that Rolls-Royce among viol consorts. (Janet Banks, The Strad, October 2025)
With beautiful blend, immaculate intonation and deft manoeuvring through closely woven lines, Fretwork found the light and shade in these pearl-like pieces. (The Times, 4th March 2026)
Fretwork celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. They gave their debut recital at Wigmore Hall in June 1986.
In these last decades, they have explored the core repertory of great English consort music from Taverner to Purcell, made classic recordings against which others are judged, and commissioned an entirely new repertory of music for viols.
The list of composers they have encouraged to create new works is like the role call of the most prominent writers of our time: Sir George Benjamin, Michael Nyman, Sir John Tavener, Gavin Bryars, Elvis Costello, Alexander Goehr, John Woolrich, Orlando Gough, Sally Beamish, Tan Dun, Barry Guy, Thea Musgrave, John Paul Jones, Nico Muhly, Sir James MacMillan and many others.
They have expanded their repertory to include music from over 500 years, from the first printed consort music in Venice in 1501, to music written this year. And, in between, everything that can be played on a consort of viols - Byrd & Schubert, Purcell & Shostakovitch, Gibbons & Britten, Dowland & Grieg.
This year they will commemorate the death of John Dowland with many performances of his great Lachrimae publication of 1604, with Ian Bostridge:
Le jeu du consort de violes se distingue par une sonorité chaleureuse et homogène, d’une grande souplesse dans les lignes contrapuntiques. (Olyrix, Paris 18th March 2026)
And they will celebrate their 40th anniversary with a performance in Wigmore Hall in October with new works and old, and a few surprises, no doubt.
Last year they issued albums devoted to the music of Arvo Pärt, Orlando Gibbons & Nico Muhly and John Jenkins. This year will see the release of discs devoted to French music - À la recherche du temps perdu - and the complete five-part consort music of John Jenkins.
The future sees many exciting projects based on the thrilling juxtaposition of old and new; making the experience of old music new and bringing the sensibilities of past ages to bear on contemporary music.