A gifted singer and a brilliant multi-instrumentalist – with a legendary mastery of the recorder – David Munrow was a transformative force in early music. In 1967, alongside Christopher Hogwood, he founded the Early Music Consort of London, an ensemble that would redefine historical performance. His prolific discography on Warner Classics and Nonesuch remains a treasure trove of reference recordings, testifying to his immense virtuosity, eclecticism, and pioneering spirit.

When he died in May 1976, at only thirty-three, Munrow left behind a recorded legacy that, in its breadth and significance, rivaled – and in some respects surpassed – that of far more senior figures. His output ranged from the twelfth century to the high Baroque and the great vocal masterpieces of the Renaissance – with occasional forays into the twentieth century. A world-class director and a compulsive collector of instruments from around the globe, Munrow brought ancient sounds vividly to life with an infectious energy that continues to resonate today.

David Munrow was a transformative, largely self-taught figure who erupted into the British music scene in the 1960s. Born in Birmingham in 1942, his fascination with early music was ignited as a cathedral chorister and further solidified by his discovery of indigenous instruments in South America. He possessed a natural flair for communication, brilliantly presenting the music he loved through frequent BBC Radio 3 broadcasts and the popular youth program Pied Piper.

An abiding passion for the recorder and early wind instruments defined Munrow’s professional life. He was a brilliant multi-instrumentalist who collected and mastered exotic instruments like the crumhorn, shawm, and rackett, bringing them into mainstream consciousness. His mastery was characterised by a “sure sense of line” and “quickfire articulation”. His landmark project, The Art of the Recorder, remains a panoramic survey of the instrument's rich heritage, showcasing his virtuosity across a vast historical timeline

In 1967, Munrow founded The Early Music Consort of London, a versatile ensemble featuring other luminaries like Christopher Hogwood and James Bowman. As a director, he had a “great flair” for researching and planning thematic concert programs that blended scholarly principles with natural charm and humor. He was an intensive rehearser who demanded the highest standards, ensuring his concerts were sold-out events that transformed early music from a minority interest into a popular listening experience.

Munrow viewed recordings as indispensable for building an international reputation. In barely ten years, he produced a massive discography, including ambitious projects like the three-LP set The Art of Courtly Love and the groundbreaking Instruments of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. He was meticulously involved in every aspect of production, from selecting cover art and writing sleeve notes to advising on post-production editing to ensure a specific sound color and balance.

When Munrow took his own life at age thirty-three in May 1976, he left behind a legacy that “shook the stuffing out of early music”. His recordings, such as Dufay’s Mass Se la face ay pale, became benchmarks for the vocal ensemble style adopted by subsequent generations. His work remains a “treasure trove” for listeners today, characterised by a relentless “delight in discovery” and a “joy in performance” that continues to bring forgotten musical gems to life.

Contents:

CD 1: THE PLEASURES OF THE ROYAL COURTS
I. The Courtly Art of the Trouvères · II. The Burgundian Court of Philip the Good · III. The German Court of Emperor Maximillian I · IV. Italian Music of the Medici Court · V. The Spanish Courts in the Early 16th Century

CD 2:
SUSATO 12 Dances from the ‘Danserye’ · MORLEY Dances for Broken Consort from ‘The First Booke of Consort Lessons’

CD 3: HENRY VIII AND HIS SIX WIVES

CD 4: MUSIC FOR FERDINAND AND ISABELLA OF SPAIN

CDs 5-6: THE ART OF COURTLY LOVE
I. Guillaume de Machaut and his age · II. Late fourteenth-century avant-garde


CD 8: RENAISSANCE SUITE: LA COURSE EN TÊTE original soundtrack

CD 9: DUFAY  Missa ‘Se la face ay pale’

CD 10: PRAETORIUS Dances from Terpsichore · Motets

CD 11:
TELEMANN Suite in A minor, TWV 55:a2 · SAMMARTINI Concerto in F major · HANDEL Concerto in B-flat major, HWV 294

CDs 12-13 THE ART OF THE RECORDER
The Middle Ages · The Renaissance · The Early Baroque · The Late Baroque · The 20th Century

CD 14: MONTEVERDI Vespro della Beata Vergine

CD 15: PURCELL Come ye Sons of Art · Love’s goddess sure

CD 16-17: INSTRUMENTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES AND RENAISSANCE
Woodwind · Keyboard · Brass ·  Strings · Percussion

CDs 18-19: THE ART OF THE NETHERLANDS
Agricola, Barbireau, Brumel, Busnois, De La Rue, Des Prez, Ghizeghem, Isaac, Obrecht…

CD 20: GREENSLEEVES TO A GROUND
Dowland, Purcell, others from XVI-XVIIth century · Vaughan Williams, Rubbra and others from XIX-XXth century

CD 21: MONTEVERDI’S CONTEMPORARIES
D’India, Grandi, Mainerio…

Recordings from 1969-1975