1619—Wolfenbüttel, Germany

Michael Praetorius, in his Syntagma Musicum III, writes enthusiastically about a mixed consort he says is in use in England: “The English quite appropriately refer to a consortio as ‘consort,’ when several people with assorted instruments, such as harpsichord [Clavicymbeln] or double harpsichord [Großspinet], large lyra viol, double harp, lutes, theorbos, pandoras, penorcon, cittern, violas da gamba, small discant violin [Geig], transverse flute or recorder, sometimes also a soft trombone or recorder, play harmoniously together, softly and sweetly in a charming ensemble (Praetorius-Kite-Powell III 19).