William Lawes died in September 1645 fightingon the royalist side during the Siege of Chester.‘Will Lawes was slain by those whose willswere laws’, wrote one anti-Puritan poet, andmany other fine literary laments testify to theadmiration in which the composer was held atcourt.

Phantasm and Elizabeth Kenny garneredrave reviews with their recording of the cavaliercomposer’s Royal Consorts. Their lunchtimeprogramme also includes works by MatthewLocke, England’s leading composer at thetime of the Restoration.