Robert King (conductor)

Robert King (born 27 June 1960 in Wombourne) is an English conductor, harpsichordist, editor and author. His career has concentrated on period performance of classical music, in particular from the baroque and early modern periods. In 2007, he was convicted of fourteen charges of indecent assault, some against minors, and jailed. Following his release, he resumed his musical career.

Robert King
Born (1960-06-27) 27 June 1960
Wombourne, Staffordshire, England
NationalityBritish
Alma materSt John's College, University of Cambridge
Occupation
Criminal charge(s)Indecent assault
Criminal penaltyImprisonment for three years, nine months
Criminal statusReleased; placed on Sex Offender Register for life
Websitewww.robertking.eu

Career

As a youth, he was a member of the Choir of St John's College, Cambridge. He read music at St John's College, Cambridge and in 1980, while still a student, founded the period instrument orchestra The King's Consort.[1][2][3] As conductor and artistic director of The King's Consort, King has made more than 100 recordings, mostly for Hyperion Records.[3]

He has worked as a conductor with orchestras in Europe and North America, including the Seattle, Houston, New World, Oregon, Detroit, Atlanta, Minnesota, WDR and NDR Symphony Orchestras, the Bergen Philharmonic, the Munich Radio Orchestra, Zurich Chamber Orchestra, Danish National Radio Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo, the Orchestra della RAI Torino, Orchestra Sinfonica Giuseppe Verdi di Milano, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife, Orquesta Ciudad de Barcelona, Real Filharmonia de Galicia, Real Orquesta Sinfónica de Sevilla and the Orquesta e Coro Ciudad de Madrid.[4] As a choral conductor, King has worked with the Nederlands Kamerkoor, Orfeo Catala, Orfeón Donostiarra, Swiss Radio Choir and the BBC Singers. Operatic work has included Handel Ottone in Japan and the UK, Handel Ezio in Paris, Purcell The Indian Queen in the UK and Germany, Purcell The Fairy Queen in Spain and Britain and Gluck Armide for Buxton Festival. He has written and presented for the BBC, been artistic director of music festivals in Sweden, Germany, and the UK, and contributed to the scores of a number of Hollywood films including Pirates of the Caribbean, Shrek 2, Flushed Away, and The Da Vinci Code.[5]

Besides his work in the field of baroque music, King has conducted a wide spread of classical and early romantic works, symphonic and choral, with a particular focus on the music of Mozart, Haydn and Mendelssohn, and a continuing specialisation in early twentieth century English composers, notably the works of Vaughan Williams, Stanford and Parry.[4]

Following a custodial sentence in 2007 for the sexual abuse of minors,[6][7] King made a return to the podium in 2009. Having recorded mostly for Hyperion Records prior to his conviction, since 2013 he has recorded for his own label, Vivat,[8] whose debut recording, I Was Glad, reached number 1 in the UK Specialist Classical Albums Chart[9] and was a finalist in the 2013 Gramophone Awards.[10]

A published author and editor of many scores, principally of baroque music, King wrote a monograph on Purcell published in 1995, to coincide with the 300th anniversary of the composer's death in 1695. In 2010 and 2011, two volumes of English church music edited by King were published by Oxford University Press,[11] joining nearly 100 other works he has edited from the Baroque and Classical eras.

He was formerly with the agency HarrisonParrott.[6]

Indecent assault convictions

In 2007, King was convicted of fourteen charges of indecent assault for the sexual assault of five boys, three under the age of sixteen, between 1982 and 1995; he was acquitted on another charge.[12] King received a custodial sentence of 3 years 9 months and was placed on the sex offenders' register for life.[13] During the case, King denied the abuse, describing the boys as "absolute liars".[12]

Following his sentence, King was not prohibited from working with children.[6] In 2013, commenting after criticism for his taking part in a charity fundraising concert, King stated that he had 'accepted my sentence, and have paid my debt to society'.[14][15]

Personal life

At the time of his conviction, King was married, with a young child.[6]

Published works
  • Henry Purcell - "A Greater Musical Genius England Never had". London: Thames & Hudson, 1995. ISBN 0-500-01625-9
  • English Church Music. Volume 1: Anthems and Motets. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010. ISBN 978-0-19-336841-5
  • English Church Music. Volume 2: Canticles and Responses. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011. ISBN 978-0-19-336844-6

Discography

Founded in 1980 by Robert King, the period instrument orchestra and choir The King's Consort has made more than 100 recordings under King's direction, winning many international awards and selling more than 1,500,000 copies.

LabelCatalogue NoTitleYear
MeridianCDE84126Handel: Eternal Source of Light1986
MeridianCDE84129Vivaldi: Laudate Pueri1987
MeridianCDE84138Vivaldi: Salve Regina1987
HyperionCDA66253Blow/Purcell: Countertenor duets1987
HyperionCDA66267Bach/Telemann: Oboe Concertos1988
HyperionCDA66294Pergolesi: Stabat Mater1988
HyperionCDA66314Purcell: Complete Odes, Vol. 1 - Royal & Ceremonial Odes1988
HyperionCDA66278Telemann: Musique de Table1989
HyperionCDA66288Purcell: Mr Henry Purcell's Most Admirable Composures1989
IMPPCD894Great Baroque Arias1989
HyperionCDA66315Handel: Music for Royal Occasions1989
HyperionCDA66326Bach: Cantatas 53, 169 & 1701989
HyperionCDA66339Vivaldi: The Four Seasons1989
HyperionCDA66349Purcell: Complete Odes, Vol. 2 - Hail, bright Cecilia!1989
HyperionCDA66350Handel: Fireworks Music & Coronation Anthems1989
HyperionCDA66380Bach: Violin Concertos1989
HyperionCDA66361/2Handel: Acis & Galatea1990
HyperionCDA66377Mozart: Epistle Sonatas1990
Erato245 014-2De Lalande: Sacred Music1990
HyperionCDA66398Schütz: The Christmas Story1990
HyperionCDA66412Purcell: Complete Odes, Vol. 3 - Fly, bold rebellion1990
HyperionCDA66440Handel: Italian Duets1990
HyperionCDA66383Albinoni/Vivaldi: Oboe Concertos1991
HyperionCDA66447Awake Sweet Love1991
HyperionCDA66456Purcell: Complete Odes, Vol. 4 - Ye tuneful Muses1991
HyperionCDA66461/2Handel: Joshua1991
HyperionCDA66474Couperin: Leçons de Ténèbres1991
HyperionCDA66476Purcell: Complete Odes, Vol. 5 - Welcome glorious morn1991
HyperionCDA66483Handel: James Bowman sings Heroic Arias1991
HyperionCDA66494Purcell: Complete Odes, Vol. 6 - Love's goddess sure1992
HyperionCDA66585Purcell: Complete Anthems & Services, Vol. 11992
HyperionCDA66587Purcell: Complete Odes, Vol. 7 - Yorkshire Feast Song1992
HyperionCDA66598Purcell: Complete Odes, Vol. 8 - Come ye sons of Art1992
HyperionCDA66609Purcell: Complete Anthems & Services, Vol. 21992
HyperionCDA66623Purcell: Complete Anthems & Services, Vol. 31993
HyperionCDA66641/2Handel: Judas Maccabaeus1993
HyperionCDA66644Purcell: Complete Anthems & Services, Vol. 41993
HyperionCDA66656Purcell: Complete Anthems & Services, Vol. 51993
HyperionCDA66663Purcell: Complete Services & Anthems, Vol. 61993
HyperionCDA66841/2Handel: Deborah1993
United88002Music from the Courts of Europe: London1993
HyperionCDA66751/3Handel: Ottone1993
HyperionCDA66677Purcell: Complete Anthems & Services, Vol. 71994
HyperionCDA66686Purcell: Complete Anthems & Services, Vol. 81994
HyperionCDA66693Purcell: Complete Anthems & Services, Vol. 91994
HyperionCDA66707Purcell: Complete Anthems & Services, Vol. 101994
HyperionCDA66710Purcell: Complete Secular solo songs, Vol. 11994
HyperionCDA66716Purcell: Complete Anthems & Services, Vol. 111994
HyperionCDA66720Purcell: Complete Secular solo songs, Vol. 21994
HyperionCDA66730Purcell: Complete Secular solo songs, Vol. 31994
HyperionCDA66769Vivaldi: Sacred Music Vol. 11995
HyperionCDA66797Handel: James Bowman sings English Arias1995
HyperionCDA66881/2Vivaldi: Complete Cello Sonatas1995
HyperionCDA66961/2Handel: The Occasional Oratorio1995
HyperionCDA66779Vivaldi: Sacred Music Vol. 21996
HyperionCDA66843Bach: Six Trio Sonatas1996
HyperionCDA66875Scarlatti/Hasse: Salve Regina1996
HyperionCDA67171/3Handel: Joseph & his Brethren1996
HyperionCDA66789Vivaldi: Sacred Music Vol. 31997
HyperionCDA66967Handel/Telemann: Water Music1997
HyperionCDA67201/2Bach: Mass in B minor1997
HyperionCDA67241/2Handel: Alexander Balus1997
HyperionCDA67281/2Vivaldi: Sacred Music, Vol. 4 - Juditha Triumphans1998
HyperionCDA67048Lo Sposalizio1998
HyperionCDA67059Kuhnau: Sacred Music1998
HyperionCDA67073Vivaldi: Concerti con molti istromenti1998
AccentureCONS1001The Bright Seraphim1998
HyperionCDA66799Vivaldi: Sacred Music Vol. 51999
HyperionCDA67108Boccherini, Astorga: Stabat Mater1999
HyperionCDA67283/4Handel: L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato1999
AccentureCONS1002The Grand Tour1999
HyperionCDA67160Knüpfer: Sacred Music2000
HyperionCDA66809Vivaldi: Sacred Music, Vol. 62000
HyperionCDA66819Vivaldi: Sacred Music, Vol. 72001
HyperionCDA67260Schelle: Sacred Music2001
HyperionCDA67266Haydn, Hummel, Hertel Trumpet Concertos2001
HyperionCDA67286The Coronation of King George, 17272001
HyperionCDA67298Handel: The Choice of Hercules2002
HyperionCDA67361/2Vivaldi: La Senna Festeggiante2002
HyperionCDA66829Vivaldi: Sacred Music, Vol. 82002
HyperionCDA66839Vivaldi: Sacred Music, Vol. 92003
HyperionCDA67350Zelenka: Sacred Music2003
HyperionCDA67428Monteverdi: Sacred Music, Vol. 12003
HyperionCDA67438Monteverdi: Sacred Music, Vol. 22004
HyperionCDA67463Handel: Ode for St Cecilia's Day2004
HyperionCDA67487Monteverdi: Sacred Music, Vol. 32004
HyperionCDA66849Vivaldi: Sacred Music, Vol. 102004
HyperionCDA67510Haydn, Michael: Requiem2005
HyperionCDA 67519Monteverdi: Sacred Music, Vol. 42005
HyperionCDA67553Vivaldi: Cello Concertos2006
HyperionCDA67560Mozart: Exsultate jubilate2006
HyperionCDA67531/2Monteverdi: Vespers, 16102006
HyperionCDA67570Rossini: Petite Messe solennelle2006
HyperionCDA67627Handel: German Arias2007
VivatVivat101I was glad: Sacred Music of Stanford & Parry2013
VivatVivat102Couperin: Trois Leçons de Ténèbres2013
VivatVivat104Monteverdi: Heaven and Earth2013
VivatVivat105Handel: Your tuneful voice2014
VivatVivat106Purcell: Ten Sonatas in Four Parts2014
VivatVivat110Purcell: Twelve Sonatas of Three Parts2015
VivatVivat111Handel-Mendelssohn: Israel in Ägypten2016
VivatVivat112Decades: a century of song – volume 1 (1810-1820)2017
VivatVivat113A Voice from Heaven2017
VivatVivat114Decades: a century of song – volume 2 (1820-1830)2017
VivatVivat115Fantasy – Alissa Firsova2017
VivatVivat116Decades: a century of song – volume 3 (1830-1840)2018
VivatVivat117Abbandonata – Handel Italian cantatas2018

Collections
LabelCatalogue NoTitleYear
HyperionKING1The Music of The King's Consort1991
HyperionKING2Essential Purcell1994
HyperionKING3The James Bowman Collection1996
HyperionKING4The King's Consort Baroque Collection1997
HyperionKING5Essential Bach1999
HyperionKING6Essential Handel2005
HyperionKING7The King's Consort Collection2005
HyperionKING2017The King's Consort Collection 20172017
gollark: How bad.
gollark: ddg! H.265 lossless (ethical)
gollark: I vaguely remember it had a lossless mode, actually.
gollark: Wouldn't that be lossy?
gollark: I now need to enter stage 3, emu war online development.

References
  1. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music, Oxford University Press, 1996/
  2. "The King's Consort, direction Robert King". Satirino. Archived from the original on 18 April 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
  3. "Robert King (organ)". Hyperion Records.
  4. "Robert King". Lucerne Festival. Archived from the original on 6 September 2015.
  5. "Choir of the King's Consort [gb]".
  6. Fenton, James. "Facing the music". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  7. Amy Bourke, Conductor jailed for abusing boys can still teach, Pink News, 6 June 2007 (accessed 2 February 2019)
  8. Robert King unveils recording studio in Suffolk, Rhinegold
  9. "I was Glad – Sacred Music of Stanford and Parry – The Lady Organist".
  10. "Gramophone - Gramophone Awards 2013 Shortlist".
  11. http://catalogue.oup.com/product/9780193368415.do
  12. BBC News website,http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6720213.stm
  13. Westphal, Matthew. "Conductor Robert King Convicted of Abusing Teenage Boys". Playbill Arts. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  14. Widdecombe, Ann (10 July 2013). "People are entitled to start again after serving a prison sentence".
  15. "I have served my time, says sex offender".
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