Widely acclaimed as one of the leading conductors of his generation, Robert King will be performing in Malta for the first time in January as part of the Valletta International Baroque Festival. Here he chats to Jo Caruana about old masters and new passions.
There are very few people out there who have done anything for a solid three decades and, yet, still bring enthusiasm and excitement to it every day.
Each of my seven performances at the Proms in London’s Royal Albert Hall was quite something
But internationally-acclaimed conductor and musician Robert King has done just that and continues to wow audiences with his dedication and unwaning talent with every performance.
“I’ve been a musician specialising in performing on period instruments – the instruments that the composer would have used during his lifetime – for 32 years,” King explains.
“I started The King’s Consort when I was at university. I was already really interested in period instruments, and being at a great university such as Cambridge, surrounded by amazing musicians, proved to be the perfect opportunity to start performing the music that really fascinated me.”
That university start-up with its humble beginnings has certainly developed since. Today it has gone on to become one of the world’s most famous period instrument orchestras, with an associated choir that is just as illustrious. The choir has actually featured in some major Hollywood films.
“When we first started out, it was mostly Baroque music that we played – the music of Bach, Handel, Monteverdi, Purcell and so on. In the decades since, we have moved into other territories as well. In fact, in early 2013, we will be releasing a disc on our brand new Vivat CD label, with music by two great British composers of the late 19th century, Stanford and Parry.
“We’ve gathered together 85 musicians for that disc, from 15 nations, all playing exactly the right instruments. It has resulted in an amazing sound, just like getting an old master’s painting and removing 100 years of dirt to reveal what the artist actually painted!”
During his lively career, King has made 95 recordings which have sold some 1.5 million CDs and won many international awards. He made his BBC Proms conducting debut in 1991 and has since been invited back a further seven times.
His busy international conducting schedule has seen him perform across the globe with many of the major symphony orchestras in the US, Canada, almost every European country, Hong Kong and Japan, as well as with some of the world’s leading choirs. Meanwhile, his operatic conducting has taken him to Japan, Paris, Germany and Spain.
“There have been too many amazing concerts to list, really,” he says with a smile when asked about the highlights of his career.
“But each of my seven performances at the Proms in London’s Royal Albert Hall was quite something. Playing in great halls such as Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, or going to Vienna, Paris or Venice is always a thrill. I especially love the Concert Hall in Lucerne, Switzerland. For me, it is the finest modern concert hall in the world and I am in awe of it. But it isn’t just the grand spaces that impress; sometimes it is the little, off-the-beaten-track concerts that are most rewarding.”
Though King is especially famous for his interpretation of Baroque music, he also conducts a wide spread of classical and early romantic works, both symphonic and choral. He is also specialised in early 20th-century English composers and is widely regarded as a leading expert on the music of 17th-century English composer Henry Purcell. Moreover, he is a frequent broadcaster for the BBC, writing and presenting diverse programmes.
“Music is very democratic,” he says. “Whoever you’re performing to, audiences vote with their feet and with their wallets! If audiences like what a performer does, they come to the concerts and they buy the CDs.”
Thus, the fact that The King’s Consort and their ‘fearless leader’ are still so busy after 32 years suggests they must be getting something right!
“Audiences often remark on the spirit that is so evident on stage – that we are passionate about our music but also that we are having such fun performing. That’s so important – you must connect with your audience.”
Meanwhile, in the world of film music, King was a music consultant for Ridley Scott’s epic Kingdom of Heaven and his harpsichord playing can be heard in the hit film Shrek 2. No less impressive, his other Hollywood projects have included work for The Chronicles of Narnia, Pirates of the Caribbean, Flushed Away and assisting award-winning composer Hans Zimmer on the The Da Vinci Code.
With such a portfolio behind him, the musician and The King’s Consort are now looking forward to another first: their local performance in January.
“I am very excited to be coming to a country with such an incredible cultural history. And in January, when the UK will be cold and spring will still be a while off, a few days of warm climate will be very welcome!
“I hope our audience in Malta will have a terrific evening – we are certainly bringing some great music along for the ride.
“Some of it people will know, and other pieces will be new to them – that’s always an exciting mix. It promises to be a really wonderful night.”
The King’s Consort will perform as part of the Valletta International Baroque Festival, organised by the Manoel Theatre between January 9 and 26.