The Rowallan Consort

The Rowallan Consort was formed in 1994 by Robert Phillips and William Taylor to explore early Scottish music for lute and clarsach. Their debut recording, 'Notes of Noy, Notes of Joy' (Temple Records COMD2058), presents the exquisitely combined sound of the Highland clarsach with the lute, in a rich and varied programme which includes popular tunes and songs from the 16th century, as well as instrumental pieces and court songs by some of the greatest masters of the Scottish Renaissance.

They are joined for this recording by two Scottish singers of growing international stature - Mhairi Lawson and Paul Rendall.

'Notes of Noy (sadness); Notes of Joy' refers to two of the ancient divisions of Scottish music