Music from the Baroque period has a wholly satisfying quality that is at its best when it is performed on period instruments. The King?s Consort is one of the best-known European period orchestras, and it was a fortunate group who heard them when they appeared at the City Hall Theatre on January 25.

The programme on Wednesday evening was a varied one, including works by the little-known Moravian composer Gottfried Finger, as well as Handel, Purcell, and Vivaldi.

The performers included trumpet virtuoso Crispian Steele-Perkins, the steadfast yet spirited violinist Kati Debretzeni along with Jonathan Cohen, a remarkable young cellist, and harpsichordist Matthew Halls, whose extraordinary ability as a member of this ensemble and as an accompanist makes him the foundation of this group. Soprano Lorna Anderson?s role in this programme was significant, performing four groups of short pieces. Her voice is perfect for music from this period, blending quite perfectly with the rich resonance of these instruments.

The King?s Consort opened their programme with a short sonata by Finger ? and it was certainly my introduction to this composer. Sonata No. 1 in C is uncomplicated and so is a good way to hear for the first time the distinctive quality of the instruments and to discover that The King?s Consort perform together with a remarkable level of cohesion. It seems the musicians are driven to enhance the performance of their fellow players and thus, the whole ensemble in a way that is hard to find. It was also an introduction to an early version of the trumpet, which of all the instruments is entirely different from the modern instrument.

Handel?s Violin Sonata in D Major accomplished two things: first, it demonstrated just why Handel is the better known of the two composers, and demonstrated both the beauty of the period violin and the magnificent musicianship of Kati Debretzeni. This formal, more complex piece allowed the audience to further appreciate how remarkably these musicians play together. Despite the formality of the style, the violinist gave this Sonata colour and texture, while the accompanying musicians enhanced her performance and provided a cohesion of tone that was, nonetheless, beautifully textured.

In addition to giving a delightful performance, members of The King?s Consort take it in turns to tell the audience about their instruments and the musical period. Crispian Steele-Perkins delighted those at City Hall by giving a short and entertaining history of the trumpet, explaining that the period instrument on which he was performing can be used to accompany singers ? which is quite out of the question with the modern version.

Mr. Steele-Perkins went on the accompany Lorna Anderson, demonstrating this point quite succinctly, as the tone of the trumpet and the voice meld to create a most delightful sound.

Jonathan Cohen took centre stage with Vivaldi?s Cello Sonata in A minor. Vivaldi is such a favourite, and Mr. Cohen did not disappoint. He integrated beautiful phrasing and an animated performance, particularly in the fast movements, yet with the discipline and restraint that this style demands.

The concert concluded with some very well known arias, including Sound the Trumpet by Purcell, which concluded this superb evening of music on an extremely high note.