‘Robert King's essential exploration of Monteverdi offers yet more evidence of the master's genius. Here the familiar sits with lesser known settings of sacred settings, all works of staggering beauty. King and the soloists capture the essence of this music, with outstanding contributions from Carolyn Sampson, Charles Daniels and James Gilchrist’ (The Independent)

‘The King's Consort has grown in confidence in this music as the recordings progress; each of these pieces is a joy. The soloists are uniformly excellent, with James Gilchrist comining into his own … These are Rolls-Royce recordings, drawing on the very best of British musicians and recording experience. Even the ripieno choir is peopled with some of the country's most experienced singers’ (Early Music)

‘I'm inclined to think this superbly engineered disc the most successful issue yet in a splendid series. Fervently recommended’ (Goldberg)

‘This magnificent series goes from strength to strength, each fresh instalment reaching even more stratospheric standards of excellence than its predecessor’ (The Daily Telegraph)

‘Any survey of the sheerly magnificent on CD over the past year will have to begin with Robert King's astounding new account of the Monteverdi Vespers on Hyperion, which is quite the most wonderful noise to come my way in years … solo and choral singing and the instrumental playing all attain the exceptional quality one has long come to expect with the conductor … unquestionably a major addition to the Vespers discography’ (Fanfare, USA)

‘I can only join the label in saying 'thank you' to the many contributors who sent in funds, and I urge listeners everywhere to help the investment pay off by purchasing this set without delay. It's gorgeous and you'll love it, even if you already own other versions of this extraordinary work’ (Classics Today)

«Même en ayant d'autres (bonnes) versions en mémoire, celle-ci se situe parmi les toutes meilleures» (ResMusica.com, France)

‘It is the motets that are the crowning glory, especially James Gilchrist's gorgeously sensuous Nigra sum. His impassioned, full-throated singing, and skillful use of pauses, rubato and sudden pianissimos, turn the piece into a wonderfully spontaneous outpouring of erotic emotion’ (The Daily Telegraph)

‘The majesty and contrapuntal wizardy of this fabulous work never fail to astonish and this is a very fine performance, making effective use of the spatial effects that are an integral part of the music's architecture … the choir of the King's Consort sing with virtuosic skill and purity of articulation’ (The Sunday Telegraph)

‘Despite having heard four wonderful volumes of Monteverdi's sacred music from The King's Consort, and its 2004 Proms performance of the 1610 Vespers, I was still unprepared for the ecstatic consequences of taking seriously at least one aspect of Monteverdi's so-called seconda-pratica—using much freer counterpoint, with an increasing hierarchy of voices: that the word is mistress of the music. And what ecstasy!’ (Gramophone)

‘Wonderful music; wonderful performances. Justice has been done to Monteverdi’ (The Times)

‘Added to the 'list of things to do before you die' should be 'hearing Monteverdi's 1610 Vespers in as good a recording as you can find'. This Monteverdi is truly mind-blowing. Vespers virgins need seek no further, and serious collectors are advised not to ignore what may prove to be more than one reviewer's 'disc of the year' (MusicWeb International)