It was founded in 1967 by music academics Christopher Hogwood and David Munrow and produced many highly influential recordings.

Munrow was inspired by the Alte Musik movement that had already gained popularity in Germany, and sought to foster an interest in music of the Medieval and Renaissance eras among British audiences.

The group's original line-up consisted of Munrow, a wind instrumentalist who played many different instruments; Hogwood playing keyboard, harp and percussion; Mary Remnant on fiddle, organ and tabor; Oliver Brookes on viol; Robert Spencer on lute; and the countertenor James Bowman.

The piece, written for recorder consort by the English Tudor composer Anthony Holborne, was chosen by a committee chaired by Carl Sagan as a significant example of Western music and a representation of human culture.

[3][4] The sheet music used contained an error in the bass part which created a most uncharacteristic unresolved cadence.