Whole consort

A whole consort refers to a group of musical instruments of the same family—such as viols or recorders—that performed together during the Renaissance and early Baroque periods. These ensembles typically included different sizes and pitches of the same instrument, blending their sounds to create a rich, harmonious group. Whole consorts were often played indoors and used for chamber music or social gatherings. In modern terms, it's akin to a band composed solely of flute-like instruments or string instruments, emphasizing uniformity and collective harmony rather than diverse sounds.