Many fine modern viol consorts ( ensembles ) are also recording and performing, among them the groups Fretwork, ORLANDOviols, the Rose Consort of Viols, Phantasm and Sirius Viols.

Fretwork has been most active in this regard, commissioning George Benjamin, Michael Nyman, Elvis Costello, Sir John Tavener, Orlando Gough, John Woolrich, Tan Dun, Alexander Goehr, Fabrice Fitch, Andrew Keeling, Thea Musgrave, Sally Beamish, Peter Sculthorpe, Gavin Bryars, Barrington Pheloung, Simon Bainbridge, Duncan Druce, Poul Ruders, Ivan Moody, and Barry Guy ; many of these compositions may be heard on their 1997 CD Sit Fast.

Fretwork is an interlaced decorative design that is either carved in low relief on a solid background, or cut out with a fretsaw, coping saw, jigsaw or scroll saw.

Fretwork is used to adorn furniture and musical instruments.

Fretwork is also used to adorn / decorate architecture, where specific elements of decor are named according to their use.

Fretwork patterns originally were ornamental designs used to decorate objects with a grid or a lattice.

In the 2000s: an anthology, Classical Kirkby, devised and performed with Anthony Rooley, on the BIS label, 2002 ; Cantatas by Cataldo Amodei, also for BIS, 2004 ; with Fretwork, consort songs by William Byrd, for Harmonia Mundi USA, 2005 .; Scarlatti Stabat Mater with Daniel Taylor, for ATMA, 2006 ; Honey from the Hive, songs of John Dowland, with Anthony Rooley, for BIS, 2006: and Musique and Sweet Poetrie, also for BIS, 2007 ; lute songs from Europe with Jakob Lindberg.

Fretwork is a consort of viols based in England, United Kingdom.

In addition to its performances of early music, Fretwork has been active in commissioning new works for viol consort.

Fretwork has recorded a series of discs for Virgin Classics and currently records for Harmonia Mundi USA.

Finally it includes the first recording of ' Birds on Fire ' itself, a three-part piece by Orlando Gough written for Fretwork in 2001.

A transcription for viol consort was recorded by the UK group Fretwork in 2005.