1612 Italian Vespers

I Fagiolini/Robert Hollingworth Decca 478 3506 ****

You might for a moment think the date is wrong here. However, although Monteverdi features, these are not the famous Monteverdi Vespers of 1610. Yes, it is a collection of atmospheric and atmsopherically recorded polychoral pieces, but the spur to the recording was a collection of psalms by Ludovico Grossi da Viadana, which was published in 1612.

Along with the Viadana there are works by Palestrina, Monteverdi, Barbarino, and Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli, including spectacular recreations by Hugh Keyte in the spirit of what conductor Robert Hollingworth calls "a brief but concentrated period of musical gigantism". If you liked the kind of rich sonic immersions that Resurgam offered in their Sacred Symphonies concerts at Dublin's City Hall in February, this should be right up your alley. See url.ie/4w4k