This album compares hits from the Renaissance (by Rore, Lasso, Arcadelt and others) with their instrumental ornamented arrangement published in 1591 by Venetian Giovanni Bassano, author of a reference treatise on arrangement. It also includes some Paladino transcriptions for solo lute, performed by Anthony Bailes.

Nurtured by Sunday radio broadcasts of cantatas in his youth, Michel Corboz very soon developed a deep admiration for Bach, whose music was the guiding thread of his career. He approached every major sacred work, some more than once, always questioning the score and exploring new interpretive options. This album is a selection of the best moments from the passions, masses and oratorios, featuring beautiful vocal soloists such as José van Dam, Sandrine Piau and more. It also includes some instrumental tracks with keyboard concertos by Maria João Pires.

Although Bach and Monteverdi were the two main composers Michel Corboz recorded, he focused intensely on Vivaldi’s sacred music during the mid-70s, be it with the Gulbenkian Orchestra, the Lausanne ensembles or the English Bach Festival Baroque Orchestra. This collection includes the digital premiere of his recording of Beatus vir, RV 598, newly remastered!

There are some real injustices in the business of recorded music and this disc brings one of them very much to light. The opening lines of the liner notes say, "Until relatively recently, the reputation of Alessandro Scarlatti – the son, brother, father and uncle of other illustrious musicians – was overshadowed by that of his son Domenico." It is not stated on this disc whether the notes were written to go with this Apex re-issue or whether they date from the same period as the recording, but Alessandro’s reputation, if he has one, is still very much under his wonderful son’s shadow. It is an indication of a massive injustice, that this re-issue goes some small way to correcting.

Throughout these sessions, Michel Corboz defended a clear, fluid vision of Mendelssohn's choral music. Without exaggerating, he underscored the references to J. S. Bach or Handel, of whom the composer was so fond – the beginning of Psalm 115, with its colours, distinctly evokes the Cantor's Passions. As for the chorus ‘Kommt herzu’ from Psalm 95, it attests to the thoroughly religious fervour and solemn grandeur that incontestably innervate the Swiss conductor's interpretations.