The programme on this disc consists of a selection of Italian 17th-centruy vocal duets and trios from the Whitelocke manuscript, with Carissimi’s large-scale cantata I Naviganti at its heart. These duets and trios form a kind of refined entertainment music for intimate occasions: emotionally charged, yet playful songs about love and passion intended for an aristocratic audience. The combination of simple yet elegant melodies and colourful, sometimes even bold, harmonies lends these songs a particular sweetness which is here brought out by a close-knit group of some of the finest performers in the field of period performance today, with Emma Kirkby, Peter Harvey, Susanne Ryd