In fact, we begin at the beginning. “Maria – La Visione” is topped and tailed by a movement from “The Annunciation” from Biber’s “Mystery” Sonatas, played with panache by Mira Glodeanu. The simple “Ninna nanna” is followed by “Maria”, composed by members of Barbara Furtuna, and a free adaptation of Merula’s “Hor ch’è tempo”: this is another lullaby which, like “Ninna nanna”, foretells the death of Jesus.

Barbara Furtuna is a male-voice quartet from Corsica, featured in four numbers. The singers’ shouty, rather nasal tone will not appeal to everyone but it seems entirely appropriate to their repertoire of traditional and original songs. Their Stabat mater runs to just three verses: Nuria Rial follows with a full setting by Giovanni Felice Sances. This varies recitative with aria over a ground bass, one of the many passacaglias or chaconnes – not all described as such – on the disc. A similar example is Monteverdi’s “Laudate Dominum in sanctis eius”, a solo motet from the Selva morale e spirituale.

The vocal honours are shared between Nuria Rial and Philippe Jaroussky, who come together only for the one secular piece – ravishingly sung – from an opera by Legrenzi. The cornett playing of Doron David Sherwin is miraculous; the epicene singing of a “tenorino napoletano” (Vincenzo Capezzuto) is a taste I have yet to acquire.