On this CD the fabulous Cecilia gives us a collection of baroque arias, some never before recorded. She is backed by the superb Cappella Gabetta and cellist Sol Gabetta; the latter gets a chance to shine in the final work on the disc, the Cello Concerto No 10 in D Minor by Boccherini.

The collection is drawn from across 100 years of music by Albinoni, Vivaldi, Gabrielli and Handel. Works by lesser known composers such as Caldara and Porpora are recorded for the first time, such as Gianguir. Imperatore el Mogol and Gli orti esperidi. The more pliant items such as from Handel’s Ode for St Cecilia’s Day are very touchingly sung.

However, I’m not sure where to sit with this new recording. Primarily,...