The Arie Antiche collected by the composer and teacher Alessandro Parisotti in the late 19th century have become as important a teaching aid as Czerny’s exercises for the piano. However, taken as they are from amongst the finest of old songs from the Italian baroque, here are pieces brought together from the finest of the period as well as some that are only now beginning to be mined effectively (Handel and Caccini as well as Martini and Porpora).

The fine French contralto Nathalie Stutzmann has been excellently and intimately recorded here, and she and her instrumental ensemble Orfeo 55 have tried for something new in their chosen selection. Rather ingeniously, Stutzmann has gone back to the sources in order to replace Parisotti’s piano accompaniment with a string-led ensemble. And where this type of arrangement has not survived, she and/or members of the band have chosen to rewrite their own sympathetic accompaniments.

The accompaniment in these recordings is intimate to say the least, with the strings perhaps being a little too closely miked for comfort; the wide and powerful range of Stutzmann’s vocals is admirably caught with the rich depth of her range beautifully sought and judged. Anyone who is interested in the Italian baroque need not hesitate with this judicious choice of songs that beautifully contrasts the popular with the alien.