Despite the somewhat gimmicky presentation of this set, the programme offers a contrasting range of solo vocal music from all periods of the Baroque (though mostly the High Baroque is featured), both sacred and secular. The sleeve notes purport that the pieces represent the different facets of the way in which the female person was perceived and understood in the period concerned; in reality this is just cod social history, used as a marketing ploy by Naïve as a theme upon which to hang this selection of items from their back catalogue. There are some committed performances here but one would struggle to identify the ...
