The archives of Mdina Cathedral in Malta house a number of
12th- and 13th-century antiphonaries, a collection of over
150 printed works (many unique) by later French and Italian composers,
and a large number of manuscripts by 17th-century Italian
composers. Such musical wealth indicates the importance of
liturgical music in the cathedrals of Mdina and Valetta,
especially in the 17th century when large numbers of composers,
singers and instrumentalists came to Malta from Rome, Venice
and elsewhere. Many of the manuscripts in the archive, works written
expressly for Maltese performances, are the only extant copies.
This recording reveals some of these neglected treasures to a
wider audience for the first time.
Recorded in New College Chapel, Oxford
4 - 6 July 1995
Playing time : 55'10" DDD
