Agostino Steffani - Dances and Overtures

I Barocchisti shine the spotlight on a once widely admired but now forgotten Italian Baroque composer. Classic FM Drive Featured Album, 9 September 2013.

Diego Fasolis - acclaimed conductor of Cecilia Bartoli's recent album Mission - directs the brilliant Baroque ensemble I Barocchisti in a pioneering album of music by the little-known Italian composer Agostino Steffani (1654–1728). 

In his day, Steffani was greatly admired for his operas, which boasted particularly beautiful orchestrations. This album opens with seven selections from his celebrated opera Orlando and continues with a sparkling array of preludes, gavottes, gigues and airs, all taken from Steffani's operatic work.

Fasolis draws precise and exuberant performances from I Barocchisti and, with more than 40 tracks of enchanting music, this collection is a revelation.