Musica Secreta - Dialogues with Heaven - Scotland on Sunday

Linn's Early Music catalogue grows ever richer, and this release of motets by Chiara Margarita Cozzolani is a fascinating addition, not least because they were penned by a Milanese nun. Cozzolani's Benedictine convent may have been enclosed, but her pieces reflect the musical environment of mid-17th century Italy and have an uncommon worldliness. Musica Secreta's delivery can sometimes be a bit dry, but generally this fine group strikes a balance between scholarly correctness and a real passion for music which is, after all, passionate.