Despite its surprisingly simple title, Arie, the greater part of the collection published by Barbara Strozzi in 1644 consists of five cantatas and one serenata,...

Despite its surprisingly simple title, Arie, the greater part of the collection published by Barbara Strozzi in 1644 consists of five cantatas and one serenata, all of which are included on this recording. In many ways, these compositions reflect the composer’s desire to experiment with and challenge the conventions of the genres with which she was working; challenges surmounted here by soprano Emanuela Galli and instrumentalists of La Risonanza, expertly led from the harpsichord by Fabio Bonizzoni.