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Before becoming one of the most famous composers of Baroque in England, George Frideric Handel has already made the international step to Italy when he was in his twenties. During his three-year stay in Italy, Handel was invited to Rome in 1707 to compose music for the annual feast of the Carmelite Order at their church, Santa Maria di Monte Santo. His famous "Dixit Dominus" was most likely premiered on 16 July 1707 in this church and Handel conducted the music on at least one of these holidays. His antiphons "Haec est Regina virginum" and "Te decus virgineum" were also performed during this feast.
This album was recorded in Santa Maria di Monte Santo, the church where Handel's Latin sacred works were performed in Rome, and includes his psalm "Dixit Dominus" and the antiphons "Haec est Regina virginum" and "Te decus virgineum". The album also presents rarely recorded sacred works by other composers of the 17th and 18th centuries such as Pasquini, Colonna, Bononcini and Scarlatti as well as Gregorian chants which also were most likely performed during this feast - based on the research of experts of roman liturgical music such as Padre Grosso, historian archivist of the Carmelite order. The ensemble invites the listener to experience the special vesper music as it was performed in a Roman church at that time - with quiet chants juxtaposed with large-scale, highly virtuosic instrumental works.