his fourteen part sonata is not only one of Gabrieli’s largest ensembles ~ including a ‘coro grave’ or low choir ~ but also the most harmonically daring of all his instrumental works. And yet after several minutes of sumptuous and intricate counterpoint, the piece disappears delightfully but surprisingly into thin air.

Gabrieli is one of the truly great composers but sadly neglected. His compositions, moreover, are rarely of great technical difficulty, making them ideal for mixed ensembles an...