The beginning of the 17^th century saw a real ‘boom’ in Marian celebrations with a correspondingly sharp increase in the number of relevant texts set to music. Parallel to this we find a burgeoning appreciation of the sensual nature of the texts of the Song of Songs. Baroque poets saw no difficulty in fusing these trends and quite naturally presented Mary as a pattern of piety, self-sacrifice and morality, but equally as the ideal of the Beloved personified.

In "O quam pulchra es" savādi… combine reflective Marian motets and sensual settings from the Song of Songs from early 17^th century Italy with specially commissioned works of three young 21^st century composers.