Classical Italian vocal music is noted for its drama and emotion. Most famously displayed by grand operas, this level of pathos appears even in arias—the Italian word for solo songs.
It’s printed on every page of the three-volume collection “Arie Antiche,” a collection of the best soloistic vocal songs 16th- and 17th-century Italy had to offer. When musicologist Alessandro Parisotti selected nearly 100 songs from decaying manuscripts in the late 19th century, he doubtless chose those with the most memorable melodies and compelling themes.
