This is an operetta more in the vein of Offenbach's than in the later waltz-wallowing ones of Lehár. It has a wide variety of rhythms, all well paraded by Michail Jurowski. The Overture and the ensemble which Suppé called 'Orgy' have liveliness, verve and zest, and if that is tautological, they deserve the nouns…All is well recorded and very enjoyable.

If Colin Blunstone had only recorded the hits by the Zombies (such as "Tell Her No," "Time of the Season," and "She's Not There") he should and would be a household name. However, Blunstone had an equally impressive solo career. This collection documents his excellent Epic/CBS sides, especially those from his exquisite One Year album. Tracks from that include "Say You Don't Mind," a suburb song written by Denny Lane (ex-Moody Blues, future Wings), as well as Blunstone's original "Caroline Goodbye," which very well may be the finest record of 1970. Add to this the impressive tracks from albums like Ennismore and others, and you have the real voice of the 1970s that was sadly under-appreciated and certainly under-heard. Like a gossamer cloth, it sweeps elegant.

This album was released in 1973 following the amazingly original albums 'Back To Front' and 'Himself' released in 1972 and 1971. It seems the 70s are O'Sullivan's vintage era and it is astonishing he could keep writing so many songs of highest quality and originality. Like the previous album, this one includes, not only hit songs like 'Get Down' and 'Ooh Baby', but also heart-warming and memorable songs like 'Where peaceful waters fllow', 'Afriend of mine' and 'They've only themselves to blame'. One of the characteristics of this album is the unabashed sense of humour and striking melodies which go very well with the witty lyrics in the songs like 'I'm a writer not a fighter', 'Who knows perhaps maybe' and 'If you love me like you love me'. This is certainly one of the best albums by O'Sullivan.

The Missa Corona spinea is a kind of treble concerto, packed with mind-blowing sonorities. If ever there was music to exemplify Shakespeare's 'Music of the Spheres', it is here, and especially in the two ecstatic treble gimells. The first performance, probably in front of Henry VIII and Cardinal Wolsey, must have been an astonishing occasion.

Francesco Cavalli’s musical production is dominated by his forty or so operas (some of which are still of doubtful authenticity). Cavalli’s apparent nonchalance no doubt helped to foster the legend of a person who seemed to be constantly hesitating between the security of a post at St Mark’s and the attraction of melodrama. Moreover, his functions as singer and organist in Venice did not stipulate that he was to compose religious music; his priveleged position at the basilica, which was synonymous with social success, nevertheless encouraged him to leave his mark. When he was appointed maestro di cappella on Rovetta’s death, he devoted himself to enriching a corpus of new music destined for the repertory of St Mark’s.

Georg Friedrich Händel wrote musical history with his operas. In his chosen domicile, London, he had to fight off italian competition, but having already studied their style in Rome he was well-equipped to mount the most important of the world's stages.