The Sixteen are one of the world’s great choral ensembles, with three decades of performing and recording to their name. While the ensemble members now number more than their name would suggest, they are still going strong, recently delving into the repertoire of Polish baroque masters. Their fifth release in this series spotlights the works of Marcin Mielczewski, one of the most noted Polish composers of the 17th century.

Musically, Mielcziewski found an affinity with the Italian style, influenced by Italian composers based in Poland, as well as the polyphonic works of Palestrina. Most of his output consists of instrumental-vocal church concertos, which feature on this disc, along with two masses, motets, and purely instrumental music in the form of two canzonas. It’s in the first canzona, for two instruments, where you can hear music with...