Highlights here include performances by El Maloumi (oud), Zuckermand (sarod) and Seki (shakuhachi), while the singing of Yokio Tanaka (accompanying himself on biwa), though not an easy taste to acquire, undoubtedly displays great skills. Savall's regular colleagues - Hespèrion, La Capella Reial and the divine Figueras - are as superb on this recording as ever.

This interesting package traces Francis Xavier's life, from his birth in Navarre to his death off the coast of China. The music is beautifully performed and recorded. The first track, marking Xavier's birth, is an 'alba' played on the shawm. Vocal and instrumental pieces follow...