The religious devotion of Neapolitans can be witnessed to by the incredible number of churches, chapels and monasteries which, early on, had begun to impress travellers there; there were more than five hundred at the close of the 16th Century. This devotional fervour was further aided, in the course of the 17th Century, by a number of tragic events: the Flanders war, the revolution of Masaniello, famine, two terrible plagues (1630 and 1656) and the eruption of Vesuvius in 1631. The Marian cult, widespread in the city, became the symbol of a restless search for protection and help.

Glossa now reissues, in a 2CD set at a special price, two important releases from Antonio Florio (1991 and 1995) which documented in sound this Marian cult. Supported by great vocal contributions by the likes of Roberta Invernizzi, Daniela Del Monaco or Pino de Vittorio and the always fine instrumental forces of his instrumental ensemble, Antonio Florio brings back to life, in the best way, forgotten works by Francesco Provenzale, Giovan Maria Sabino or Erasmo di Bartolo.