Rossini's Stabat Mater is one of the staples of the sacred music repertoire but had a complicated history. He wrote it for performance in Madrid...

Rossini's Stabat Mater is one of the staples of the sacred music repertoire but had a complicated history. He wrote it for performance in Madrid but, running short of time, enlisted the help of his friend Giovanni Tadolini. Rossini completed six pieces, Tadolini seven. Tadolini's pieces now only exist as piano reductions but conductor Antonino Fogliani has orchestrated them to allow listeners to hear the original work for the first time since 1833. Marco Tarelli's 2009 orchestration of Giovanna d'Arco (Joan of Arc), a cantata for solo voice, is also heard on this first recording.