The importance of Venice in the 16th and 17th centuries hardly needs emphasizing here, and in many ways this collection of eight motets represents some of the most well known composers in the renaissance and baroque eras; figures such as Andrea Gabrieli, Willaert and Monteverdi. In fact, most of the composers represented here were employed at the infamous basilica of S. Marco at some point in their careers, providing a wonderful coherence to the collection.