There are at least half a dozen recordings of Vivaldi’s Stabat mater that I wouldn’t want to be without but this profoundly beautiful version leaps straight into their ranks. The Theatre of Early Music band is small (just single strings and simple continuo) but its playing never feels underweight, and rhetorical qualities in the music are clear yet unforced. The opening ritornello is immaculately played, with an ideal atmosphere of hushed melancholy; the affinity between the instrumentalists and Taylor’s gentle and deeply poetic singing is breathtaking. While some listeners may prefer gutsier or more “operatic” voices, or more obviously dramatic styles of lamentation, Taylor’s intelligent and stylish singing belongs in a select class alongside a few of the finest and sweetest voices of its type. There is plenty of understated dramatic weight in his interpretation of “O quam tristis”, and he tastefully moves through the few passages of more extended melismatic writing. “Eja mater” is often a stumbling block, but here the sparsely accompanied texture is enchanting. This beguiling performance frequently reminded me of recordings by Michael Chance and Robin Blaze (high praise indeed!), and the Theatre of Early Music’s dignified and flawless accompaniments play an equal part in the perfectly judged interpretation.

Pergolesi’s Salve regina is also given an affecting rendition: the string-playing has the perfect juxtaposition of piety and sensuality, and Taylor’s soft singing is admirably communicative of the words. Violinist Adrian Butterfield leads an exquisite performance of the solemn Sonata “al Santo Sepolcro”, and the well chosen programme is rounded off by Tilge, Höchster, meine Sünden (Bach’s creative yet respectful adaptation of Pergolesi’s Stabat mater, using the text of Psalm 51), in which Emma Kirkby’s delicate singing elegantly blends with Taylor’s. The countertenor has recorded BWV1083 before, with soprano Karina Gauvin and Les Violons du Roy (ATMA), but the Theatre of Early Music’s poignant playing gives the newcomer an advantage over alternative versions.