Paul Peuerl was a Protestant organist and composer active in Austria in the early 17th century. (Rudolf Flotzinger’s very thorough annotations to the CD booklet furnish as comprehensive an overview of his career as one could wish.) The multi­movement suites that make up the bulk of this very enjoyable disc are characterised by the recurrence of motivic and harmonic design from dance to dance (the so­called ‘variation­suite’‚ of which Peuerl was one of the first protagonists). Beyond that‚ the performances from Harmonico Tributo have a gentle verve and a variety of textures and ensemble combinations‚ ranging from solo harpsichord or organ to a fully fleshed­out mixed ensemble‚ such as one might imagine for major celebrations. It is certainly straightforward music‚ but the musicians bring it engagingly to life and bring out its scope for displaying their virtuosity (Jean Tubéry’s cornetto­playing is a case in point). These instrumental selections come from Peuerl’s first publication of 1611‚ devoted exclusively to instrumental music. Harmonico Tributo’s singers are added to the ensemble in the selection of German devotional songs from another of Peuerl’s publications‚ which gives the disc its title. The vocalists‚ many of them well known from other ensembles‚ acquit themselves admirably on the whole. I found the very tight vibrato of one of the sopranos occasionally distracting‚ but that seems of little moment in a recital of this quality. Needless to say‚ it takes an independent label like CPO to support a project like this one. With the ‘major players’ increasingly reluctant to take on specialist projects (indeed‚ some have been shedding their early music commitments with almost casual unconcern)‚ one feels an increasing duty to say how greatly such advocacy is to be valued.