‘Arie Antiche’, with the elegantly bel canto lines favoured (supposedly) by composers and singers of two centuries and more ago, have long been part of the training and recital fodder of the singers of today. Here we have a selection of the most popular, exquisitely sung if with little regard for the original style.

Ramón Vargas, whose reputation chiefly lies in the field of Italian opera from Rossini to Verdi, has a voice of uncommon sweetness and evenness across a wide range, perfect intonation, and a control of line that others must envy. He certainly knows 101 ways of turning a phrase gracefully; listen for example to the Lotti piece. He is most in tune with the original style in the attractive aria by Leonardo Vinci, and among the least in the famous ‘Nina’ – here attributed both to Pergolesi and, rather more probably, Vincenzo Ciampi – which is surely taken far too slowly.

But all the pieces are (to put it mildly) compromised by the saccharine arrangements, for piano, six strings and five wind, by Sascha Goetzel and Joseph Turrin, which clog their textures, sap their energy and homogenise their style. But it is still outstanding tenor singing, with some wonderfully controlled pianissimo high singing, a fine sense of rhythm and much beauty of sound. Vargas might, however, find even wider scope for his artistry were he to try singing these pieces in something closer to their original form.