The 17th-century musician and writer Thomas Mace described in 1676 how listeners were "drawn into raptures and contemplations by...musick's divine language, to quietness, joy, and peace; absolute tranquility." This double-disc set offers over 2 1/2 hours of Baroque era music that validates Mace's assertion by focusing on slow tempo excerpts culled from the masterworks of the period's preeminent composers. The resultant overall tone of meditative calm and serenity is established right from the start with the familiar strains of Pachelbel's Canon and is sustained throughout by the variety of examples of the forms, styles, and innovations developed by the likes of J.S. Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, and Albinoni. Even taken out of context, selections such as Gluck's "Dance of the blessed spirits," Purcell's "Dido's Lament," and Pergolesi's Stabat Mater are powerful representations of what came to be known as Baroque. The collected recordings are all first rate and feature outstanding performances by distinguished artists such as Janet Baker, András Schiff, Andreas Scholl, Heinz Holliger, and Neville Marinner.