This album, rewarded with the seal “Luister 10” by the prestigious Dutch magazine Luister, is a journey through the many characters inherent in the ensemble music of late 16th and early 17th century Italy. The title refers to three recurrent allegories found not only in music but also in literature and the visual arts. Angels are both messengers and archetypical symbols of the divine and supernatural. Their voices shine through in the motets by Corfini, Agostini, Trombetti and Rossi. Arcadian shepherds represent the ideals of beauty and harmony, translated into music in the elegant dances by Alberti, Molinaro and Rossi and in the well-balanced instrumental music by Cavazzoni, Guami and Andrea Gabrieli. Finally, the appearance of gypsies and other ‘marginal’ figures in the visual arts provided a perfect medium to challenge the traditional artistic laws. Music was no different, as evidenced in a few extravagant compositions by Ruffo, Frescobaldi and Trabaci.