The cycle of 125 variations that Costanzo Festa composed on the 37-note cantus firmus ‘La Spagna’ is conceived on a scale unique during the Renaissance, and may justly be described as a compositional tour de force. Comparisons with Johann Sebastian Bach’s 'Goldberg Variations' are inevitable.

This CD offers a first recording of 32 of the variations in instrumental performances using two differently constituted ensembles.

Track Listing:
1. Contrapunto 46 
2. Contrapunto 41 
3. Contrapunto 105 
4. Contrapunto 101 
5. Contrapunto 88 
6. Contrapunto 76 
7. Contrapunto 124 
8. Contrapunto 81 
9. Contrapunto 60 
10. Contrapunto 77 
11. Contrapunto 122 
12. Contrapunto 25 
13. Contrapunto 118 
14. Contrapunto 47 
15. Contrapunto 35 
16. Contrapunto 40 
17. Contrapunto 8 
18. Contrapunto 14 
19. Contrapunto 108 
20. Contrapunto 9 
21. Contrapunto 85 
22. Contrapunto 37 
23. Contrapunto 70 
24. Contrapunto 125 
25. Contrapunto 71 
26. Contrapunto 117 
27. Contrapunto 28 
28. Contrapunto 104 
29. Contrapunto 58 
30. Contrapunto 121 
31. Contrapunto 123 
32. Contrapunto 34 

"a Renaissance tour de force. Outstanding." - Andrew Clarke, The Independent, 4-10 October 2003 *****

“Van Nevel conjures superbly smooth interpretations from his performers, rich in many varieties of sound and texture….Stunning.” - International Record Review, December 2003

“These contrapuncti show both technical ingenuity and inexhaustible artistic invention, with each variation standing well as an individual entity.” - Early Music Today, June/July 2004