Magnificat in B

Francesco Durante (1684–1755) was highly esteemed by his contemporaries, and even at the end of the 19th century he was still described in musical literature as “one of the greatest Italian church composers and composition teachers of all time.” His Magnificat in B flat major is undoubtedly one of his most important compositions and one of the most significant settings of this text in cantata form. It masterfully combines the traditional polyphonic notation with modern, early Classical elements.