Mario Capuana (c1600-46/7) and Bonaventura Rubino (1600-68) were active in Sicily, both producing music for their respective cathedrals on either side of the island – Capuana at Noto and Rubino at Palermo. Their requiem masses were published a mere three years apart (1650 and 1653 respectively), share the influence of Venice and the sound world of Monteverdi but treat the text in markedly different ways. Capuano tends towards the style of the dramatic madrigal and Rubino makes greater use of polyphony, imitation and occasionally charming soprano solo passages, notably in the Mors stupebit section. Neither mass is in the top rank, but the stylish Namur singers make a convincing case for their revival.
