The seventeenth-century Latin dialogue is a sung conversation on a sacred subject involving two or more characters, each of whom is represented by a single voice. This is the first critical study of the genre, which has never been the object of comprehensive scholarly treatment. Few exist in modern editions, and a valuable portion of this book is the complete transcriptions of 10 dialogues, representative of their range and invention.

Professor Noske divides his subject-matter into biblical and non-biblical dialogues, and offers a comprehensive discussion of their musical and non-musical aspects. The development of the genre throughout the seventeenth century is illustrated by focusing on six dialogues on the subject of the Sacrifice of Abraham. Those few dialogues written outside Italy (less than 10 per cent) are considered separately. The text is illustrated throughout with many music examples.

In the course of his discussion Professor Noske brings to light a number of minor masters and allows for a reappraisal of more well-known composers familiar through other genres, such as Giovanni Legrenzi. The study also adds to our understanding of seventeenth-century sacred music as a whole.