One hour of browsing through early music, with an accent on Masses. Claudio Monteverdi, born 450 years ago – a new era, part 1
In 2 episodes of The Early Garden, a mini-series on Claudio Monteverdi, subtitled “born 450 years ago – a new era”. His music marked the transition of the Renaissance to Baroque, where he become one of the inventors of baroque music. At the age of 15, he published his first collection and not long after, his first spiritual madrigals. In this first episode, we play a selection of madrigals, but parts of his best known work L’Orfeo as well, one of the first operas.
You can also hear part of his greatest work Vespro della Beata Vergine, or the Mary Vespers.
Portrait of Claudio Monteverdi (oil on canvas) by Fetti or Feti, Domenico (1589-1624) – Galleria dell’ Accademia, Venice, Italy
Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)
From the second book of madrigals, for five voices
1. Non si levava ancor l’alba novella (prima parte)
2. E dicea l’una sospirando asllora (seconda parte
Concerto Italiano conducted by Rinaldo Alessandrini
(CD Monteverdi secondo libri de madrigali Opus 111 OPS 30-118)
From the fourth book of madrigals (1607):
3. Felle amaro en Stabat virgo mater
From the fifth book of madrigals :
4. Plagas tuas
Ex Cathedra olv. Jeffrey Skidmore
(CD Monteverdi Madrigali fatta spirituale ASV CD GAU 174)
5. From Orfeo: Prologue:
– Toccata
From Orfeo: First act
– Pastore, Coro, Ninfa : In questo lieto e fortunato giorno
– Coro, pastore: Lasciate I monti
– Orfeo, Euridice, Coro: Rosa del ciel
– Coro di Ninfe, Vieni Imeneo
– Ritornello – Coro: Alcun non sia che disperato in preda
Concerto Vocale conducted by René Jacobs. Laurens Dale, tenor. Efrat Ben-Nun, soprano.
(CD Monteverdi L’Orfeo Harmonia Mundi 901553.54)
6. From the Vespro della Beata Vergine (1610):
I Versiculum: Deus in auditorium
II Antiphona and Psalmus 109 Dixit Dominus
III Concerto: Nigra sum
Musica Fiata Köln, Kammerchor Stuttgart, Choralschola der Niederalteicher Scholaren.
Gillian Fisher and Monique Zanetti, soprano. David Cordier, alto. John Elwes and William Kendall, tenor. Conductor: Frieder Bernius
(CD Claudio Monteverdi. Vespro della Beata Vergine DHM RD 77760, 1989)
