Search - Claudio Monteverdi, Rinaldo Alessandrini, Concerto Italiano :: Monteverdi: Madrigals Book 6 (Tome VI) (1614) - Concerto Italiano, Rinaldo Alessandrini

About this CD (Informational)

Slobberer | Astoria, NY United States | 09/23/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Monteverdi: Madrigals, Book 6

Monteverdi: Il Sesto Libro de Madrigali (1614)

Concerto Italiano - Rinaldo Alessandrini

Arcana 66

Arcana 321

Contents:



Lamento d'Arianna



1. Lasciatemi morire

2. O Teseo, Teseo mio

3. Dove, dove è la fede

4. Ahi ch'ei non pur risponde

5. Zefiro torna e'l bel tempo rimena

6. Una donna fra l'altre

7. A Dio Florida bella

Sestina: Lagrime d'Amante al Sepolcro dell'Amata



8. Incenerite spoglie

9. Ditelo voi

10. Darà la notte il sol

11. Ma te raccoglie

12. O chiome d'or

13. Dunque amate reliquie

14. Ohimè il bel viso

15. Qui rise Tirsi

16. Misero Alceo

17. "Batto" qui pianse Ergasto

18. Presso un fiume tranquillo



Performers: Cristina Miatello, Rossana Bertini (sopranos), Bianca Simone (mezzo-soprano), Claudio Cavina (alto), Sandro Naglia, Giuseppe Maletto (tenors), Daniele Carnovich (bass), Mara Galassi (harp), Andrea Damiani (lute, theorbo), Rinaldo Alessandrini (harpsichord)



Playing time: 73'



Recording date: May 1992



By the time he published the Sixth Book, Monteverdi had come to terms with the operatic genre, had made it his own, and was to use theatrical devices increasingly often in his madrigal writing. Although this book does contain some contrapuntal part-writing in the older style, even this is informed with the new declamation & ornamental turn... the entire book is one of the utmost modernity. Here we see Monteverdi's seconda prattica in full flower.



Despite the great historical significance of opera, and the huge emotional impact still readily made by his Vespers of 1610, it is important to remember that Monteverdi's output is centered on the madrigal. It is here that he perfects his ideas, and here that he goes on to explore them to the fullest. A kaleidoscopic variety of emotions is nowhere more readily discernible.



Indeed this consummation is brought out clearly at the beginning of the book, with Arianna's Lament, Monteverdi's most popular madrigal cycle and arranged directly from his opera Arianna. The Sixth Book goes on to be perhaps Monteverdi's most intimately emotional. A new invigoration of various novel texts was achieved by a combination of dramatic recitation and choral declamation. Yet he does turn toward older material at times: he sets two Petrarch sonnets (items #5 & #14) in dramatically modern style, two of only four Petrarch settings by Monteverdi.



The present recording uses a later printing, in which basso continuo parts have been added (by Monteverdi) to those madrigals which did not previously possess them. This adds to the feeling of modernity here, and indeed this technical aspect is what places us unequivocally in the Baroque era.



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