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

  8. Sestina: Lagrime d'Amante al Sepolcro dell'Amata
  9. Incenerite spoglie
  10. Ditelo voi
  11. Darà la notte il sol
  12. Ma te raccoglie
  13. O chiome d'or
  14. Dunque amate reliquie
  15. Ohimè il bel viso
  16. Qui rise Tirsi
  17. Misero Alceo
  18. "Batto" qui pianse Ergasto
  19. 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.

The present ensemble's latest recording of the 6th book:

Monteverdi: Il Sesto Libro de Madrigali
Concerto Italiano - Rinaldo Alessandrini
Opus 111 (Naïve) 30-423

Selected recordings of Monteverdi's seconda prattica madrigals:

Monteverdi: Quinto Libro de' Madrigali (1605)
Concerto Italiano - Rinaldo Alessandrini
Opus 111 30-166
Monteverdi: Sesto Libro dei Madrigali, 1614
La Venexiana - Claudio Cavina
Glossa 920926
Monteverdi: Madrigals Book VI (1614)
Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Virgin Veritas 59605
Monteverdi: Lamento d'Arianna
Concert Vocale - René Jacobs
Harmonia Mundi "Suite" 7901129
Monteverdi: Arie e lamenti per voce sola
Montserrat Figueras, et al.
Astrée 8710
Monteverdi: Lamento di Arianna / Scherzi Musicali
Ensemble Arte-Musica Francesco Cera
Tactus 561307
Monteverdi: Madrigals Book VI (1614)
I Soloiste del Madrigale - Giovanni Acciai
Nuova Era 7165
Gerusalemme Liberata
Monteverdi: Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda
w/ De Wert, d'India, Marini, Mazzochi, Flamengo, Eredi
Ensemble Elyma - Gabriel Garrido
K617 7076/2 (2 CDs)
Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda
Clemencic Consort - René Clemencic
Harmonia Mundi "musique d'abord" 190986
Monteverdi: Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda
Madrigals of Books VI, VII, VIII, IX
Les Arts Florissants - William Christie
Harmonia Mundi "Suite" 7901426
Monteverdi: Madrigali e Canzonette
Società Cameristica di Lugano - Edwin Loehrer
Ermitage 138
Monteverdi: Madrigali Amorosi
Cantus Cölln - Konrad Junghänel
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 77282
Monteverdi: Seventh Book of Madrigals
La Venexiana - Claudio Cavina
Glossa 920904 (2 CDs)
Monteverdi: Settimo libro de' madrigali
Ensemble Concerto - Roberto Gini
Tactus 561390 (2 CDs)
Monteverdi: Madrigali guerrieri et amorosi
Libro Ottavo
La Capella Reial de Catalunya - Jordi Savall
Astrée 8546
Monteverdi: Madrigali guerrieri et amorosi
Taverner Consort and Players - Andrew Parrott
EMI Reflexe 54333
Monteverdi: Ottavo Libro dei Madrigali, 1638
La Venexiana - Claudio Cavina
Glossa 920928 (3 CDs)
Monteverdi: Ottavo Libro de' Madrigali (1638), Vol. I
Concerto Italiano - Rinaldo Alessandrini
Opus 111 30-187
Monteverdi: Madrigali guerrieri ed amorosi
Concerto Vocale - René Jacobs
Harmonia Mundi 901736/37 (2 CDs)
Monteverdi: Madrigals from Books IV, VI, VII & VIII
Società Cameristica di Lugano - Edwin Loehrer
Musiques Suisses 6148
Monteverdi: Il Ballo delle Ingrate
Ensemble Fausto Razzi
Nuova Era 7224
Monteverdi: VIII Libro de' Madrigali - Madrigali guerieri
Il Ruggiero - Emanuela Marcante
Tactus 561305
Monteverdi: VIII Libro de' Madrigali - Madrigali amorosi
Il Ruggiero - Emanuela Marcante
Tactus 561306
V. Research Period: The Italian Seicento
Series B: Claudio Monteverdi: Lamento d'Arianna etc.
Various performers
Archiv Produktion 14 020 [LP]

Finally, a quality recording devoted to Claudio Monteverdi's brother, Giulio Cesare Monteverdi:

G.C. Monteverdi: Affetti Musici
Ensemble Concerto - Roberto Gini
Astrée 8602

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Todd M. McComb