Wert madrigals Book 7

Wert: Il Settimo Libro de Madrigali (1581)
The Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Virgin Veritas Edition 61177

Contents:

  1. Sorgi e reschiara
  2. Misera, che farò
  3. Donna, se ben le chiome
  4. Vive doglioso il core
  5. Vani e sciocchi
  6. Vaghi boschetti
  7. Io mi vivea del mio languir
  8. Solo e pensoso
  9. Giunto alla tomba
  10. Voi volete ch'io muoia
  11. Grazie ch'a pochi il ciel
  12. Tirsi morir volea
  13. In qual parta si ratto

Previously issued as: Virgin 59161

Performers: Emma Kirkby, Evelyn Tubb, Suzie LeBlanc, Mary Nichols, Michael Chance, Andrew King, Rufus Müller, Alan Ewing

Playing time: 58'

Recording date: July 1988; re-released 1994

Giaches de Wert (1535-1596) was a Flemish composer who spent most of his life in Italy. He was one of the most prolific composers in the new mannerist style of madrigal. The present program gives a nice "catalog" of the usual techniques involved in illuminating texts during this period.

There is nothing that particularly marks Wert as a composer of special importance in this period, but this recording makes a nice selection for the late 16th century madrigal. Similar programs:

La Gerusalemme Liberata
Wert: Madrigals from the 7th, 8th & 11th Books
La Venexiana - Claudio Cavina
Glossa 920911
Wert: Madrigali
Cantus Cölln - Konrad Junghänel
Harmonia Mundi 901621
Wert: 8 libro de madrigali
Gruppo Madrigalistico Fosco Corti - R. Dell'Acqua
La Bottega Discantica 24

Cipriano de Rore (c.1515-1565) was an earlier composer with an even greater influence on the madrigal during this period. A superlative recording:

Rore: Il Quinto Libro di Madrigali
The Consort of Musicke - Anthony Rooley
Musica Oscura 70991

Also, see the Consort of Musicke discography for various other recordings of similar repertory by the present ensemble.

A program devoted to Wert's contemporary, Giovan Tomaso Lambertini (fl.1545-1573):

Lambertini: Il Primo Libro de Madrigali
Fortuna Ensemble - Roberto Cascio
Tactus 531201

Other potentially good introductions to the large 16th century Italian madrigal repertory:

Italia Mia
Musical Imagination in the Renaissance
Huelgas Ensemble - Paul Van Nevel
Sony Vivarte 48065
The Mannerist Revolution
Madrigals by Gesualdo, Monteverdi, Wert, Marenzio
Pomerium Musices - Alexander Blachly
Dorian 90154
Il pastor fido
Madrigals after texts by G. Battista Guarini
Cantus Cölln - Konrad Junghänel
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 77240
Symphonia Angelica
Madrigals by Waelrant, Gabrieli, Marenzio, De Monte, Ferreti
Arruabarrena / Van Laethem / Valenta / Benet / Van Altena / Cabré - Konrad Junghänel
Accent 8864
Italian Madrigals
Amaryllis Consort
IMP Allegro Classics 822

A recording of sacred music by these composers:

Madrigalists at Prayer
Sacred Music by the Masters of Sixteenth Century Italy
Rutgers Collegium Musicum - Andrew Kirkman
Direct-to-Tape Recording 2014

Finally, a recording of sacred music specifically by Wert:

Wert: Musica Religiosa
Currende Vocal Ensemble / Concerto Palatino - Erik Van Nevel
Accent 9291

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Todd M. McComb