Monteverdi: Madrigals, Book 6

Monteverdi: Il Sesto Libro de Madrigali (1614): Concerto Italiano - Rinaldo Alessandrini
Arcana 66
Arcana 321

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

To purchasing information for this disc.

To FAQ references to this recording.

To FAQ CD index page.

Todd M. McComb

Monteverdi: Madrigals, Book 6

Contents: