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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