Marenzio: L'amoroso e crudo stile

Featuring

Walter Testolin
Massimo Lonardi
Michele Pasotti
Rosso Porpora Ensemble
Luca Marenzio

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Album & Artwork

The album title, "L'Amoroso & Crudo Stile" (The Amorous & Cruel Style), is a tribute to the life and work of Luca Marenzio, reflecting the evolution of his compositional style.

Composition History

The death of Cardinal Luigi d'Este in 1586 deeply affected Marenzio's employment stability and artistic direction, leading to a shift in his compositional style.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Marenzio's early style, described as 'loving, gentle, but at the same time profound,' was characterized by lightness, transparency, and lyricism, always respecting the poetic verse.

Recording & Production

This recording features the ensemble RossoPorpora, with Walter Testolin as conductor, and was produced and mastered by Marco Taio.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Marenzio's later style, influenced by his time in Florence and a return to Rome, became 'crude and knife-edged,' using visceral chromaticism to reflect instability and uncertainty.

Composer Biography

Luca Marenzio, the composer of the madrigals on this album, had already published fifteen volumes of music by his early thirties, showcasing his remarkable compositional ease.

Critical Reception

Marenzio's 1588 book of madrigals, which he considered his most profound, was the only one never to be reprinted, indicating a shift in musical tastes at the time.