The works on this album are presented in the original order of the 1590 Venetian edition of Monteverdi's Madrigals Book 2.
Madrigals were secular songs written for courts and patrons who enjoyed surrounding themselves with the finest artists of the time.
This recording was made in the Chiesa di San Briccio, Verona, Italy, from July 27th to 31st, 2001.
The poetry and images chosen for Monteverdi's madrigals emphasize the court culture's favorite themes: love and nature.
On this recording, the vocal parts of Monteverdi's madrigals are sung exclusively by male voices.
In his Second Book of Madrigals, Claudio Monteverdi moved towards a 'form without a form' that is shaped by the lyric poetry.
Monteverdi's Second Book of Madrigals was published when the composer, Claudio Monteverdi, was just 22 years old.
