The 'Pianto della Madonna' is a striking example of the rhetorical and emotional power of early operatic recitative, designed to move audiences to tears.
Historical Context
Claudio Monteverdi, the composer, was appointed choirmaster of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice in August 1613 and held the position until his death in 1643.
Composition History
The 'Pianto della Madonna' is a Latin adaptation of Monteverdi's famous 'Lamento d'Arianna' from his 1608 opera, the only surviving part of that work.
Historical Context
The Litany of Loreto, set by Monteverdi, became popular among Italian composers in the 17th century due to a new wave of Marian devotion after Venice's victory over the Turks in 1571.
Composition History
Biagio Marini, a notable instrumental composer, worked as a violinist at St. Mark's under Monteverdi from 1615.
Historical Context
As choirmaster of St. Mark's, Monteverdi was the foremost musician of the Venetian state and had access to one of Italy's finest choirs and instrumental ensembles.
Compositional Technique
Monteverdi's Mass setting from 1650, featured on this album, is an elegant composition in the 'stile antico' (16th-century church music style) that generates varied material from an initial motif.
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