Monteverdi: Vespro della Beata Vergine, SV 206 (Live)

Featuring

Jolle Greenleaf
Molly Quinn
Virginia Warnken Kelsey
Clara Osowski
Aaron Sheehan
Sumner Thompson

James Reese
Jason McStoots
Jeffrey Grossman
Green Mountain Project
Dark Horse Consort
Claudio Monteverdi

Did you know?

1/7

Historical Context

Monteverdi, born in 1567, was a musician bridging the Renaissance and Baroque eras, and his 1610 Vespers is a dazzling anthology of musical styles, mixing old and new.

Compositional Technique

Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610 combines ancient plainchant melodies with the most modern compositional styles of his time, an astonishing accomplishment given the simple nature of the chants.

Composer Biography

In 1610, Claudio Monteverdi, the composer of these Vespers, was 43 years old and unhappy with his employment at the Gonzaga court in Mantua.

Composer Biography

Despite dedicating his 1610 collection to the Pope, Monteverdi did not get a job at the Vatican but was later appointed maestro di cappella at St. Mark's in Venice, a prestigious position he held until his death.

Interpretation

This recording features 'one voice to a part' singing, which was the norm in Monteverdi's time for music in the 'concertato style,' and uses high tenors or female altos for the Altus parts.

Compositional Technique

The 1610 collection showcases Monteverdi's versatility, including a Mass in the strict 16th-century polyphonic style and Vespers using the avant-garde 'concerto style' with voices and instruments.