Many madrigal texts on this album are anonymous, allowing composers to freely experiment with musical expression without the constraints of established literary references.
Compositional Technique
Nicola Vicentino, a composer and theorist, invented the archicymbalo, an instrument with 31 notes per octave, to facilitate the performance of ancient Greek musical genera.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The composers on this album, active around the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, aimed to distinguish themselves by pushing the boundaries of existing musical rules.
Compositional Technique
The music on this album, from the late Renaissance, was governed by counterpoint, where harmony emerged from the interweaving of melodic lines rather than a succession of vertical chords.
Interpretation
The performers sometimes add a continuo of harps, double voices with instruments, or substitute instruments for voices, reflecting historical performance practices.
Cultural Impact
The madrigal genre of the late Renaissance, characterized by themes of unrequited love and dramatic contrasts, helped pave the way for the birth of opera.
Interpretation
The recording features 38 performers, creating a multitude of combinations and timbral associations to illuminate the compositions through varied 'casting' choices.
You might also enjoy...
Gesualdo: Prince of Madrigalists
Si breve è 'l tempo. Madrigals in the Low Countries
The Magic of Polyphony
De Rore: Missa Praeter rerum seriem
Gesualdo: Madrigals
Her Heavenly Harmony: Profane Music From the Royal Court
