Philippe Verdelot

Review: Philippe Verdelot was the most important composer of Italian madrigals in the early 16th century and recognized as the greatest innovator of the genre. A Frenchman, he occupied several important musical posts in Italy, including the Florentine posts of maestro di cappella at the Baptistry of S. Maria del Fiore and the great Duomo itself. In the mid 1520s, during his time in Florence, a set of part-books were assembled, probably under Verdelot's supervision, for the court of Henry VIII. Most, if not all, of the works were composed by Verdelot. This is the first recording of the complete madrigals in the collection, which stands not only as the most exceptional of diplomatic musical gifts but is also an important source for the history of the early madrigal.

Songlist: Italia mia bench' el parlar', Con l'angelico riso, Quanto sia lieto il girono, Lasso, che se creduto, O dolce nocte, Madonna qual certeca, Afflicti spirti mei, Dentr' al mio cor', Quando nascesti, Amore?, Piove da li occhi, Pur troppo, donna, I vostri acuti dardi, Chi non fa prove, amore, Leit' e madonna et io pur, Con lacrim' et sospir' negando porge, Donna, se fera stella, Ognun si duol' d'amore, Altro non e el mio amor', Madonna io v'amo e taccio, Si suave e l'inghanno, Se ben' li occhi, Cortese alma gentile, Quanta doleca amore, Donna che sete fra le donne belle, La bella donna, Deh, quant' e dolc' amor, Donna leggiadr' et bella, Madonna, per voi ardo, Amor, io sento l'alma, Ultimi mei sospiri

9012c | 1 CD $17.95 Early Music CDs