La Venexiana presents its latest recording achievement, a set of madrigal interpretations of a work that is a jewel and a success by any standard: the Third Book of Claudio Monteverdi, undoubtedly the greatest composer of the genre. The reason why this book of madrigals enjoyed such success is soon told. The Third Book is a colourful sequence of styles and forms. We find virtuosic works (with two or three soprano voices), works in chromatic style, madrigals in concitato, declamatory style and courtly madrigals. Briefly put, it is the summa of what at that period one would have understood by the word "madrigal" and its most representative forms. Moreover, Monteverdi's choice of poets in this book is typical of those of the nuovo stile, including Torquato Tasso and Battista Guarini, ideal to display "serious" emotions and feelings. |
