Monteverdi à San Marco

Description

After releasing a CD dedicated to the sacred polyphonic works composed for the Santa Barbara basilica (RIC322 Monteverdi Missa in Illo Tempore, Diapason d’or of the year, Grand Prix international of the Académie du disque lyrique, Critics’ Choice of Gramophone), Odhecaton presents, with this new recording, sacred works from the later years of the composer, written for St. Mark's Basilica, where Monteverdi became maestro di cappella in 1613. This recording allows us to hear both sides of Monteverdi's sacred style: the stile antico or strict contrapuntal style, illustrated by the Mass for four voices published posthumously in 1650; and the stile moderno, which refers to concertato and solo vocal writing. The monumental Gloria for 7 voices, designed for a chapel rich in singers and instrumentalists, perfectly illustrates this concertato style, intertwining voices and instruments. In this city of theaters, at the height of canto a voce sola, Monteverdi transformed the famous Lamento d’Arianna (excerpted from his lost opera Arianna) into a sacred piece Iam moriar mi fili.