musica Dei donum





CD reviews






Claudio MONTEVERDI (1567 - 1643): Sacred and secular works

[I] "Musica Sacra"
Melanie Hirsch, sopranoa; Ulrich Cordes, tenorb; Markus Flaig, bassc
vita & anima
Dir: Peter Waldner
rec: June 26 - 27, 2017, Innsbruck, Seminary of the dioceses Innsbruck and Feldkirch (large chapel)
Musikmuseum - CD 13054 (© 2021) (67'20")
Liner-notes: E/D; lyrics - translations: E/D
Cover & track-list

Dario CASTELLO (fl 1620-1630): Sonata I à due soprani [1]; Biagio MARINI (1594-1663): Sonata XX in d minor [6]; Claudio MONTEVERDI: Confitebor secondo (SV 194)ab [5]; Confitebor secondo a 3 voci concertato con violini (SV 266)abc [4]; Exulta filia Sion (SV 303)b [2]; Iste confessor primo (SV 278b)a [4]; Jubilet tota civitas (SV 286)a [4]; Laudate Dominum in sanctis eius (SV 287)a [4]; Laudate Dominum omnes gentes (SV 197)c [5]; Nisi Dominus (SV 200)abc [5]; Salve Regina in ecco concertata [Audi coelum] (SV 283)ab [4]; Sanctorum meritis primo a voce sola e due violini (SV 277)a [4]; Georg PISCATOR (fl c1610-after 1643): Isti sunt viri sanctic [3]

Sources: [1] Dario Castello, Sonate concertate in stil moderno, libro primo, 1621; [2] Lorenzo Calvi, ed., Quarta Raccolta de' sacri canti, 1629; [3] Georg Piscator, Quadriga Musica, 1638; Claudio Monteverdi, [4] Selva morale e spirituale, 1641; [5] Messa a quattro voci, et Salmi, 1650; [6] Biagio Marini, Per ogni sorte di strumento musicale diversi generi di sonate, da chiesa, e da camera, op. 22, 1655

Jolanta Sosnowska, Veronika Egger, violin; Arno Jochem, violone; Reinhild Waldek, harp; Andreas Arend, theorbo; Peter Waldner, organ

[II] "Donna - Madrigali e motetti a due voci femminili"
Il Festino
Dir: Manuel de Grange
rec: Sept 16 - 19, 2018, Amilly (F), Église Saint-Martin
Musica Ficta - MF8031 (© 2019) (58'01")
Liner-notes: E/F; lyrics - translations: E/F
Cover, track-list & booklet
Spotify

Giovanni Girolamo KAPSPERGER (c1580-1651): Capona & Canario [8]; Claudio MONTEVERDI: Ego flos campi (SV 301) [5]; Io son pur vezzosetta pastorella (SV 121) [2]; Laudate Dominum in sanctis eius (SV 287) [9]; Non è di gentil core (SV 118) [2]; O beatae viae (SV 312) [3]; O bone Jesu (SV 313) [4]; O come sei gentile (SV 120) [2]; O viva fiamma (SV 122) [2]; Ohimè, dov'è il mio ben (SV 140) [2]; Salve Regina (SV 284) [9]; Sancta Maria (SV 328) [6]; Venite scientes ad aquas Domini (SV 335) [5]; Vespro della Beata Vergine (SV 206) (Pulchra es) [1]; Zefiro torna (SV 251) [7]

Sources: Claudio Monteverdi, [1] Sanctissimae Virgini missa senis vocibus ad ecclesiarum choros ac vesperae pluribus decantandae cum nonnullis sacris concentibus, ad sacella sive principum cubicula accommodata, 1610; [2] Concerto: settimo libro de madrigali, con altri generi de canti, 1619; [3] Lorenzo Calvi, ed., Symbole diversorium musicorum, 1621; [4] Johann Donfrid, ed., Promptuarii Musici, concentus ecclesiasticos, pars prima, 1622; [5] Lorenzo Calvi, ed., Seconda Racolta de' sacri canti, 1624; [6] Johann Donfrid, ed., Promptuarii Musici, concentus ecclesiasticos, pars tertia, 1627; [7] Claudio Monteverdi, Scherzi musicali cioè arie, & madrigali in stil recitativo, con una ciaccona, 1632; [8] Giovanni Girolamo Kapsperger, Libro quarto d'intavolatura di chitarone, 1640; [9] Claudio Montevedrdi, Selva morale e spirituale, 1641

Barbara Kusa, soprano; Dagmar Saskova, mezzo-soprano; Andreas Linos, viola da gamba; Ronald Martin Alonso, lirone; Maria Christina Cleary, harp; Manuel de Grange, theorbo; Paolo Zanzu, harpsichord

Scores Monteverdi

Since a number of years Tiroler Landesmuseen releases discs with Austrian music, ranging from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. The music is usually from the pen of composers who can be connected to Tyrol, many of whom are hardly known outside the region. From this angle, the release of a disc with music by Claudio Monteverdi may come as a surprise. What exactly is the connection between Monteverdi and Tyrol?

The first connection is not of musical nature: the world-famous portrait of Monteverdi, painted by Bernardo Strozzi is part of the collection of the Tyrol Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum, Innsbruck. It came in the museum's collection in the 19th century. However, even before that a portrait of the composer was present in Innsbruck, as early as 1657, when Archduke Ferdinand Karl acquired the collection of musical instruments and musicians' portraits from Count Odorigo Capra of Bologna. It also included a portrait of Monteverdi, but that has been lost.

There is also a musical connection. Apart from the fact that the composer was in Innsbruck several times as part of the retinue of his employer Vincenzo Gonzaga, visiting his sister Anna Katharina, since January 1595 widow of Archduke Ferdinand II, several collections of his music were part of the repertoire of the Innsbruck court chapel. Its inventory includes four madrigal books (1, 3, 4 and 7) and the collection Selva morale e spirituale. In addition, it mentions a collection of pieces by Monteverdi and Giovanni Gabrieli (apparently hand-written) and the collection of contrafacta by Aquilino Coppini, who had replaced the texts of a number of Monteverdi's madrigals with sacred lyrics (known also in a printed edition of 1607). It is also worth mentioning that Monteverdi was in contact with the Habsburg courts: he dedicated his eighth book of madrigals to emperor Ferdinand III and his Selva morale e spirituale to his widow Eleonora Gonzaga.

From the liner-notes I gather that the collections mentioned in the inventory, have been lost. It would have been interesting to know what was included in the hand-written collection. One of the main sources of the programme that was recorded by vita & anima is the Selva morale e spirituale. In addition, the performers turn to two collections that have nothing to do with Innsbruck. That is a bit disappointing, as this disc's aim was to demonstrate the connection between Monteverdi and Innsbruck. Assuming that the performers wanted to focus on sacred music, the avoidance of the madrigals speaks for itself, but as the collection of contrafacta by Coppini is available in a printed edition, as mentioned above, it would have been nice if some of those had been included here, especially as they are not that well-known. They are certainly far lesser-known than the pieces that are included here.

That said, this disc is an excellent documentation of the way Monteverdi treats the text in his pieces for solo voices. We get several brilliant examples of his handling of the monodic style, such as Laudate Dominum, a solo for bass, which requires a wide tessitura and a perfect command of coloratura. Another fine specimen of the monodic style is the setting of Psalm 150, Laudate Dominum in sanctis eius. In that piece Monteverdi made use of a ciaccona, a basso ostinato that was very popular at the time. Also popular was the echo technique, demonstrated here in Salve Regina con Echo.

The latter piece is one of those whose performance is questionable, as it requires two equal voices (tenors); here the echo is sung by the soprano. I also find the increase of tempo in the second half of Laudate Dominum debatable. However, I have very much enjoyed the performances by the three singers and the instrumental ensemble. Melanie Hirsch, Ulrich Cordes and Markus Flaig have very fine voices that are perfectly suited to this repertoire. Cordes's voice is probably a bit too aggressive at times, and I regret his slow vibrato. All three master the art of recitar cantando. They should have been more consistent in the pronunciation: in some cases Latin is pronounced the Italian way, elsewhere I heard it pronounced as it was common in the German-speaking world.

This disc is not without issues, but even so I strongly recommend it. I should not forget to mention a piece by the Austrian composer Georg Piscator, who studied in Venice and Rome, and who was clearly influenced by Monteverdi, as is shown in his beautiful concerto for bass, Isti sunt viri sancti. It makes curious for other pieces from his pen.

The second disc brings together specimens from Monteverdi's sacred and secular output. That makes sense, as at his time there was no watershed between the two genres. Music connected to the Virgin Mary often had a sensuality that was also a hallmark of secular pieces about women. However, one should avoid misunderstandings, and that is something the performers have not managed to do. The disc has as its title "Donna". Manuel de Grange, in his notes to the recording, states that "[love] and sensuality seen through the medium of woman [sic] inspire the highest points of Monteverdi's music".

The first misunderstanding is that this certainly not includes the sacred pieces performed here. Francesco Saggio, in his liner-notes, states - on the basis of the idea that Monteverdi had a special interest in the female voice - that "[even] when the composer turns to sacred texts, his passion for this voice does not fade". He seems to forget that Monteverdi did not intend his sacred works to be performed by women. They are written for liturgical use, and in Monteverdi's time, women did not sing in church. These pieces were to be performed by male singers, boys or - more likely - adult men, either castratos or falsettists. Saggio also writes that the motet Ego flos campi is destined "for a lower female voice ('Alto')". No, it is not: it is rather intended for a middle male voice.

Even from this incorrect assumption that sacred music was sung by women, the scoring of the two sacred concertos on texts from the Song of Songs in Monteverdi's Vespro della Beata Vergine is in conflict with any connection between the text and the sex of the performer(s). Pulchra es - also performed here - is scored for two sopranos, but the speaker of the text is the man: "You are beautiful, my love, a sweet and comely daughter of Jerusalem". In Nigra sum, set for solo tenor, it is the woman who is speaking. Pieces connected to the Virgin Mary can also be sung by any voice. The Salve Regina (II) is for either two sopranos or two tenors. A number of texts have nothing to do with the sex of the singer, either male or female.

Ironically, the concept of this disc is basically questioned by the performers themselves, without apparently getting it. First, they included O come sei gentile, about which Francesco Saggio writes: "[As] the little bird sings for the one who imprisoned it, so the lover sings for the one who abandoned him". It is a man who is speaking. "The performance of two female voices, apparently in contrast with the poetic text, conveys (...) the universal value that the feeling of love, which unites all living beings, has for Monteverdi". Why does he not conclude, as seems entirely logical, that Monteverdi did not see a direct connection between the sex of the singer(s) and the text? Second, the programme starts with Zefiro torna, which is scored for two tenors. By including it here, the performers undermine their suggestion that such a connection exists. Saggio concludes his comment on this piece thus: "The interplay of the two sopranos highlights the great suppleness of Monteverdi's melodic line, which really seems to bring the female voice to the fore". However, that was certainly not the composer's intention, as he did not have sopranos in mind when writing this piece.

I would advise anyone who purchases this disc, to forget all these things and just focus on the music. It is all exciting stuff, as Monteverdi's skills in writing for the voice and translating text into music in such a way that its affetti are incisively communicated, were second to none and come impressively to the fore here. Some of the features mentioned in the comment on the first disc, manifest themselves here as well. Every item is a masterpiece.

Fortunately the performances are much more convincing than the concept as explained in the booklet. I even dare to say that this is one of the best Monteverdi recordings that I have encountered in recent years. Barbara Kusa and Dagmar Saskova are brilliant interpreters who go to the bottom of things. I like their voices very much, and they are a perfect match. They pay much attention to the text, their singing is not disturbed by an annoying vibrato, and I also appreciate their use of dynamics in the interest of expression. The ornamentation is stylish and just enough - not too little and not too much. The colourful and strong basso continuo section contributes substantially to the expressive performance of the selected pieces.

A few years ago I reviewed this ensemble's disc with French airs de cour which I rated highly. This Monteverdi disc is of the same calibre. I am looking forward to Il Festino's next projects.

Johan van Veen (© 2022)

Relevant links:

Ulrich Cordes
Markus Flaig
Il Festino
vita & anima


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