Customer Reviews

Monteverdi: Quarto Libro dei Madrigali

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The best book of Monteverdi sung the very best by the best singers.
This crew - which main members now sing in La Venexiana - must have some strange affinity to Monteverdi! It never sounds 'old' or 'ancient'; you feel rather that Monteverdi is some modern composer, or you feel how young his inventive style must have been felt by his contemporaries. Concerto Italiano - i.e. until the mid 90ies - had some kind of 'analytical' approach, slow, high definition, sophisticated, clear, fresh, young, shining - like the first spring! This luxury production never feels cold or boring, from the first madrigals, 'Ah dolente partita', 'Cor mio' and so on, it is very, very touching. A more happy madrigal like 'A un giro sol de' bell'occhi lucenti' is really a wonder. Rossana Bertini's shrill soprano is specially striking. Highly recommended! I also recommend The second book - Amazon: B0000260SF - by the same group and The third book - Amazon: B00006B1R7- by La Veneziana; almost the same crew and surely the same style.

Concerto Italiano gives a refreshing interpretation of Monteverdi's madrigals. Apart from being a well and musically sung recording, it is the expression of the lyrics which makes this CD unique. From listening it is clear that the madrigals were meant to be sung this way: One hears the birds, the wind, the sea and, of course, many lamenting lovers. (Be sure to keep the booklet handy when listening !)

Although the revival of renaissance music has produced many nice recordings (i.e. Kirby), these all seem a bit academic now. Also the other CD-s by this ensemble are worthwhile, but this one is the top. Thank you Concerto Italiano !

If I had to single out one recording of madrigals to recommend this might quite possibly be it. The performances by Alessandrini and Concerto Italiano are everything the critics have been raving about for a number of years now. They really do take the cake when it comes to being the outstanding madrigal performers of our times - although we now have La Venexiana, who can be put on the same level. The singing here represents a degree of refinement in expressive eloquence that is previously unheard of in this repertoire. This makes this CD gripping listening from start to finish even though all works are sung a capella.

The recording is also well up to the usual high standards of Opus 111.