This week Donald Macleod examines the life and work of Monteverdi during the years he was the Director of Music at St Mark's in Venice. Today we hear how Monteverdi's son Francesco gave up his legal studies and takes up singing, despite his father's wishes that he should pursue a more lucrative career.
Donald plays some of the more substantial pieces from Monteverdi's early Venice years, including the dramatic music theatre piece, Il combattimento de Tancredi e Clorinda. Plus, we hear how troop movements between Mantua and Venice brought plague to Venice, wiping out 50,000 people ? one third of the population. Monteverdi composed his magnificent Gloria as part of the Mass of Thanksgiving for deliverance from the plague, celebrated at St Marks in 1631. Show less