Composer of the Week: Gesualdo

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Composer of the Week

Music: Classical

An informative guide to composers' lives and their music.

An informative and accessible guide to composers' lives and their music.

Composer of the Week: Carlo Gesualdo (1566-1613): A Matter of Love and Death

Carlo Gesualdo (1566 - 1613)

A Matter of Love and Death

Carlo Gesualdo (1566-1613)

BBC Radio 3 - Composer of the Week, Carlo Gesualdo (1566-1613), A Matter of Love and Death

Donald Macleod continues the story of Carlo Gesualdo as he develops his particular style.

In his madrigals, Gesualdo assumes the posture of an ardent lover. But as Donald Macleod recounts, in reality he makes a poor husband and an indifferent father.

Donald Macleod continues his look at the life and music of Carlo Gesualdo, Prince of Venosa. Now remarried, Gesualdo is far from being a model husband. There are whispers that he abuses her verbally, and sometimes physically. Certainly, they spend many months apart. As ever, Gesualdo is obsessed with music, and in common with some of his contemporaries further explores the expressive possibilities of chromaticism and counterpoint in madrigals and motets. Both Gesualdo and Leonora, his wife, take delight in their young son Alfonsino, but will be devastated when the infant falls ill and dies. 

Moro, e mentre spiro; Quando di lui ha sospirata vita; Ecco, moriro dunque; Ahi, gia mi discoloro
Delitiae Musicae
Marco Longhini, director

Illumina faciem tuam; Tribulationem et dolorem; Laboravi in gemitu meo
Oxford Camerata
Jeremy Summerly, director

Sospirava il mio core; O mal nati messaggi; Se piange, oime, la Donna del mio core 
The Kassiopeia Quintet

Io tacero, ma nel silenzio mio; Invan, dunque, o crudele 
Delitiae Musicae
Marco Longhini, director

O vos omnes; Exaudi, Deus, deprecationem meam; Venit lumen tuum
Odhecaton
Paolo da Col, director

Correte, amanti
Les Arts Florissants
William Christie, director.

Composer of the Week: Carlo Gesualdo (1566-1613)

Live music and the arts: broadcasts more live music than any other radio network. Classical music is its core. Genres include world and new music, jazz, speech and drama.

Donald Macleod looks at the curious life and music of Carlo Gesualdo.

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A Matter of Love and Death

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