Composer of the Week: Monteverdi

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Composer of the Week

Music: Classical

Composer of the Week - Brand

An informative guide to composers' lives and their music.

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

Composer of the Week: Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643): La Serenissima

La Serenissima

Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)

BBC Radio 3 - Composer of the Week, Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643), La Serenissima

Donald Macleod explores a new chapter in Monteverdi’s life in Venice.

Donald Macleod follows Monteverdi as he starts a new chapter of his life, trying to rejuvenate the largest musical ensemble in Venice.

Donald Macleod follows Monteverdi to a new city, and a new chapter in his life.

Claudio Monteverdi is undoubtedly one of the most important figures in the development of Western music. As a composer of both secular and sacred music, over the course of his career he worked for court, church and was one of the key figures in the development of opera. Across this week of programmes, Donald Macleod tracks Monteverdi’s career across three cities, from promising child prodigy, through poverty and plague, to his final years in the priesthood, with huge artistic successes along the way.

In Thursday’s programme, Donald finds Monteverdi newly arrived in Venice, and discovering new challenges including trying to rejuvenate the city's largest musical ensemble. He also has to contend with accusations of treason, and a terrifying encounter with highway robbers. Rather surprisingly, we also find him renewing his ties with the Mantuan court.

Il Ballo della Ingrate – Overture
Les Arts Florissants
William Christie, conductor

6th book of Madrigals – Misero alceo, SV 114; Zefiro torna, SV 108; Presso un fiume tranquillo, SV 116
Il Nuove Musiche
Krijn Koetsveld, director

Vespers (1610) - Dixit Dominus
The Sixteen
Harry Christophers, director

7th book of Madrigals - Tirsi e Clori
I Fagiolini
Robert Hollingworth, director

Litanie della Beata Virgine, SV 204
Choir of Trinity College Cambridge
Richard Marlow, director

Produced by Sam Phillips

Composer of the Week: Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)

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 presents an in-depth survey of the life and work of Claudio Monteverdi.

Donald Macleod presents an in-depth survey of the life and work of this week's composer, Claudio Monteverdi.

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