Claudio Monteverdi, one of the most important composers of the late Renaissance, remained in Northern Italy throughout his life. After his youngest years in Cremona, until 1590, he got his first appointment in Mantua; in 1612 he went to Venice, where he would remain until his death. In these cities he had a decisive influence on the level of the musicians and the music they played. On this CD we
… get an impressive picture of what he achieved and how it sounded. The recording was made in the Saint Barbara Basilica of Mantua, a church that was built between 1562 and 1572, just before Monteverdi's arrival. It is in churches like this that Monteverdi set to work; the legendary San Marco in Venice in the first place. That the basilica in Mantua was not inferior, however, we hear excellent here - and we can also see it on the nice documentary that is included on DVD. Monteverdi's music sounds exemplary and crystal clear in this space, and the music is fantastically precise and fiery. (TC)more
