July 2007

Claudio Monteverdi

The towering genius who presides over the entire transition from the Renaissance to the baroque is treated in this concert as the person who most effectively took us from polyphonic madrigals to the dramatic vocal solo with basso continuo, leading us into the next musical era--the ensemble L'Arpeggiata performs.

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Don Carlo Gesualdo (c.1561-1613) [repeat of #07-05]

Who isn't fascinated by the murderer prince? The fine Italian ensemble La Venexiana gives us highlights of the madrigal Books Four and Five.

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Italianate Austrians

Frequent Festival favorites Concerto Palatino give us two composers influenced by Gabrieli--Johann Stadlmayr (c. 1580-1648) and Giovanni Valentini (1582/3-1649).

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Domenico Mazzochi (1592-1665) [repeat of #07-03]

On to Rome with musicologist Monique Zanetti's ensemble Le Paladins--born in a little town in the Roman suburbs, Mazzochi soon became a favorite of cardinals and popes.

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Il Canto delle Dame

Women composers achieved more fame as composers at this time than any since the Troubadour era. The Concert Soave featuring the brilliant Maria Cristina Kiehr treat us to music by Barbara Strozzi, Caterina Assandra, Isabella Leonarda, Francesca Caccini, and other remarkable women in this concert.

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