Le Nuove Musiche, a vibrant young ensemble from the Netherlands, specialises in music from the first half of the 17thcentury. While seeking to maintain authentic performance standards, the ensemble brings the music very much into the present, arguing that artistic questions of the past still permeate the musical landscape today. Featuring a captivating group of solo singers, who between them have performed with the Amsterdam Baroque Choir and The Bach Choir & Orchestra of The Netherlands, the ensemble is headed by Krijn Koetsveld, leader and harpsichordist, who has previously collaborated with the Groot Omroepkoor and the prestigious Netherlands Chamber Choir.
This is the second of a planned release of Claudio Monteverdi’s complete madrigals.The fifth and sixth book – already released on Brilliant Classics as 93799 – were the first to break with tradition and herald ‘la seconda pratica’, the era of the basso continuo. From then on, the publication of Monteverdi’s innovative settings were eagerly awaited, as they set the stage for more instrumental ritornellos, a newly important basso continuo and the addition of ornamentation around the bass and vocal parts. The book finishes with a ballo, Tirsi e Clori, a love duet with a five‐part accompaniment, highly elaborate, with a chatty Tirsi contrasting with a sweet and melodic Clori. When the two singers come together with the rest of the ensemble, the listener is treated to the pinnacle of the madrigal era. 00:00:00 Sinfonia – Tempro la cetra, SV 117
00:08:11 A quest’olmo, a quest’ombre, SV 119
00:14:02 Non è di gentil core, SV 118
00:17:49 O come sei gentile, SV 120
00:21:49 Io son pur vezzosetta pastorella, SV 121
00:25:05 O viva fiamma, o miei sospiri ardenti, SV 122
00:28:13 Vorrei baciarti, SV 123
00:32:33 Dice la mia bellissima Licori, SV 124
00:35:02 Non vedrò mai le stelle, SV 126
00:38:58 Ah, che non si conviene, SV 125
00:42:12 Ecco vicine, o bella tigre, l’ore, SV 127
00:46:15 Perché fuggi tra’ salci, SV 128
00:49:31 Tornate, o cari baci, SV 129
00:52:11 Soave libertate, SV 130
00:55:38 Se ’l vostro cor, Madonna, SV 131
00:58:41 Interrotte speranze, eterna fede, SV 132
01:01:14 Augellin, che la voce al canto spieghi, SV 133
