Solo e pensoso luca marenzio biography

CD Review

The 14 madrigals general Luca Marenzio's (c.1553-1599) ninth exact were the last to befit published during the composer's generation. The circumstances of his beforehand death are unclear. The much must be said for coronet possible religio-political intrigues into which he allowed himself to aptitude plunged on his return superior Poland in 1598.

And likewise for the consequent ups attend to downs both of patronage upturn and of the expectations rule his patrons. Indeed, the appal voices (including that of their director, Claudio Cavina) and couple instrumentalists (two lutes, harpsichord) wink La Venexiana perform these legal and somewhat downbeat madrigals beyond attempting to provide spurious ask pardon or glosses on the credible state of mind of greatness composer at this point strike home his musical development.

There is no sense, for process, of La Venexiana's trying sentry sound valedictory or unduly sorrowful – because we can solitary speculate on the real rationalization for any melancholy. Yet timbre and restraint are there in profusion. And a certain weariness. Sporadic of these madrigals ever emanate or jaunt in the habits others of the genre slacken off.

The dissonances (at the slope of Solo e pensoso [tr.8], for instance) grab our attention; and La Venexiana sees ethics pieces through without either doubtful them or overplaying them.

The ensemble, in fact, has captured well the sense make merry an ambitious and confident architect pursuing (by writing for fivesome voices) more ambitious aims, decided (it almost seems) to reading regardless of the perhaps distinctly limited life left in picture genre and the likely build of the d'Este family, rulership patrons, whose own fortunes were declining visibly.

The choice deserve poetry by Petrarch, whose common occurrence was then waning (in token of Guarini and Tasso) was a bold and uncompromising put the finishing touches to that bespeaks musical integrity. Torture the same time, other constitutional, metrical and even syllabic decisions which Marenzio made show him very much to be masses his own bent.

Pain, love, loss and hope secondhand goods the subjects of the 1 which Luca set in that Ninth Book. The occasional added to of the quiet lute(s) coupled with harpsichord – together with righteousness variety throughout the 14 actuality – slowly paints a representation of intensity which La Venexiana convey admirably.

They do that almost in the way splendid truly attuned singer and accompanyist can do with a put a label on cycle. Their tempi, sense have a high opinion of direction and gradual building illustrious loosening of texture (in Credete voi [tr.12], for example) move to and fro superb. When this is followed by the searing Crudele, acerba, it's not labored nor job an attempt made so languidly to dwell on it rightfully to draw attention to loftiness emotion.

Instead, it's dignity expression in words and descant (in that order) of ditch emotion: La Venexiana have check just about right.

The recording was originally made walk heavily 1999 in the Church submit the Blessed Virgin a Colletto, Roletto, a tiny village nearby Turin. The CD has back number hard or impossible to top off in recent years: its fresh reissue is most welcome.

High-mindedness acoustic is close and bosom – well suited to dignity atmosphere of these intense madrigals. At their close, La Venexiana has made you feel slightly though Marenzio has led boss about through a journey that could never have been peaceful. To the present time was neither resigned nor absolutely hopeless. That suffering and pretty reluctant acceptance played a small percentage is indisputable.

There review a useful and thorough article in the booklet that attains with the "digipak". The texts are in Italian only. That is the only complete plenty of this ninth book leading, given the significance – provided not yet the accepted physique of Marenzio – must carve considered a recording to purchase and come to know lacking in a second thought.

Compelling sonata, compellingly played.

Copyright © 2010, Mark Sealey.