About this episode
Kate Molleson explores the life and music of Claudio Monteverdi, highlighting his influence on European music and the development of opera.
Kate Molleson explores the life and music of Claudio Monteverdi, following his path from early experiments in Cremona to a career that would reshape European music. Trained in the traditions of Renaissance polyphony, Monteverdi gradually pushed against its limits, developing a more direct and expressive musical language. His years at the Mantuan court brought both opportunity and pressure, as he wrote increasingly bold madrigals and helped to establish opera as a new art form. After a period of upheaval, he rebuilt his career in Venice, adapting his music to new spaces, audiences and expectations as public opera emerged. Across sacred works, madrigals and stage pieces, Monteverdi’s writing reflects a composer responding closely to the demands of his time. Featuring excerpts from: Scherzi musicali a tre voci: Damigella tutta bella Sacrae cantiunculae Canzonette a tre voci (Nos. 1–3) Sinfonia for two violins and viola da brazzo Vattene pur, crudel L’Orfeo Madrigali amorosi Cruda Amarilli Io mi son giovinetta Vespers of 1610 Cor mio, non mori? L’Orfeo, Act 5 Lætaniæ della Beata Vergine Il sesto libro de madrigali Pianto della Madonna Zefiro torna e di soave accenti Selva morale e…
People in this episode
Host: Kate Molleson
Topics covered
- Claudio Monteverdi
- Renaissance music
- opera development
- madrigals
- sacred works
- musical language evolution
Keywords
- Claudio Monteverdi
- Renaissance
- opera
- madrigals
- sacred music
- musical evolution
- BBC Radio 3
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: BBC Radio 3
Books & works: L’Orfeo, Vespers of 1610, Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda, L’incoronazione di Poppea
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