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Donald Macleod focuses on the many illnesses that affected Monteverdi’s life, both his own illnesses, and the illnesses his loved ones faced. Some perished. Others lived on.

Claudio Monteverdi’s compositions range from the secular to the sacred. He is a composer whose work spans the Renaissance and Baroque periods of musical history, and is known as a pioneer of the development of opera in Italy throughout the early 17th century. Throughout the week, Donald looks at five themes in Monteverdi’s life through the letters he wrote. Using Denis Stevens’ translations from the 1970s, we look at the excuses given by Monteverdi – a perpetually busy man – for not finishing compositions on time, the politics and hierarchy of life in the Italian courts and Church, the financial struggles faced by Monteverdi, the illnesses that plagued his life and the lives of his close family and the importance of his family throughout his life.

It seems that Monteverdi was a sickly man, at least that’s the impression given throughout his letters. However, he lived to the grand old age of 76, so perhaps his health was better than expected for the time. We hear the part sickness plays throughout Monteverdi’s life, from the pains he suffered himself to his son, Massimiliano, seeming to suffer with a bout of the measles, though recovering in time.

L’Orfeo: Toccata
The English Baroque Soloists
His Majesties Sagbutts & Cornetts
John Eliot Gardiner, conductor

Lamento della Ninfa
Tavener Consort and Players
Andrew Parrott, director

Missa In illo tempore
Bach Collegium Japan chorus and orchestra
Masaaki Suzuki, conductor
Concerto Palatino, cornetto and trombone
Naoko Imai, organ
Midori Suzuki, soprano
Yukari Nonoshita, soprano
Mutsumi Hatano, alto
Yuko Anazawa, alto
Gerd Türk, tenor
Stephan Van Dyck, tenor
Stephan MacLeod, bass
Yoshitaka Ogasawara, bass

Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria: Act V: O dolor, o martir
Boston Baroque
Martin Pearlman, music director
Marc Molomot, tenor (Iro)

L’incoronazione di Poppea: Act III: Pur ti miro
City of London Baroque Sinfonia
Richard Hickox, conductor
Della Jones, mezzo-soprano (Nerone)
Arleen Auger, soprano (Poppea)

Producer: Eleri Llian Rees