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Monteverdi’s prodigious musical talent leads him from Cremona to Mantua.

Claudio Monteverdi is undoubtedly one of the most important figures in the development of Western music. As a composer of both secular and sacred music, over the course of his career he worked for court, church and was one of the key figures in the development of opera. During this week of programmes, Donald Macleod tracks Monteverdi’s career across three cities, from promising child prodigy, through poverty and plague, to his final years in the priesthood, with huge artistic successes along the way.

In Monday’s programme, Donald examines the early signs of Monteverdi’s unusual musical talent, which took him from provincial Cremona to the Italian city of Mantua, where he was appointed as musician to the prestigious Gonzaga court.

Orfeo - Toccata
Le Concert Des Nations
Jordi Savall, conductor

1st book of Motets (Sacrae cantiunculae) - Surge propera amica mea; O bone Iesu illumine oculos meus; Surgens Iesu; Iusti tulerunt spolia impioru
Gérard Lesne, countertenor
Josep Benet, tenor
Josep Cabré, bass

2nd book of Madrigals - Non si levava ancor; E dicea l'una sospirand'all'hora
Les Arts Florissants
Paul Agnew, director

3rd book of Madrigals - O come; O primavera; Occhi, un tempo; Rimanti in pace
Krijn Koetsveld, harpsichord
Le Nuove Musiche

Questi vaghi concenti
La Venexiana
Claudio Cavina, director

Vespro della Beata Vergine - Ave maris stella a 8
Ludus Modalis
Bruno Boterf, director

Produced by Sam Phillips