2.4.+Claudio+Monteverdi

Photo of Claudio Monteverdi Claudio Monteverdi was born in 1567 in Cremona, a town in Northern Italy. He was the oldest of five children. Monteverdi learned about music by being part of the cathedral choir. v¡He also studied at the University of Cremona.His first music was written for publication, including some [|motets] and sacred [|madrigals], in 1582 and 1583. The titles of his Madrigal books are:
 * Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi(**15 May 1567 – 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, gambist and singer.
 * Book 1, 1587: //Madrigali a cinque voci//
 * Book 2, 1590: //Il secondo libro de madrigali a cinque voci//
 * Book 3, 1592: //Il terzo libro de madrigali a cinque voci//
 * Book 4, 1603: //Il quarto libro de madrigali a cinque voci//
 * Book 5, 1605: //Il quinto libro de madrigali a cinque voci//
 * Book 6, 1614: //Il sesto libro de madrigali a cinque voci//
 * Book 7, 1619: //Concerto. Settimo libro di madrigali//
 * Book 8, 1638: //Madrigali guerrieri, et amorosi con alcuni opuscoli in genere rappresentativo, che saranno per brevi episodi fra i canti senza gesto//
 * Book 9, 1651: //Madrigali e canzonette a due e tre voci//

Monteverdi's first church music publication was the archaic Mass //In illo tempore// to which the //Vesper Psalms// of 1610 were added The //Vesper Psalms// of 1610 are also one of the best examples of early repetition and contrast, with many of the parts having a clear ritornello. The published work is on a very grand scale and there has been some controversy as to whether all the movements were intended to be performed in a single service. However, there are various indications of internal unity.

Claudio Monteverdi was born in 1567 in Cremona, a town in Northern Italy. His father was Baldassare Monteverdi, a doctor, apothecary and surgeon. He was the oldest of five children. During his childhood, he was taught by Marc'Antonio Ingegneri, the //maestro di cappella// (The Maestro di capella’s job was to conduct important worship services in accordance with the liturgy books of the Roman Catholic Church.), at the Cathedral of Cremona. Monteverdi learned about music by being part of the cathedral choir. He also studied at the University of Cremona. His first music was written for publication, including some motets and sacred madrigals, in 1582 and 1583. His first five compositions were: //Cantiunculae Sacrae//, 1582; //Madrigal Spirituali//, 1583; the three-part canzonets, 1584; and the five-part madrigals– Book I, 1587, and Book II, 1590. By 1587, he had produced his first book of secular madrigals. Monteverdi worked for the court of Mantua first as a singer and violist, then as music director.He worked at the court of Vincenzo I of Gonzaga in Mantua as a vocalist and viol player. In 1602, he was working as the court conductor. In 1599 Monteverdi married the court singer Claudia Cattaneo, who died in September 1607. He and his wife had two boys and one girl, who died shortly after birth. By 1613, he had moved to the San Marco in Venice where, as conductor, he quickly restored the musical standard of both the choir and the instrumentalists. The musical standard had declined due to the financial mismanagement of his predecessor, Giulio Cesare Martinengo. The managers of the basilica were relieved to have such a distinguished musician in charge, as the music had been declining since the death of Giovanni Croce in 1609. In 1632, he became a priest. During the last years of his life, when he was often ill, he composed his two last masterpieces: //Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria// (//The Return of Ulysses//, 1641), and the historic opera //L'incoronazione di Poppea// (//The Coronation of Poppea//, 1642), based on the life of the Roman emperor Nero //L'incoronazione// especially is considered a culminating point of Monteverdi's work. It contains tragic, romantic, and comedic scenes (a new development in opera), a more realistic portrayal of the characters, and warmer melodies than previously heard It requires a smaller orchestra, and has a less prominent role for the choir. For a long period of time, Monteverdi's operas were merely regarded as a historical or musical interest. Since the 1960s, //The Coronation of Poppea// has re-entered the repertoire of major opera companies worldwide. Monteverdi died in Venice on November 29, 1643 and was buried at the church of the Frari.

media type="youtube" key="bU681o8BlZs" height="344" width="425" Here is a link of **Orfeo**'s song: []


 * //L'Orfeo//** ( **//L'Orfeo, favola in musica//**, SV 318, or //La Favola d'Orfeo//, or //The Legend of Orpheus//) is one of the earliest works recognized as an opera, composed by Claudio Monteverdi with text by Alessandro Striggio for the annual carnival of Mantua. It was first performed before the Accademia degl'Invaghiti on 24 February 1607 in a now unidentifiable room in the ducal palace at Mantua, and was published in Venice in 1609. The opera saw its modern debut on 25 February 1904 in a concert version in Paris directed by Vincent d'Indy. The opera continues to be regularly performed and its anniversary year of 2007 saw many productions.

First two lines of the prologue score, 1609 Venice edition

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Here are five pieces of Claudio Monteverdi, in the right zone of the page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claudio_Monteverdi