Claudio Monteverdi

Donald Macleod looks at five themes in Claudio Monteverdi's life
through the letters he wrote.


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.


Across the episode, we’ll hear stories of Monteverdi’s penchant
for procrastination, his revered opinions of singers, many
financial struggles, tempestuous heath and the lengths he went to
in order to support his family.


Music featured: Chiome d’oro Cantai un tempo, & se fu dolc’il
canto L’Orfeo: Prologue and Act I Dixit Dominus Lamento d’Arianna
a voce sola Cantate Domino Dominus vobiscum. Et cum spiritu tuo
Con che soavità L’Incoronazione di Poppea: Act II: Amici, è
giunta l’hora Ballo delle ingrate ‘Batto’, qui pianse Ergasto
L’incoronazione di Poppea: Prologue and Act I: Lamento d’Arianna
a 5 Adoramus te Zefiro torna Quel sguardo sdegnosetto L’Orfeo:
Toccata Lamento della Ninfa Missa In illo tempore Il ritorno
d’Ulisse in patria: Act V: O dolor, o martir L’incoronazione di
Poppea: Act III: Pur ti miro Damigella tutta bella L’Orfeo: Act
V: Extracts Tirsi e Clori Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria: Act I
Magnificat a 7


Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Eleri Llian Rees for BBC
Wales


For full tracklistings, including artist and recording details,
and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after
broadcast) head to the series page for Claudio Monteverdi
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000ffwm


And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve
featured on Composer of the Week here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z