Claudio Monteverdi
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CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI Stacy Capers CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI •May 15, 1567 – Nov 29, 1643 (died age 76) •Baroque Italian composer •Bridge between old and new musical practice •Pioneer of opera EARLY LIFE Born in Cremona, Italy Child prodigy Served as chorister under Marc Antonio Ingegneri at Cathedral in Cremona Produced first music for publication by age 15 Took position as court musician in Mantua in 1590 for Gonzaga family Began work as viola player and vocalist, promoted to conductor in 1602 Married court singer, Claudia de Cattaneis, in 1599 Two sons, Francesco and Massimiliano, and a daughter, Leonora (died in infancy) MUSICAL WORKS Madrigals Operas Some sacred music Motets Masses Vespers MONTEVERDI AND THE MADRIGAL Madrigal: secular vocal work, 2-8 voices, a cappella, word-painting 9 books Cultivated a new, innovative Baroque style Irregular dissonances, bold sonorities, beginnings of functional tonality Quinto Libro (5th book) became center of famous Monteverdi/Artusi Controversy “Cruda Amarilli” Music theorist, Giovanni Artusi attacks Monteverdi’s unusual practices Monteverdi’s response: division of musical practice—Prima pratica vs. Seconda pratica MONTEVERDI AND OPERA Created first great masterpieces in this genre Most operas not completed or lost 3 surviving operas: L’Orfeo Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria L’incoronazione di Poppea “Pur ti Miro” (Duet aria; Act III, scene 7) L’ORFEO •AKA La favola d'Orfeo •Librettist: Alessandro Striggio •Prologue and 5 Acts •First “great” modern opera, *but not first opera •Based on Greek legend of Orpheus’s descent to the underworld •Written for court performance during Carnival L’ORFEO (CONT.) •Monteverdi’s innovations: • Madrigal influences • Use of monody • Precedence of text over music • Dynamics • Quick tempo and harmonic changes • Shocking dissonances •“Tu se’ morta”, Recitative from Act II Sung by baritone, Florian Just • Orfeo learns of his bride, Euridice’s death • Dissonance represents mourning LATER YEARS •Duke Vincenzo died 1612, Monteverdi dismissed from court by Francesco, his successor •Appointed as maestro of basilica di San Marco in Venice • Trained court musicians, expanded repertoire •Age 65, entered priesthood •Died in Venice in 1643 ITALIAN TERMS •Basso continuo: (baroque music) “continued bass”; includes a bassline and harmonies played by a keyboard instrument •Libretto: “booklet”; the text of an opera or other long vocal work •Aria: “air”; a long, accompanied song for solo voice •Recitativo: “recitative”; narrative/dialogue parts of an opera sung to rhythm of ordinary speech •Maestro di capella: Master of choir/orchestra WORKS CITED http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.libproxy.furman.edu/grovemusic/view/10.1093 /gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e- 0000044352?rskey=qzP1BY&result=1 http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Claudio_Monteverdi https://courses.lumenlearning.com/musicapp_historical/chapter/claudio- monteverdi/ https://youtu.be/kEgLr-YVRvs https://youtu.be/Q_o1xDJyiOU https://youtu.be/6eA7aDYflc4.