Madrigaux Monteverdi - 6th Book

Published in Venice in 1614, Monteverdi's sixth book of madrigals stands as one of the most remarkable collections in the history of the madrigal. Positioned at a pivotal moment between the Renaissance and the Baroque eras, it reflects the composer's evolving musical language, moving toward ever greater freedom and dramatic expression. 

Bringing together eighteen madrigals set to texts by Petrarch, Marino, and Scipione Agnelli, the collection explores themes of love, loss, and memory. Two masterpieces form its cornerstones: the celebrated Lamento in Arianna, the only surviving fragment of the opera Arianna, and the Sestina, composed in memory of the singer Caterina Martinelli. Deeply affected by personal bereavements, Monteverdi unfolds in these works a rich emotional spectrum, alternating between polyphonic settings, vocal dialogues, and concertato madrigals. 

Under the direction of Paul Agnew, Les Arts Florissants present the complete collection, in which each piece reveals the modernity and evocative power of Monteverdi's genius.