Monteverdi: Selva morale e spirituale

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The performance is quite simply outstanding, the voices and strings of Cantus Colln penetratingly focused yet consistently alive, cornets and trombones of Concerto Palatino warm, enveloping... — George Pratt, BBC Music Magazine, 5 out of 5 stars More…

Catalogue No: HMC901718/20
Label: Harmonia Mundi
Length: 3 hours 49 minutes

Gramophone Awards

2002

Winner - Baroque Vocal

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Monteverdi: Dixit Dominus Secondo

Work length8:43

$1.20

$1.50

Monteverdi: Salve Regina

Work length6:07

$1.00

$1.25

Monteverdi: Confitebor Primo

Work length8:22

$1.20

$1.50

Monteverdi: Deus tuorum militum (Secondo)

Work length2:15

$1.00

$1.25

Monteverdi: Beatus vir (from Selva Morale e Spirituali)

Work length7:32

$1.20

$1.50

Monteverdi: Salve Regina

Work length5:40

$1.00

$1.25

Monteverdi: Laudate pueri Primo

Work length7:14

$1.20

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Monteverdi: Sanctorum meritis (Primo)

Work length3:19

$1.00

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Monteverdi: Laudate Dominum (Secondo)

Work length3:17

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Monteverdi: Salve Regina, Audi caelum

Work length10:00

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$1.75

Monteverdi: Magnificat Primo

Work length13:09

$1.60

$2.00

Monteverdi: O ciechi, ciechi

Work length3:28

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Monteverdi: È questa vita un lampo

Work length2:26

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Monteverdi: Spuntava il dì

Work length5:40

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Monteverdi: Voi ch'ascoltate

Work length5:14

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Monteverdi: Chi vol che m’innamori

Work length7:11

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Monteverdi: Pianto della Madonna 'Iam moriar, mi fili' (sopra il Lamento dell'Arianna), SV 288

Work length8:55

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Monteverdi: Messa a 4 da capella: Kyrie

Work length2:05

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Monteverdi: Messa a 4 da capella: Gloria

Work length3:04

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Monteverdi: Messa a 4 da capella: Credo

Work length5:16

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Monteverdi: Messa a 4 da capella: Sanctus

Work length1:44

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Monteverdi: Messa a 4 da capella: Benedictus

Work length1:14

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Monteverdi: Messa a 4 da capella: Agnus Dei

Work length2:34

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Monteverdi: Crucifixus, SV 259

Work length2:42

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Monteverdi: Et resurrexit

Work length1:40

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Monteverdi: Et iterum

Work length1:32

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Monteverdi: Credidi

Work length4:29

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Monteverdi: Laudate Dominum Terzo

Work length4:36

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Monteverdi: Memento Domine David

Work length7:48

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Monteverdi: Confitebor Terzo alla francese

Work length6:16

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Monteverdi: Gloria

Work length11:41

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Monteverdi: Dixit [Dominus] Primo

Work length10:49

$1.40

$1.75

Monteverdi: Laudate Dominum in sancta Eius

Work length3:55

$1.00

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Monteverdi: Confitebor Secondo

Work length6:08

$1.00

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Monteverdi: Ut queant laxis from Selva morale e spirituale

Work length3:24

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Monteverdi: Beatus vir (second setting)

Work length5:06

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Monteverdi: Jubilet tota civitas

Work length4:34

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Monteverdi: Laudate pueri (Secondo)

Work length7:30

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Monteverdi: Iste confessor

Work length2:31

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Monteverdi: Laudate Dominum Primo

Work length4:14

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Monteverdi: Ab aeterno ordinata sum

Work length6:39

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Monteverdi: Magnificat (Secondo)

Work length9:19

$1.20

$1.50

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About

From the early 1630s onwards, Monteverdi had little by little become detached from his secular occupations – perhaps preparing to take his leave of earthly existence. But when he was already over 70 he set to work once more, publishing his eighth book of madrigals before offering the public a bulky collection of sacred works in the shape of the Selva morale e spirituale. Infinitely more ambitious than the comparable anthologies of his contemporaries, the work is here presented complete, enabling the listener to discover the whole range of Monteverdi’s output of sacred music, from madrigals and virtuoso solo motets to the most elaborate polyphony. In his preface evoking the multifarious “creatures” sheltered by this vast “moral and spiritual forest”, the father of Baroque music was merely emphasising the wonderful diversity of styles so characteristic of his wide-ranging genius.

Reviews

The performance is quite simply outstanding, the voices and strings of Cantus Colln penetratingly focused yet consistently alive, cornets and trombones of Concerto Palatino warm, enveloping - and impeccably in tune. Junghanel structures the music cleverly, weaving continuity into the constantly changing moods arising from Monteverdi's sensitivity to words, and repetitions of motifs in short, echoing fragments. He's helped by excellent recording, exposing every musical point as voices and instruments lean forward in turn then retreat into the broader texture... An outstanding project, long overdue and unreservedly commended.

2010

Monteverdi's last publication has always been something of a stepchild in his output, perhaps partly because of its sheer size and variety: there's lots of music in it that's hard to pigeon-hole. It's a massive assembly of some 40 pieces, some apparently very early, many from those mysterious years after the 1610 Vespers, and a few perhaps very late. In style they range from the purest academic polyphony of the stile antico to the most elaborate concerted music with intricate and showy instrumental parts, from the simplest melodic writing to virtuoso floridity with extreme vocal ranges. In this complete recording Konrad Junghänel has effectively made the first and third CDs into approximate vespers collections, with the second CD containing most of the music that can't be fitted into the others.
This works extremely well, not least because those who aren't ready to sit through it all at one sitting can get a satisfying musical unit from any one of the discs.
The 12 singers of Cantus Cölln have among them enough variety of colour to keep the sound lively and interesting. They are always clear, disciplined and balanced; and Junghänel directs the often episodic works with a firm control of their shape. The peerless Johanna Koslowsky leads much of the time in the larger pieces and contributes marvellous solo numbers.
For the large-range bass solos Stephan MacLeod makes the impossible lines sound almost effortless.
This set is a remarkable achievement.

This is an issue of tremendous importance. While most recent Monteverdians make selections from the 1640 publication of sacred works (its title means Moral and Spiritual Forest), Junghänel gives us Monteverdi's 'testament' complete. The collection contains some of Monteverdi's most sublime creations - the first Beatus Vir and the solo Pianto della Madonna, based on Ariadne's laments from his mostly lost opera of 1608, are the best known - and it's impossible to do justice to the riches recorded here in a short review. Cantus Cölln...is consistently beautiful. Johanna Koslowsky deserves special mention for her ravishing singing of the Pianto, and Junghänel's realisations of the instrumental parts are sumptuous.

The performances have all the necessary brilliance and sense of excitement. The three-disc set may be a major investment, but its four hours of endlessly varied listening provide a magnificent return.

Early Music Today December 2014

this recording sparkles from start to finish: the singers are supported by the wondrous Concerto Palatino and an equally fine string-and-continuo band.

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