 TELDEC Das Alte Werk 4509-91971-2 |
Claudio
Monteverdi Madrigali concertati Tragicomedia Viveca Axell - soprano John Potter - tenor Douglas Nasrawi - tenor Harry van der Kamp - bass Andrew Lawrence-King, harp/harpsichord/organ Erin Headley, viola da gamba Stephen Stubbs - chitarrone/guitar Winner of Edison Classical Music Award |
Gramophone
"There can be
few more reassuring ways to build a sonorous and expressive textural palette
than from the bottom up. This is Tragicomedia's hallmark, their regular members
beings continuo players and not singers. Recent performances (including a fine
disc of Rossi cantatas-Teldec, 10/93) confirm how detailed textural
considerations from the thorough bass can illuminate the poetry in a radical
fashion, rather than just provide a colouristic display of superfluous activity
from double harps, chitarrones, guitars, lirones, viola da gambas and a variety
of keyboard instruments. The singers are all astute dramatists too. Tenors John
Potter and Douglas Nasrawi take the lion's share of the work with velvety and
highly resonant contributions from the bass, Harry van der Kamp. They are
joined briefly by the soprano, Viveca Axell as Ninfa in the famous lament. As
the title "Madrigali Concertati" suggests, these are works in Venice's most
fashionable guise where the singers are given the exposure to interpret the
text largely through their own vocal capacity. If portraying the image-laden
verse powerfully can be determined by good ensemble, committed declamation and
attention to detail, then this recording ranks highly. Everyone's favourite,
Zefiro torna, is evocatively etched, delicately and astutely phrased with a
wonderfully stroked continuo where you can almost feel the warm summer breeze
on the face. Van der Kamp is magnificent in the ensembles (especially in
Vaga su spina ascosa) and this is where the tenors shine too, but his
extended solo in Ogni amante e guerrier is the highlight of the disc for
me. The recorded sound is clear and spacious."
BBC Music Magazine
"Too many ensembles seem
in awe of Monteverdi, and treat his madrigals with an almst liturgical
reverence inappropriate to their often frivolous nature. It is refreshing
therefore to hear these canti amorosi and guerrieri performed with the spirit
and passion their texts imply...It is not only the singers who deserve credit.
The ensemble Tragicomedia (Stephen Stubbs, Andrew Lawrence-King and Erin
Headley) give a performance, on a range of instruments, that is subtle,
incisive, engaging and in all ways exemplary."
BBC Music Magazine CD Collection
"Monteverdi's madrigals are the turning point from Renaissance to Baroque. The
Fifth Book (1605) contains an innovation: the last six pieces have an
indispensable continuo bass-line which changes the very meaning of 'madrigal'.
This disc reflects the new concept with instrumentally accompanied madrigals
from Monteverdi's Seventh and Eighth Books - and they're a delight: Zefiro
torna dances above a 'ciacona' repeated bass, its cross-rhythms still foxing
the ear however well you know the piece; vocal virtuosity and warlike concitato
repeated chords (a Monteverdi invention) in Ogni amante è guerrier. The
singers are so sensitive in their tuning that they generate a rare sonority
which in turn clarifies the words. And they are heightened by the subtlety of
Tragicomedia: harp, chittarone, guitar, gama, lirone, organ and harpsichord
create an array of accompanying colour. "
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