Monteverdi's Magnificat, published in 1610 and dedicated to Pope Paul V is part of the "Vespro della Beata Vergine da concerto". This work could have been created as a portfolio to demonstrate his talent and versatility to composing religious music in different styles. It could also have been intended to inaugurate a new order of chivalry in Mantua (sub Vincenzo Gonzaga, his patron). Ref. Tim Carter and Geoffrey Chew. "Monteverdi, Claudio. Oxford Music Online. Monteverdi resumed here the model of the Gregorian Magnificat (antiphonal singing at the origin) by articulating its overall structure on a cantus firmus which migrates from voice to another according to passages. It is usually accompanied by two other vocals (6 or 7, on two other occasions) which are at times replaced by the instruments. The result is a blend of plain chant, polyphony and instruments.
While Monteverdi based on tradition, but also operates and summarizes the musical trends of his time in particular by the principles of the seconda prattica (eg. Primacy of the text on music and freer counterpoint). As in his opera Orfeo, it reserves the melisma on occasion (in relation with God) eg. the words "exulted" Deo "," Sanctum "and" Gloria ". It highlights the text with music (but also the pace which matches that of the spoken language) and exploits their emotional potential. We observed many echo effects (including setting of 'Deposuit potentes "(repeat in the cones) and in" Gloria Patri "occurs when a set of echo between the tenor and bass). On several occasions, instrumental passages, used as transitions allow text to breathe. Each of the verses of the original text is put to music in a separate part which contrasts with the next and that is the "theory of the passions" in vogue at the time. (For ex. The "Magnificat" is humble and quiet while "And exultavit" is more agitated to express religious exaltation. Even if there is alternation of quiet moments and stirred, after all the work is progressing towards a majestic peak (Sicut erat) abound where a profusion of voices overlap and mingle with the instruments. On the word "amen", the melisma of the votes of seven singers reflect a rhythmic joy that contrasts with the solemnity of the Creation.
The score is here .
Illustration: The Visitation , Rogier van der Weyden , around 1435
(I wrote this text for my class at U of M. I liked it so much the Magnificat, that I wanted to let you know ... if you have not already ...) And here
music (for listening online)
Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643): Vespro della Beata Vergine
2 CD naïve OP30405.
With: Roberta Invernizzi
, Monica Piccinini, Anna Simboli (soprano) Sara Mingardo
(contralto)
Francesco Ghelardini (viola), Vincenzo di Donato
, Dordolo Luca, Gianluca Ferrarini (tenor) Pietro Spagnoli
, Furio Zanasi (baritones)
Antonio Abete, Daniele Carnovich (bass)
Concerto Italiano, directed by: Rinaldo Alessandrini.
Recorded in April 2004 at Palazzo Farnese, Rome. TT: 1h45'27''
