Barock and Beyond — Claudio Monteverdi and his Scherzi musicali

 Musical "Jokes" of Monteverdi and New Music

Claudio Monteverdi (1567–1643) published two books of Scherzi Musicali (literally, musical jokes told in song) in 1607 and the 1632. The Scherzi of 1607 were intended as light music for the court in Mantua, with which Monteverdi was associated from 1590. Rythmically interesting works from the first collection and strophic arias from the 1632 follow-up collection form the heart of the program. Included also are other "hits" by Monteverdi, instrumental solos by Biagio Marini, vocal "villanelle" by Luca Marenzio, and a composition especially commissioned for this program, on a text of Torquato Tasso (1544-1595), by Laurence Traiger (1956-).

Performers: Sabine Lutzenberger — soprano, recorder / Kamila Mazalová — alto / Joel Frederiksen — bass, archlute, direction / Yuna Lee — violin / Theona Gubba-Chkheidze — violin / Domen Marincic — viola da Gamba / Christoph Eglhuber — theorbe / Michael Eberth — harpsichord