Monteverdi: Il quinto libro de madrigali, 1605 (5th Book of Madrigals)

Complete Solo Madrigals from Le Nuove Musiche 1602 by Giulio Caccini(1551-1618) and Madrigals from Books III, IV, V by Claudio Monteverdi (1567 –1643). La Nuova Musica are one of the best young ensembles performing this style of music in the UK today. They have received excellent reviews from the public and critics. John Rutter said of them "…This new group of young performers brings a sense of freshness and joy to even the most familiar music. Quite captivating!"

With his Fifth Book of Madrigals Monteverdi cast off the conventions of his time and created a style in which the music served the words and the expression of emotions: the birth of Baroque.

In the 16th century madrigals were all the rage, and the country where the genre was perfected was Italy. The motet had reached Italy from the Netherlands and France during the previous 200 years, and had been infused with the ‘new’ polyphonic style of composition. Italy was also the country that had produced the greatest poetry of the Renaissance, including Petrach and Tasso.

The fusion of music and this wonderful poetry inspired many of the great Italian composersof the period such as Caccini, and most importantly Monteverdi.

The madrigals of Claudio Monteverdi represent the final development of the form and are without doubt the greatest examples. He composed eight books between 1585 and 1635. They are composed for a small vocal ensemble of five voices, with harpsichord and theorbo (a large lute) continuo.

Monteverdi’s genius as a composer of opera can be heard in the drama he creates in these madrigals. They can be described with some justification as mini operas.

Le Nuova Musiche was formed in 2004 and specialises in music from the first half of the 17th century. The members of the group are not only first class musicians, but have the benefit of in depth knowledge of the performing practices and manuscripts of the repertoire.