The best recordings of Monteverdi

The best recordings of Monteverdi

We bring you four of the finest examples of the work of Claudio Monteverdi on disc

Monteverdi best recordings

Freya Parr

Published: May 15, 2019 at 3:00 am

L’Orfeo Ian Bostridge etc; Le Concert d’Astrée/Emmanuelle Haïm Virgin 948 2532

Characterful instrumental playing, with Bostridge as close as anyone to the ‘speaking in song’ of the time.

1610 Vespers Taverner Consort & Players/Andrew Parrott Virgin 561 6622

A classic recording, with full liturgical reconstruction and phenomenally good choral and consort tuning.

Fourth Book of Madrigals Concerto Italiano/Rinaldo Alessandrini Naïve OP30502

A virtuosic account of this great a capella book.

Flaming Heart – secular choral works I Fagiolini/Robert Hollingworth Chandos CHAN0730

An excellent introduction, with madrigals drawn from several books.

Freya Parr

Digital Editor and Staff Writer, BBC Music Magazine

Freya Parr is BBC Music Magazine's digital editor and staff writer, editing and writing on all styles of music across both the website and print magazine. She has also written for titles including the Guardian, Circus Journal, Frankie and Suitcase Magazine, and runs The Noiseletter, a fortnightly arts and culture publication. Freya's main areas of interest and research lie in 20th-century and contemporary music. She's a regular sea shanty singer, folk obsessive and occasional flautist, pianist, organist and musical theatre director.
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