Search - Montecerdi, Gardiner, Ebs :: Ballet Music

A voice teacher and early music fan

George Peabody | Planet Earth | 01/06/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"CHARMING MONTEVERDI! EXHILARATING MONTEVERDI! MAGNIFICENT MONTEVERDI!



This is my first great discovery of 2010, and I am very happy that I came upon it. For it contains not only some of Monteverdi's most interesting music but the marvelous and outstanding voices of his personally organized choir that has become one of the best present-day performing groups. However, this 1982 group of singers is one of his best sounding choirs! Not only does this recording have some very fine soloists such as tenor Anthony Rolfe-Johnson and soprano Patricia Kwella, it has some singers that have since become internatinally known soloists such as Michael Chance. It would have been great if the names of the choir personnel would have been listed in the notes, but for many years they were not listed, though they have been in recent recordings. Because Chance's voice is known to me, and I know he was in the choir at that time, I recognize it, and also some others that I don't want to mention because I am not absolutely cerain that they are there.



The 'ballo' was a favorite form in 17th century Italy. A direct offspring of the French corps de ballet, it was a mixture of solo singing and dance music either for several voices or for both combined. 'Balli' were usually occasional pieces designed for a wedding, a birthday or a state visit, but they were also introduced as 'intermezzi' in the operas of the time.



In the independent 'ballo' "Tirsi & Clori"(first track) composed in 1615, the 14 minute piece depicts a duo-dance between the two characters, at first going rhythmically their own way, and then finally getting together which brings on the first entrance of the Chorus, and glorious it is!. Then follows seven minutes of the most beautiful singing that thrilled me to the core!



The next four tracks contain music that was later recorded (1985) as a complete opera "L'Orfeo" also by Gardiner, but with some changes in personnel and voicings. The four excerpts here are: "Lasciate i monte" balletto" which is about two minutes of great choral singing; "Vieni Imeneo" a ballo which is about one minute of equally interesting singing; "Ecco pur ch'a voi ritorno", a ballo involving three characters: Orfeo by Rolfe-Johnson, 1st shepherd by L. Dale and 2nd shepherd by A. Woodrow. (five minutes)



Track six is "Moresca" a one minute rhythmically attractive instrumental selection played very well indeed by the English Baroque soloists, who I might add were very capable and skillful throughout the recording. (one minute)



Track Six 'balletto' "De la Bellezza" (9 minutes) begins with instruments playing a majestic 'entrata' for the singers and dancers. Then the balletta itself begins in a sequence of sharply defined movements: six contrasted 'verses' in praise of beauty set to six distinct dance metres. Dancing is the main reason, but now and again the singing gains supremacy over the ballet, especially in the slower, lyrical triplet sections. In the last movement, a graceful 'siciliano', the instruments prolong and embellish the vocal phrase at each cadence. What great creative writing we have here!



The seventh track "Il Ballo delle Ingrate" is unique in Monteverdi's output - a one-act opera with a 'ballo' as its center feature. Structurally it is modelled on the French corps de ballet. Monteverdi's music for this 'ballo' is purely instrumental(about four minutes). It ends with a miniature dance suite in four contrasted movements.



The final track "Volgendo Il ciel" is separated by twenty years from the previous selections. It is Monteverdi's last essay in 'ballo' form. Although this is a festive ballet and not part of an opera it is not difficult to imagine a singer-poet, lyre in hand, declaiming his stanzas, with a corps de ballet dancing to the rhythmic patterns of the intervening 'ritonello', both before and between two brilliant choruses which conclude the 'ballo'.(ten minutes)



Words can not express how much joy and pleasure this recording elicited from me. And it thus far has not been reissued; don't know why, but as you can tell there are several copies at a very reasonable price right now on Amazon marketplace. And the price is LOW!



I must mention that there are liner notes, rather skimpy, though informative; no text of the song material, but I could care less, the music was so great. And all in German, French and English. My Treasure for 2010!"