Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) is an Italian composer, who is perhaps the most well-known composer to precede J.S Bach. Browse our sheet music and scores, and explore the wide world of Divino Claudio with Stretta Music today!
Claudio Monteverdi was born in Cremona in 1567, the same year Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina published the “Missa papae Marcelli”, a good example of the austere style imposed upon musicians by the Church at the time. Monteverdi was a pupil of Marc’Antonio Ingegneri, the choir master of Cremona Cathedral. His compositional talent was soon recognised, and at the age of 15 he published the “Sacrae cantiunculae”, compositions for three voices, at 16 the “Madrigali spirituali” and at 17 the “Canzonette”. In 1589, at the age of 22, he joined the Court of Mantua as a viola player, and in 1603 he became Maestro di Cappella. Ten years later, in 1613 he moved to Venice, to take up the same position at St. Mark’s Basilica, where he stayed until his death in 1643.
In Monteverdi’s “First Book of Madrigals” from 1587, one can already find progressive harmonic and melodic elements that break tradition, but it is his “Fifth Book of Madrigals” from 1605, that really marks the transition between the Renaissance and the Baroque periods. It was through his harmonic and melodic experimentation that Monteverdi coined the stile concitato, as seen in his famous “Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda” from 1624.
Divino Claudio, as Claudio Monteverdi is often referred to in Italy, is best known as the inventor of musical melodrama. Although he wrote at least 18 operas, only “L’Orfeo”, 1607, the aria “Lamento d’Arianna” from “L’Arianna”, 1608, “Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria”, 1640, and the “Incoronazione di Poppea”, 1643, have been preserved.
Interesting that Monteverdi chose to write “L’Orfeo” as one of his first theatrical works, the “Fable in Music” dedicated to the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice is said to be the first work in the history of music, and it is the same story that ends an era, namely with “Orpheus” by Gluck. According to Claudio Toscani, Orpheus is “the first real protagonist in the history of modern musical theatre”, and with him the history of opera really began.
Contemporary musicologists have devoted much attention to Monteverdi and his compositions. Gian Francesco Malipiero commissioned the publication of Opera Omnia to “spread the works of one of Italy’s true geniuses” and “to show once again how great manifestations of art always remain modern’.
The Monteverdi Festival takes place in Cremona every year, where the Fondazione Claudio Monteverdi, which is dedicated to the critical editions of his work, is located.
A fresh rose is regularly placed at the tomb of Claudio Monteverdi in the Basilica dei Frari di Venezia.
from Madrigali Guerrieri. Libro VIII, No. 2
for six Voices (SSATTB), two Violins and Continuo
for: Mixed choir (SSATTB), 2 violins, basso continuo
Choir score
Item no.: 676561
11. Allora i pastor tutti - Terza parte
for: SSATB Chor
Choir score
Item no.: 1629687
18. Lumi, miei cari lumi
for: SSS(A)TB Chor
Choir score
Item no.: 1629369
19. Non m’è grave ’l morire
for: SSATB Chor
Choir score
Item no.: 1629759
20. Ti spontò l’ali, Amor, la donna mia
for: SSATB Chor
Choir score
Item no.: 1629519
aus: Messa à quattro voci et salmi
for: Mixed choir (SATB) a cappella; organ ad lib.
Score (Urtext edition)
Item no.: 279186
aus: Selva morale et spirituale
for: Voice (bass), basso continuo
Score, part
Item no.: 665342
for: Soloists, mixed choir, orchestra
Piano reduction
Item no.: 351593
for: GCH (3-4) BC
Choir score
Item no.: 179322
for: Women's choir (2-3 parts) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 850607
for: Symphonic orchestra
Score
Item no.: 1548275
Score
Item no.: 553305
Score
Item no.: 549867
Score
Item no.: 549807
for: 1–3 voices, basso continuo
Score
Item no.: 223965
for: SSATB
Score
Item no.: 1338205
Score
Item no.: 1337195
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 860828
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 859852
for: Mixed choir (SATB), piano
Choir score
Item no.: 859772
for: Voice, piano
Music score
Item no.: 258655
for: Flexible wind band
Score, Parts
Item no.: 315378
for: Choir
Choir score
Item no.: 123410
for: Mixed choir (SSATB) a cappella
Choir score
Item no.: 409540
Vesperae Beatae Mariae Virginis
for: 6 soloists (SSATTB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Choir score
Item no.: 225749
for: 2. Viola
Stimme, Urtextausgabe
Item no.: 874143
for: 1-7 Singstimmen und Instrumente
Partitur
Item no.: 330566
aus der Oper "L´Orfeo"
(Ausgabe in B-, C- und D-Dur)
for: Trumpet, piano
Score, Parts
Item no.: 781328
für Mezzosopran und Orchester
Studienpartitur
for: Voice, orchestra
Study score
Item no.: 1344606
for: Two-Part Treble Voices [SS] and Organ
Einzelstimme
Item no.: 1037819
Monographie mit Selbstzeugnissen und Bilddokumenten
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 106986
for: Brass band, organ
Sheet music
Item no.: 1315904
Um die Geburt der Oper
Book (softcover)
Item no.: 213631
G
for: Flute, piano
Instrumental Solo & Accompaniment
Item no.: 1645955
The Brass Press
for: 5 brass winds
Score, Parts
Item no.: 225739
Vesperae Beatae Mariae Virginis
for: 6 soloists (SSATTB), mixed choir (SATB), orchestra, basso continuo
Choir score
Item no.: 460489
Piano reduction
Item no.: 326283
10. Deh, bella e cara e sì soave un tempo - Seconda parte
for: Mixed choir (SSATB), basso continuo
Choir score
Item no.: 1629710
5. Ma, se con la pietà non è in te spenta - Seconda parte
for: Mixed choir (SSATB), basso continuo
Choir score
Item no.: 1629660
3. Era l’anima mia
for: Mixed choir (SSATB), basso continuo
Choir score
Item no.: 1629475
13. M’è più dolce il penar per Amarilli
for: Mixed choir (SSATB), basso continuo
Choir score
Item no.: 1629461
14. Ahi, come a un vago sol cortese giro
for: Mixed choir (SATTB), basso continuo
Choir score
Item no.: 1204103
15. Questa ordì il laccio
for: SSATB Chor
Choir score
Item no.: 1629618
2. Se per avervi, ohimè, donato il core
for: SSATB Chor
Choir score
Item no.: 1629596
14. Occhi, un tempo mia vita
for: SSATB Chor
Choir score
Item no.: 1629536
4. Amor, per tua mercé vattene a quella
for: SSATB Chor
Choir score
Item no.: 1629355
21. Cantai un tempo e se fu dolce il canto
for: SSATB Chor
Choir score
Item no.: 1629442
19. Ardo, sì, ma non t’amo
for: SSATB Chor
Choir score
Item no.: 1629405
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