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Donald Macleod focuses his attention on the excuses Monteverdi gave throughout his letters for being constantly behind with his commissions.

Claudio Monteverdi’s compositions range from the secular to the sacred. He is a composer whose work spans the Renaissance and Baroque periods of musical history, and is known as a pioneer of the development of opera in Italy throughout the early 17th century. Throughout the week, Donald looks at five themes in Monteverdi’s life through the letters he wrote. Using Denis Stevens’ translations from the 1970s, we look at the excuses given by Monteverdi – a perpetually busy man – for not finishing compositions on time, the politics and hierarchy of life in the Italian Courts and Church, the financial struggles faced by Monteverdi, the illnesses that plagued his life and the lives of his close family and the importance of his family throughout his life.

A man devoted to making music for his patrons, Monteverdi perhaps took on more work than he could manage. Despite his best efforts, he often penned a letter offering yet another reason why he was unable to complete a composition on time. Donald tells the stories that surround these letters; from an over-abundance of commissions around the Christmas period to personal matters which took his mind off the task of composing for long periods of time. We also touch upon the way in which letters were sent and received in 17th-century Italy, and Monteverdi’s deftness in manipulating various patrons to wait, patiently, for his compositions to arrive.

Chiome d’oro
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Nuria Rial, soprano
Christina Pluhar, director

Cantai un tempo, & se fu dolc’il canto
Les Arts Florissants
Paul Agnew, director

L’Orfeo: Prologue and Act I
Lynne Dawson, soprano (La Musica)
Nancy Argenta, soprano (Ninfa)
Anthony Rolfe Johnson, tenor (Orfeo)
Julianne Baird, soprano (Euridice)
Mark Tucker, tenor (Pastori)
Nigel Robson, tenor (Pastori)
Michael Chance, countertenor (Pastori)
Simon Birchall, bass baritone (Pastori)
The Monteverdi Choir
The English Baroque Soloists
His Majesties Sagbutts & Cornetts
John Eliot Gardiner, conductor

Dixit Dominus
I Fagiolini
Robert Hollingworth, conductor
The English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble
The 24

Lamento d’Arianna a voce sola
The Consort of Musicke
Anthony Rooley, leader
Emma Kirkby, soprano

Producer: Eleri Llian Rees