Claudio Monteverdi

1
Claudio Monteverdi

• That really important guy who wrote that really
  important opera

2
The last Renaissance Man but in the Baroque

• Monteverdi is the last great Renaissance
  composer, and the first great Baroque composer
• Composed in all styles Madrigals, church music,
  opera
• His style bridges the gap between the Renaissance
  and the Baroque

3
Monteverdis Resume

• Composed nine books of Madrigals
• Composed at least 18 Operas
• Worked from 1590 to 1611 in the court of Mantua
  as singer, violinist, and music director
• Worked from 1613 to 1643 at St. Marks in Venice
• Wrote operas for the San Cassiano, the first
  public Opera house in Europe

4
Musical Style

• Wanted to create emotional intensity
• Used dissonance with unprecedented freedom and
  daring
• Introduced new orchestral effects, including
  tremolo and pizzacato
• Sung lines flow well with the natural inflections
  of the Italian language

5
The opera Orfeo

• About the myth of Orpheus
• Composed in 1607 for the Mantuan court
• No expense spared
• Uses many different styles
• Recitative, arias, duets, choruses, instrumental
• Orchestra used to create atmosphere

6
Recitative Tu Se Morta

• Sung by Orpheus after he is told of Eurydices
  death
• Accompanied only by basso continuo (portable
  organ and bass lute)
• Homophonic texture
• Word painting all over
• Low notes on abissi (abyss) and morte (death)
• High notes on stelle (stars) and sole (sun)
• Three times the line ascends to a climax, the
  descends