As we rapidly approach March, the Wearin' o the green, and spring flowers, I have been again listening over and over to a new version of a favorite old madrigal by Claudio Monteverdi. Magdalena Koczena, a wonderful mezzo-soprano released a new CD singing all Monteverdi.
This madrigal is based on a sonnet by the late 16th c. poet Ottavio Rinuccini, who collaborated with Monteverdi and Caccini, among other composers of the time. The piece is scored for two tenors (but many other permutations can be found) and continuo, and most of the piece is in the form of a ciaccona, kind of like a round, and in this case uses a constantly recurring bass line. The poem is an ode to Zephyr, the west wind that brings Spring. Remember how fond Debussy was of the West Wind....two of his Preludes for piano have titles dealing with WW !! Though you can't find Koczena's version yet on youtube, try this one.....also so beautiful. Happy thoughts of Spring!
This madrigal is based on a sonnet by the late 16th c. poet Ottavio Rinuccini, who collaborated with Monteverdi and Caccini, among other composers of the time. The piece is scored for two tenors (but many other permutations can be found) and continuo, and most of the piece is in the form of a ciaccona, kind of like a round, and in this case uses a constantly recurring bass line. The poem is an ode to Zephyr, the west wind that brings Spring. Remember how fond Debussy was of the West Wind....two of his Preludes for piano have titles dealing with WW !! Though you can't find Koczena's version yet on youtube, try this one.....also so beautiful. Happy thoughts of Spring!
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