13 December, 7:30pm: The Tallis Scholars
The Tallis Scholars
Director, Peter Phillips
Monteverdi in Europe
Palestrina Magnificat for Double Choir
Palestrina Salve regina
Monteverdi Messa a quattro voci da cappella (1650)
Interval
- Praetorius Magnificat IV
Monteverdi Adoramus te
Monteverdi Domine, ne in furore
Monteverdi Cantate domino
Palestrina Virgo prudentissima
Isaac Virgo prudentissima
There are two important 16th century anniversaries to celebrate this year: Monteverdi’s birth in 1567 and Isaac’s death in 1517. This programme aims to mark both, with a little help from Palestrina, who influenced the former and learnt from the latter. All the Monteverdi items were written in the prima prattica, which devolved from Palestrina’s style, though there are passages of harmonically-based expression which are all Monteverdi’s own. Our programme ends with Isaac’s ceremonial motet Virgo prudentissima, written in anticipation of Maximilian I’s coronation as Holy Roman Emperor. Isaac was a past master at this kind of grandeur, revelling in the massive sonorities he alone could create.