Classics Reconsidered: Monteverdi’s Fourth Book of Madrigals by Concerto Italiano
Fabrice Fitch and Edward Breen return to Concerto Italiano’s recording of Monteverdi’s Fourth Book of Madrigals Monteverdi Il quarto libro de madrigali Concerto Italiano / Rinaldo Alessandrini Opus 111 (now Naïve) […] Fabrice Fitch Why is this a classic? You could start with the same reviewer’s take on Concerto Italiano’s first recording of the Sixth Book for Arcana, issued a few months before (7/93). The difference in evaluation is striking: the reservations about the approach, the pointing at technical glitches in the earlier recording, fall away. Did the change of label have something to do with it, I wonder? Edward Breen You’re right, their move towards a more emotive style is obvious now I listen back to their releases in order, but I don’t have any insight as to how this came about. Could it really have been simply a new label? Happily, I feel the success of this Fourth Book is due to a change that resulted in the kinds of performance that were absolutely what was needed at th...
