  ]]  '''Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi''' (; 15 May 1567 (baptized) &amp;ndash; 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, gambist, and singer.  Monteverdi's work, often regarded as revolutionary, marked the transition from the Renaissance style of music to that of the Baroque period.Halsey, William D., ed.  ''Collier's Encyclopedia''.  Vol. 16.  New York:  MacMillan Educational Company, 1991. He developed two individual styles of composition: the heritage of Renaissance polyphony and the new basso continuo technique of the Baroque.Ringer, Mark.  ''Opera's First Master:  The Musical Dramas of Claudio Monteverdi''.  Canada:  Amadeus Press, 2006.  Enjoying fame in his lifetime, he wrote one of the earliest operas, ''L'Orfeo'', which is still regularly performed.  ==Life== , Oxford). Thought to be the earliest known image of Monteverdi, at about age 30, painted when he was still at the Gonzaga Court in Mantua.]]  Claudio Monteverdi was born in 1567 in Cremona, a town in Northern Italy. His father was Baldassare Monteverdi, a doctor, apothecary and surgeon.Halsey, William D., ed. ''Collier's Encyclopedia''.  Vol. 16 New York:  MacMillan Educational Company, 1991.  He was the oldest of five children.Redlich, H. F. ''Claudio Monteverdi:  Life and Work''.  London:  Oxford University Press, 1952, .  During his childhood, he was taught by Marc'Antonio Ingegneri,Redlich, H. F.  ''Claudio Monteverdi:  Life and Work''. London:  Oxford University Press, 1952. the ''maestro di cappella'' at the Cathedral of Cremona.Schrade, Leo.  ''Monteverdi:  Creator of Modern Music''. New York:  W. W. Norton &amp; Company, 1950, . The Maestro di capella’s job was to conduct important worship services in accordance with the liturgy books of the Catholic Church.Whenham, John, ed.  ''The Cambridge Companion to Monteverdi''.  Cambridge:  Cambridge University Press, 2007, .  Monteverdi learned about music by being part of the cathedral choir.Schrade, Leo.  ''Monteverdi:  Creator of Modern Music''. New York:  W. W. Norton &amp; Company, 1950, .   He also studied at the University of Cremona.  His first music was written for publication, including some motets and sacred madrigals, in 1582 and 1583.Schrade, Leo.  ''Monteverdi:  Creator of Modern Music''. New York:  W. W. Norton &amp; Company, 1950. His first five compositions were:  ''Cantiunculae Sacrae'', 1582; ''Madrigal Spirituali'', 1583; the three-part canzonets, 1584; and the five-part madrigals– Book I, 1587, and Book II, 1590.Halsey, William D., ed.  ''Collier's Encyclopedia''. Vol. 16.  New York:  MacMillan Educational Company, 1991.  By 1587, he had produced his first book of secular madrigals. Monteverdi worked for the court of Mantua first as a singer and violist, then as music director.Kamien Roger, ''An Appreciation of Music 4th brief edition''.  Boston:  McGraw-Hill, 2002, .  He worked at the court of Vincenzo I of Gonzaga in Mantua as a vocalist and viol player.Cayne, Bernard S., ed.  ''Encyclopedia Americana Deluxe Library Edition''.  Vol. 19.  Danbury:  Grolier Incorporated, 1990. In 1602, he was working as the court conductor.  In 1599 Monteverdi married the court singer Claudia Cattaneo,Whenham, John, and Richard Wistreich, eds. ''The Cambridge Companion to Monteverdi''.  Cambridge:  Cambridge University Press, 2007. who died in September 1607.Whenham, John, and Richard Wistreich, eds. ''The Cambridge Companion to Monteverdi''.  Cambridge:  Cambridge University Press, 2007, .  He and his wife had two boys (Francesco and Massimilino) and one girl (Leonora - another daughter died shortly after birth).Ringer, Mark.  ''Opera's First Master:  The Musical Dramas of Claudio Monteverdi''.  Canada:  Amadeus Press, 2006, .  By 1613, he had moved to the San Marco in Venice where, as conductor,Redlich, H. F.  ''Claudio Monteverdi:  Life and Work''. London:  Oxford University Press, 1952, . he quickly restored the musical standard of both the choir and the instrumentalists.  The musical standard had declined due to the financial mismanagement of his predecessor, Giulio Cesare Martinengo. The managers of the basilica were relieved to have such a distinguished musician in charge, as the music had been declining since the death of Giovanni Croce in 1609.  In 1632, he became a priest.Marthaler, Benard L., ed. ''New Catholic Encyclopedia 2nd ed.''  Detroit:  Thomson Gale, 2003  During the last years of his life, when he was often ill, he composed his two last masterpieces: ''Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria'' (''The Return of Ulysses'', 1641), and the historic opera ''L'incoronazione di Poppea'' (''The Coronation of Poppea'', 1642), based on the life of the Roman emperor Nero.Sadie, Stanley, ed.  ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians 2nd ed.'' London:  MacMillan Publishers Limited, 2001. ''L'incoronazione'' especially is considered a culminating point of Monteverdi's work. It contains tragic, romantic, and comedic scenes (a new development in opera), a more realistic portrayal of the characters, and warmer melodies than previously heard.Arnold, Denis, and Nigel Fortune, eds. ''The New Monteverdi Companion''.  London:  faber and faber, 1985, . It requires a smaller orchestra, and has a less prominent role for the choir.  For a long period of time, Monteverdi's operas were merely regarded as a historical or musical interest.  Since the 1960s, ''The Coronation of Poppea'' has re-entered the repertoire of major opera companies worldwide.  Monteverdi died in Venice on 29 November 1643 and was buried at the church of the Frari.Halsey, William D., ed.  ''Collier's Encyclopedia''.  Vol. 16.. New York:  MacMillan Educational Company, 1991.  ==Works== Monteverdi's works are split into three categories:  madrigals, operas, and church-music.Redlich, H. F.  ''Claudio Monteverdi:  Life and Work''.  London:  Oxford University, Press, 1952, .  ===Madrigals===  Until the age of forty, Monteverdi worked primarily on madrigals, composing a total of nine books. It took Monteverdi about four years to finish his first book of twenty-one madrigals for five voices.Schrade, Leo.  ''Monteverdi:  Creator of Modern Music''.  New York:  W. W. Norton &amp; Company, 1950.  As a whole, the first eight books of madrigals show the enormous development from Renaissance polyphonic music to the monodic style typical of Baroque music.  The titles of his Madrigal books are: * Book 1, 1587: ''Madrigali a cinque voci''Shcrade, Leo.  ''Monteverdi:  Creator of Modern Music''.  New York:  W. W. Norton &amp; Company, 1950, . * Book 2, 1590: ''Il secondo libro de madrigali a cinque voci'' * Book 3, 1592: ''Il terzo libro de madrigali a cinque voci''Halsey, William D., ed.  ''Collier's Encyclopedia''.  Vol. 16.  New York:  MacMillan Educational Company, 1991. * Book 4, 1603: ''Il quarto libro de madrigali a cinque voci'' * Book 5, 1605: ''Il quinto libro de madrigali a cinque voci'' * Book 6, 1614: ''Il sesto libro de madrigali a cinque voci''Arnold, Denis.  ''Monteverdi Madrigals''.  London:  Billing and Sons Limited, 1967. * Book 7, 1619: ''Concerto.  Settimo libro di madrigali''Arnold, Denis.  ''Monteverdi Madrigals''.  London:  Billing and Sons Limited, 1967, . * Book 8, 1638: ''Madrigali guerrieri, et amorosi con alcuni opuscoli in genere rappresentativo, che saranno per brevi episodi fra i canti senza gesto.''Schrade, Leo.  ''Monteverdi:  Creator of Modern Music''.  New York:  W. W. Norton &amp; Company 1950, . * Book 9, 1651: ''Madrigali e canzonette a due e tre voci''  ====The Fifth Madrigal Book====  The ''Fifth Book of Madrigals'' shows the shift from the late Renaissance style of music to the early Baroque.Ringer, Mark.  ''Opera's First Master:  The Musical Dramas of Claudio Monteverdi''.  Canada:  Amadeus Press, 2006.  The ''Quinto Libro'' (Fifth Book), published in 1605, was at the heart of the controversy between Monteverdi and Giovanni Artusi. Giovanni Artusi attacked the &quot;crudities&quot; and &quot;license&quot; of the modern style of composing, centering his attacks on madrigals (including ''Cruda Amarilli'', composed around 1600) (See Fabbri, ''Monteverdi'', p.&amp;nbsp;60) from the fourth book.  Monteverdi made his reply in the introduction to the fifth book, with a proposal of the division of musical practice into two streams, which he called ''prima prattica'', and ''seconda prattica''. ''Prima prattica'' was described as the previous polyphonic ideal of the sixteenth century, with flowing strict counterpoint, prepared dissonance, and equality of voices.  ''Seconda prattica'' used much freer counterpoint with an increasing hierarchy of voices, emphasising soprano and bass. In ''Prima Prattica'' the harmony controls the words.Schrade, Leo.  ''Monteverdi:  Creator of Modern Music''.  New York:  W. W. Norton &amp; Company, 1950, .  In ''Seconda Prattica'' the words should be in control of the harmonies.  This represented a move towards the new style of monody. The introduction of continuo in many of the madrigals was a further self-consciously modern feature. In addition, the fifth book showed the beginnings of conscious functional tonality.  ====The Eighth Madrigal Book==== Posthumous portrait medallion of Monteverdi, etching by Barberis, (Associazione Amici della Raccolta Bertarelli, [[Milan).]] The ''Ottavo Libro'', published in 1638, includes the so-called ''Madrigali dei guerrieri ed amorosi'' which many consider to be the perfection of the madrigal form.  The ''Eighth Book of Madrigals'' is subtitled ''Madrigals of War and Love''. While in Venice, Monteverdi also finished his sixth, seventh and eighth books of madrigals. The eighth is the largest, containing works written over a thirty-year period. Originally the work was to be dedicated to Ferdinand II, but because of his ill health in 1635 his son was made king in December 1636. When the work was first published in 1638 Monteverdi rededicated it to the new King Ferdinand III.Denis Arnold and Nigel Fortune, Editors. The New Monteverdi Companion. (Boston: Faber and Faber Ltd., 1985), 233.  The book is divided into sections of War and Love each containing madrigals, a piece in dramatic form (genere rappresentativo), and a ballet. In the Madrigals of War, Monteverdi has organized poetry that describes the pursuits of love through the allegory of war; the hunt for love, and the battle to find love.  In the second half of the book, the Madrigals of Love, Monteverdi organized poetry that describes the unhappiness of being in love, unfaithfulness, and ungrateful lovers that feel no shame.  In his previous madrigal collections, Monteverdi usually set poetry from one or two poets he was in contact with through the court where he was employed. The Book 8 Madrigals of War and Love represent an overview of the poets he has dealt with throughout his life; the classical poetry of Petrarch, poetry by his contemporaries (Tasso, Guarini, Marino, Rinuccini, Testi and Strozzi), or anonymous poets that Monteverdi found and adapted to his needs.  '''Madrigals of War''' # ''Altri canti d’Amor tenero arciero'' (Let others sing of Love, the tender archer) Anonymous sonnet ## is preceded by a sinfonia introduction that is written for two violins and four viols.  The madrigal that follows serves as an introduction to the first half of the collection and as a dedication to Ferdinand III.'' # ''Hor che’l ciel e la terra e’l vento tace'' (''Now that the sky, earth and wind are silent'') Sonnet by Petrarch, ## is the first significant poetic work of the collection in which Monteverdi splits into two sections. In the first section, his poetry introduces the idea of the wars of love, in which he yearns for someone to love him. ### &quot;''War is my condition full of anger and grief, and only when thinking of her do I find some peace.''&quot; ### In the second section, &quot;''Thus from a single bright and living fountain''&quot; (''Cosi sol d’una chiara fonte viva'') the symbolism of war continues: #### &quot;''One hand alone cures me and wounds me.  And, because my suffering never reaches its limits, a thousand times daily I die, and a thousand I am born, so far am I from my salvation.''&quot; # ''Gira il nemico insidioso Amore'' (The insidious enemy, Love, circles the citadel of my heart) Canzonetta by Giulio Strozzi # ''Se vittorie si belle han le guerre d’amore'' (If love’s wars have such beautiful victories) madrigal by Fulvio Testi # ''Armato il cor d’adamanina fede'' (My heart armed with adamantine faith) madrigal by Ottavio Rinuccini # ''Ogni amante e guerrier: nel suo gran regno'' (Every lover is a warrior: in his great kingdom) madrigal by Ottavio Rinuccini # ''Ardo, avvampo, mi struggo, ardo: accorrete'' (I burn, I blaze, I am consumed, I burn; come running) Anonymous Sonnet # ''Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda'' (The Combat of Tancredi and Clorinda) from ''Torquato Tasso''’s Gerusalemme liberata, Canto XII ## was originally composed and performed at the home of Girolamo Mocenigo (1624)Paolo Fabbri, ''Monteverdi'', translated from the Italian by Tim Carter (Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press, 1994), 238–39. and includes the dramatic scene in which the orchestra and voices form two separate entities, acting as counterparts. Most likely Monteverdi was inspired to try this arrangement because of the two opposite balconies in San Marco. What made this composition also stand out is the first-time use of string ''tremolo'' (fast repetition of the same tone) and ''pizzicato'' (plucking strings with fingers) for special effect in dramatic scenes. # ''Introduzione al ballo e ballo'' (Introduction to the ballet, and ballet) Sonnet by Ottavio Rinuccini  '''Madrigals of Love''' # ''Altri canti di Marte e di sua schiera'' (Let others sing of Mars and of his host) Sonnet by Marino ## the parallel work to ''Altri canti d amor'', it serves as an introduction to the second half of the collection. Like its counterpart, it, too, is preceded by an instrumental ''sinfonia'' and contains a dedication to Ferdinand III. # ''Vago augelletto che cantando vai'' (Lovely little bird, who are you singing about) Sonnet by Petrarch # ''Mentre vaga angioletta'' (While a charming, angelic girl attracts every wellborn soul with her singing) madrigal by Guarini # ''Ardo e scoprir, ahi lasso, io non ardisco'' (I burn and, alas, I do not have the courage to reveal that burning which I bear hidden in my breast) Anonymous, madrigal # ''O sia tranquillo il mare o pien d’orgoglio'' (Whether the sea be still or swelled with pride) Anonymous, Sonnet # ''Ninfa che, scalza il piede e sciolto il crine'' (Nymph, who with bare feet and hair undone) Anonymous madrigal # ''Dolcissimo uscignolo'' (Sweetest nightingale) madrigal by Guarini # ''Chi vol haver felice e lieto il core'' (Whoever wishes to have a happy joyful heart) madrigal by Guarini # ''Non Havea Febo ancora: Lamento della ninfa'' (Phoebus had not yet: The Lament of the Nymph) Canzonetta by Rinuccini # ''Perche te n fuggi, o Fillide?'' (Why do you run away, Phyllis?) Anonymous madrigal # ''Non partir, ritrosetta'' (Do not depart, maiden averse to love) Anonymous canzonetta # ''Su, Su, Su, pastorelli vezzosi'' (Come, come, come, charming shepherd lads) Anonymous Canzonetta # ''Il Ballo delle ingrate'' (Entrance and Final ballet of the Ungrateful Women) ## The Ballet of the Ungrateful Women was originally composed for the 1608 wedding of Francesco Gonzaga and was revived in 1628 for a performance in Vienna.Paolo Fabbri, ''Monteverdi'', translated by Tim Carter (Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press, 1994), 238–39.  ====The Ninth Madrigal Book==== The ninth book of madrigals, published posthumously in 1651, contains lighter pieces such as canzonettas which were probably composed throughout Monteverdi's lifetime representing both styles.  ===Operas===   ====L'Orfeo====  Monteverdi composed at least eighteen operas, but only ''L'Orfeo'', ''Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria'', ''L'incoronazione di Poppea'', and the famous aria, ''Lamento'', from his second opera ''L'Arianna'' have survived. From monody (with melodic lines, intelligible text and placid accompanying music), it was a logical step for Monteverdi to begin composing opera. In 1607, the premiere of his first opera, ''L'Orfeo'', took place in Mantua.  ''L'Orfeo'' was not the first opera, but the first mature opera, or one that realized all of its potential.Whenham, John.  ''Claudio Monteverdi Orfeo''.  Cambridge:  Cambridge University Press, 1986, .  It was normal at that time for composers to create works on demand for special occasions, and this piece was part of the ducal celebrations of carnival.Whenham, John.  ''Claudio Monteverdi Orfeo''.  Cambridge:  Cambrdige University Press, 1986,. (Monteverdi was later to write for the first opera houses supported by ticket sales which opened in Venice). ''L'Orfeo'' has dramatic power and lively orchestration.  ''L'Orfeo'' is arguably the first example of a composer assigning specific instruments to parts in operas. It is also one of the first large compositions in which the exact instrumentation of the premiere has come down to us.Whenham, John.  ''Claudio Monteverdi Orfeo''.  Cambridge:  Cambrdige University Press, 1986, . The plot is described in vivid musical pictures and the melodies are linear and clear. With this opera, Monteverdi created an entirely new style of music, the ''dramma per la musica'' or musical drama.  ====L'Arianna==== ''L'Arianna'' was the second opera written by Claudio Monteverdi.  It is one of the most influential and famous specimens of early baroque opera. It was first performed in Mantua in 1608. Its subject matter was the ancient Greek legend of Ariadne and Theseus. During the last years of his life, Monteverdi was often ill.  During this time, he composed his two last masterpieces:  ''Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria'' (''The Return of Ulysses'', 1640), and the historic opera, ''L'incoronazione di Poppea'', (''The Coronation of Poppea'', 1642),Redlich, H. F. ''Claudio Monteveri:  Life and Work''.  London:  Oxford University Press, 1952. based on an episode in the life of the Roman emperor Nero.  The libretto for ''Il ritorno d'Ulisse'' was by Giacomo Badoarro and for ''L'incoronazione di Poppea'' by Giovanni Busenello.Halsey, William D., ed.  ''Collier's Encyclopedia''. Vol. 16.  New York:  MacMillan Educational Company 1991.  ===Sacred music===   ====Vespro della Beata Vergine====  Monteverdi's first church music publication was the archaic Mass ''In illo tempore'' to which the ''Vesper Psalms'' of 1610 were added.  The ''Vesper Psalms'' of 1610  are also one of the best examples of early repetition and contrast, with many of the parts having a clear ''ritornello''. The published work is on a very grand scale and there has been some controversy as to whether all the movements were intended to be performed in a single service.  However, there are various indications of internal unity.  In its scope, it foreshadows such summits of Baroque music as Handel's ''Messiah'', and J.S. Bach's ''St Matthew Passion''.  Each part (there are twenty-five in total) is fully developed in both a musical and dramatic sense - the instrumental textures are used to precise dramatic and emotional effect, in a way that had not been seen before.  * ''Messa in illo tempore'' (1610) * ''Mass of Thanksgiving'' (1631)[ Mass of Thanksgiving] Gramophone * ''Messa'' a 4 da cappella (1641) (also: ''Missa in F''), part of ''Selva morale e spirituale'' * ''Messa'' a 4 v. et salmi a 1-8 v. e parte da cappella &amp; con le litanie della B.V. (Mass for four voices, and Psalms ...) (published posthumously, 1650)  ===Other Works===   * ''Scherzi Musicali''  ===Sacred ''contrafacta''=== In 1607, Aquilino Coppini published in Milan his &quot;''Musica tolta da i Madrigali di Claudio Monteverde, e d'altri autori … e fatta spirituale''&quot; for 5 and 6 voices, in which many of Monteverdi's madrigals (especially from the third, fourth and fifth books) are presented with the original secular texts replaced with sacred Latin ''contrafacta'' carefully prepared by Coppini in order to fit the music in every aspect.  