While music of the Renaissance aimed to open the soul to God, the music of
the Baroque aimed to bring heaven down to earth. Precisely where this
juncture of the Renaissance and Baroque occurred in Western music, we find
only one composer: the phenomenal Claudio Monteverdi. Like all great
composers, he embodied the ideals of his day - in his case, reflective of
the stile antico (old style) of music-making which reached an apex in Italy
with Palestrina; but, in addition, like a very small handful of other
composers (Beethoven and Schoenberg, and perhaps a few others), he
single-handedly ushered Western music from one period to the next, pushing
the envelope (as we would say) in ways that the world had never before
dreamed. Monteverdi's God-given task was coupled by one of the major
revolutions in history: the evolution of ideas from its strong ties to the
Medieval world and all the ensuing implications for religion, notions of
God, and the Church, to humanism which repositioned Man at the center of
nature and the universe. Humanism used, as its models, Classical antiquity
harmonised with the Christian faith. During this time in history, music
began to focus on the idea of drama and emotion (affect) ranging from a
vital exuberance to metaphysical anguish. Monteverdi was given the role of
ushering in this change.

In 1602, at the age of 35, Monteverdi was named Maestro di Cappella in
Mantua, where he served at the pleasure of the Duke. Sadly, there was very
little "pleasure" about it. Monteverdi was poorly paid (usually late),
subject to tirades from his employer, and generally unhappy. He was the
classic vulnerable artist (already a highly esteemed composer of madrigals
at this time) exposed to the harrassment of an unpredictable and miserly
employer. Married to the daughter of a court musician, he could barely
support his sickly wife and their children.

But this dark cloud had a silver lining. The Duke of Mantua wanted to boost
his reputation by outshining the Medicis of Venice, and demanded from his
maestro di cappella a musical drama on the subject of Peri's Euridice. He
got much more than he asked for (or paid for), because Monteverdi set out to
write the first opera in the history of Western music: L'Orfeo. In 1607 the
work received its premiere, full of life and imagination, infused with
genius and new music. Its beauty is still timeless. It was a tremendous
success among his contemporaries which seemed to herald something of a
'Monteverdi effect' for the rest of his life (functioning much like the
famed "butterfly effect" which creates hurricanes half-way around the
world).

Seven months later, Monteverdi's wife died; and he fell into the despair of
mourning. Wishing to secure his future by aiming for new goals, Monteverdi
set to work on a Mass setting for six voices, and the justly famous Vespers
of the Holy Virgin. He presented both of these to Pope Paul V in 1610,
hoping for a seminarian's bursary in Rome for his eldest son, Francesco, and
for himself, a musical post at the Vatican. The pope, however, was put off
by the seconda prattica (modern style) and wouldn't grant either request.
Despondent, Monteverdi returned to Mantua only to learn that the old Duke
of Mantua was dying. In 1612, the old Duke's son became the new Duke and
immediately dismissed his maestro di cappella. Fortunately for Monteverdi
(and the world), the maestro di cappella of St. Mark's Basilica, Venice had
also just died; and the post was offered to Monteverdi. Finally given the
recognition he deserved, one of the best salaries (for a musician) in all of
Europe, and undoubtedly the most prestigious musical post in the Western
world at the time, Monteverdi spent the last 30 years of his life there,
happy and productive.

Today, as we approach the 400th anniversary of the creation of the Vespro
("Vespers"), one cannot help but be awestruck at the splendor of this music.
Few would argue that it holds the prize as the most significant and
beautiful piece of Sacred music - scored for soloists, orchestra, and choir
- in Western history. While there are many pieces more famous (Handel's
Messiah, Bach's passions, etc.), none of them broke ground to the same
extent as Monteverdi did in the creation of the Vespro. Here we find
operatic virtuosity within the context of religious music for the first
time. The Vespers are composed of psalms, vocal and instrumental concerti,
decidedly secular songs with sacred texts, all bound together around
traditional plainchant. Yet the marvel of the work is not the writing about
it, nor the study of its brilliance; the marvel is the hearing and
experiencing of it.

Tonight we take you on a journey to early 17th century Venice, still at the
height of its power and magnificence. We invite you to open yourself to the
magic of this music, this transformation, this vision of Eternity.

Jonathan Dimmock, Director