Collegium Vocale Gent & Philippe Herreweghe – Monteverdi: Vespro della Beata Vergine (2018) [FLAC 24bit/96Hz]

This is a long way from the richness of the gilt and mosaics of Venice’s San Marco, in this new Vespro della Beata Vergine by Claudio Monteverdi, recorded by Philippe Herreweghe in the summer of 2017. Above all, the Flemish chief is interested in intimacy; and he knows this extraordinary score like the back of his hand, having conducted it very often, recording it for the first time in 1986 (for harmonia mundi) with the Collegium Vocale Gent, La Chapelle Royale and the Sacqueboutiers of Toulouse.

Philippe Herreweghe is looking for the purest possible expression of piety, using a whole range of methods with sophistication, and a sparse but perfect unity between the vocal soloists and the solo instrumentalists. In this masterpiece, which represents an audacious alloy of the “stile antico” and the “stile moderno”, it seems that Philippe Herreweghe wanted to highlight the former. With its famous Virgin, flanked by Della Robbia’s saints and the mystery of its catacombs which lead who-knows-where, the beautiful church of San Francesco di Asciano, not far from Siena, is being used more and more for concerts and recordings: does its inspiring ambiance call out for music? – François Hudry

Tracklist:
Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi (1567-1643)
CD1
01. Vespro della Beata Vergine, SV 206: I. Deus in adiutorium
02. Antiphon Dum esset rex
03. Vespro della Beata Vergine, SV 206: II. Psalm Dixit Dominus
04. Vespro della Beata Vergine, SV 206: III. Concerto Nigra sum
05. Antiphon Iam hiems transiit
06. Vespro della Beata Vergine, SV 206: IV. Psalm Laudate pueri Dominum
07. Vespro della Beata Vergine, SV 206: V. Concerto Pulchra es
08. Sicut lilium
09. Vespro della Beata Vergine, SV 206: VI. Antiphon Laetatus sum
10. Vespro della Beata Vergine, SV 206: VII. Concerto Duo Seraphim
11. Antiphon Veniat dilectus meus
12. Vespro Della Beata Vergine, Sv 206: VIII. Psalm Nisi Dominus
13. Vespro della Beata Vergine, SV 206: IX. Concerto Audi coelum

CD2
01. Antiphon Nigra sum
02. Vespro della Beata Vergine, SV 206: X. Psalm Lauda Jerusalem
03. Vespro della Beata Vergine, SV 206: XI. Sonata sopra Sancta Maria
04. Vespro della Beata Vergine, SV 206: XII. Hymn Ave maris stella
05. Antiphon Virgo prudentissima
06. Vespro Della Beata Vergine, Sv 206: Xiiia. Magnificat Magnificat
07. Vespro Della Beata Vergine, Sv 206: Xiiib. MagnificatEt Exultavit Spiritus Meus
08. Vespro Della Beata Vergine, Sv 206: Xiiic. Magnificat Quia Respexit Humilitatem
09. Vespro Della Beata Vergine, Sv 206: Xiiid. Magnificat Quia Fecit Mihi Magna
10. Vespro Della Beata Vergine, Sv 206: Xiiie. MagnificatEt Misericordia Eius
11. Vespro Della Beata Vergine, Sv 206: Xiiif. Magnificat Fecit Potentiam In Brachio Suo
12. Vespro Della Beata Vergine, Sv 206: Xiiig. Magnificat Deposuit Potentes De Sede
13. Vespro Della Beata Vergine, Sv 206: Xiiih. Magnificat Esurientes Implevit Bonis
14. Vespro Della Beata Vergine, Sv 206: Xiiii. Magnificat Suscepit Israel Puerum Suum
15. Vespro Della Beata Vergine, Sv 206: Xiiij. Magnificat Sicut Locutus Est
16. Vespro Della Beata Vergine, Sv 206: Xiiik. Magnificat Gloria Patri
17. Vespro Della Beata Vergine, Sv 206: Xiiil. Magnificat Sicut Erat In Principio
18. Plainsong Benedicamus Domino