Claudio Monteverdi

Italian composer in the late Renaissance, the most important developer of the then new genre, the opera. He also did much to bring a “modern” secular spirit into church.

Monteverdi was born on 15 May 1567 AD. he died at the age of 76 in Venice. Monteverdi was also known as a Composer, singer, gambist, and also a Roman Catholic. Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi was an awe-inspiring Italian composer, singer and gambist. He was a revolutionary composer who pioneered the transition from Renaissance mode of music to Baroque era. He became extremely popular as an ingenious composer and enjoyed the considerable of his fame. He was the earliest composers to intentionally apply unprepared dissonances or fundamental discords. His harmonic innovations replaced the school of Palestrina and created new pathways for modern music.

Childhood And Early Life

Claudio Monteverdi was born on 1567 in Cremona a town in Northern Italy. His father, Baldassare Monteverdi was a doctor, surgeon and apothecary. Monteverdi was the eldest of the five children. While participating in the Cathedral choir, Monteverdi learned about music. He further studied at the University of Cremona. He authored his maiden music for publication in 1582 and 1583, which comprised of some motets and sacred madrigals. His first five publications were: Sacrae cantiunculae (a compilation of miniature motets) in 1582; Madrigali Spirituali (a volume of which only the bass part book is existing) in 1583; Canzonette a tre voci (an assortment of three-voice canzonettes) in 1584 and the five-part madrigals Book I in 1587, and Book II in 1590.

Personal Life

Monteverdi married the court singer Claudia Cattaneo in 1599. Unfortunately, she expired in September 1607. He and his wife were gifted with two boys (Francesco and Massimilino) and one girl (Leonora) – another daughter expired soon after her birth.

Career

Monteverdi relocated to San Marco in Venice in 1613 and worked as a conductor. Soon, he reinstated the musical standard of the instrumentalists and the choir. Later in those years, Monteverdi became a priest in 1632. He composed two of his masterpieces during the later years of his life.

Notable Works

Monteverdi's works can be categorized into three categories: madrigals, operas and church-music.

Madrigals

Monteverdi largely worked on madrigals until he turned forty. He composed nine books in total under this category. The first eight books of madrigals illustrate the massive growth from Renaissance polyphonic music to the monodic style typical of Baroque music.

The titles of his nine Madrigal books are: OperasThough around eighteen operas were created by Monteverdi 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 continued to exist. To be more specific, L'Orfeo was not his first opera, but the first full-fledged opera that received the designation of becoming a mature or well-established opera.
 * Book 1 - Madrigali a cinque voci (1587)
 * Book 2 - Il secondo libro de madrigali a cinque voci (1590)
 * Book 3 - Il terzo libro de madrigali a cinque voci (1592)
 * Book 4 - Il quarto libro de madrigali a cinque voci (1603)
 * Book 5 - Il quinto libro de madrigali a cinque voci (1605)
 * Book 6 - Il sesto libro de madrigali a cinque voci (1614)
 * Book 7 - Concerto. Settimo libro di madrigal (1619)
 * Book 8 - Madrigali guerrieri, et amorosi con alcuni opuscoli in genere     rappresentativo, che saranno per brevi episodi fra i canti senza gesto (1638)
 * Book 9 - Madrigali e canzonette a due e tre voci (1651)

Death And Legacy

Monteverdi expired on 29 November 1643 in Venice. He was buried at the church of the Frari.

these are Monteverdi's life timeline:

1567:

Born in Cremona, a town in Northern Italy.

1582:

Published his Sacrae cantiunculae (collection of miniature motets).

1583:

Published his Madrigali Spirituali, (a volume of which only the bass part book exists).

1584:

Published his Canzonette a tre voci, (a collection of three-voice canzonettes).

1587:

Published his first Madrigal book Madrigali a cinque voci.

1590:

Published his second Madrigal book Il secondo libro de madrigali a cinque voci.

1592:

Published his third Madrigal book Il terzo libro de madrigali a cinque voci.

1599:

Married the court singer Claudia Cattaneo.

1602:

Was working as the court conductor.

1603:

Published his fourth Madrigal book Il quarto libro de madrigali a cinque voci.

1605:

Published his fifth Madrigal book Il quinto libro de madrigali a cinque voci.

1607:

His wife expired in September.

1613:

Moved to the San Marco in Venice as a conductor.

1614:

Published his sixth Madrigal book Il sesto libro de madrigali a cinque voci.

1619:

Published his seventh Madrigal book Concerto. Settimo libro di madrigali.

1632:

Became a priest.

1638:

Finished his eighth Madrigal book Madrigali guerrieri, et amorosi con alcuni.

1641:

Composed Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria (The Return of Ulysses).

1642:

Composed the historic opera L'incoronazione di Poppea (The Coronation of).

1643:

Expired on 29 November in Venice and was buried at the church of the Frari.

1651:

The ninth book of madrigals Madrigali e canzonette a due e tre voci was published posthumously.

Now you know all about the famous composer Monteverdi.