Monteverdi: The Sacred Music, Vol. 1

Here we have the start of an exciting mini series from The King's Consort, recording highlights of the sacred music of Claudio Monteverdi.

The first volume is suitably opulent, with a veritable 'Who's who' of Monteverdi solo singers joined by two dozen chorus singers and a colourful group of instrumentalists under Robert King's lively baton. The repertoire for this opening volume presents a joyous Christmas sequence from the composer's great collection of 1640-41, Selva morale e spirituale, such as might have been heard at a Venetian Vespers, alongside a fine Mass. The spacious recordings are complemented by excellent booklet notes by Monteverdi expert Professor John Whenham.

Monteverdi's unique music is constantly inventive, immensely varied—and uniquely Venetian. A glorious new Hyperion project!

CDA67428  74 minutes 38 seconds
‘This is life-enhancing stuff, breathtakingly exciting at times, exquisitely beautiful at others. If King and his forces maintain the standard they set here, this series is surely set to be the defini ...
‘The King's Consort shows complete affinity with both the dramatic and the lyrical aspects of Monteverdi's style. No ensemble could be better suited to this magnificent undertaking’ (The Daily Telegraph)
‘One of the glories of the new disc is the gloriously full-toned and marvelously projected singing of his two sopranos, Carolyn Sampson and Rebecca Outram … A further distinct plus is Hyperion's ...