[[email protected]]

Below find my amateurish opinions on what I was able to find
and hear of Claudio Monteverdi's recordings.
Proviso: I am unable to hear the virtues of a performance if I find the
sound objectionable. So these opinions are audiophilic rather those of
a music critic. Your eqipment and taste may differ from mine and so
will the sound you will hear.

LONG PLAY

: Nadia Boulanger, Seraphim- Selections from Madrigals.
"Great recordings of the Century".-mono
!930s' recording. Sound as you'd expect. Performance unequalled.
Unashamed exception to my proviso above. Very subjective. This was my
first introduction to Monteverdi many years ago in vbery special
circumstances.

Nonesuch selections :
A) "Madrigals" Selections from Books 5 & 6
B) " Il combattimento...; selections from Book 8
Bot soncally uninteresting- lack authenticity

Scherzi- Musicali ; Enoch Light on "Project"- very alive,
great voices

Madrigals' selection by Deller Consort on RCA Victrola
-screechy voices at crescendos.

COMPACT DISKS:

"Selva morale et Spirituale"
A)Complete on 3 disks-"Cantus Kolln"on "Harmonia Mundi"
Good. Beautifully presented

B) One disk selection by Taverner Consort on EMI- screechy

"Vespro della Beata Virgine"
A0 My choice: Bernius group on Harmonia Mund (Deutsche)
B) Close next: Gardiner oon Archiv
C0 Pickett on L'Oiseau Lire - flat, low- fi.

"Ballo delle Ingrate" selection; Byrd on Hyperion- I liked
neither
the sound , nor the performance

"Mass of Thanksgiving"
"Taverner Consort" on EMI- distant dead sound, boring performances.

"L'Orpheo"
A) Gardiner on Archiv Best for authenticity ie. "livenesss", "you are
there"
B) Das Alte Werk. In the worst DG traditions. Ringing and screeching
at crescendos
C) Pickett on L'Oiseau Li As B above and dull performance.

"Il Ritorno d'Ulysse a la Patria"
Rene Jacobs with Opera De Montpellier. Marred by the common microphone
"chalk on the blackboard" distortion of female voice at peaks.

"Ad Vesperam" selection. Ensemble Orlando on "Cascavelle"
Great sound, interesting performance.

Vespri di San Giovanni Battista
G. Leonhardt on Philips. Adequate.

Solos and duets selection

By E Kirgby and E.Tubbs with Consort of Musique on Pickwick.
Good performance and adequate sound

A parley of instruments-selection of hymns etc.

Kirkby et al. on Hyperion. Adequate.

MADRIGALS

A) First choice: Books 2, 4 , 5, 6 and 8 by Concerto Italiano on Opus 3
Gorgeous sound and great performances. I have not heard other Conc.
Italiano selections but I assume they are of the same quality..
B) Roger Norrington selections from Book 6 on London - next best
C) Book 2 by The Consort of Musique on Virgin. Good working
performance. A bit dull.
D) Altri Canti: Selections from Books 7 and 8 with Gesualdo Madrigals
by Arts Florissants on Harmonia Mundi. Adequate.

Motets

Selection by Arts Florissants on Harmonia Mundi- Adequate

Ad Vesperas with Motets by Grandi
Ensemble Orlando on Cascavelle. Good sound

Selections fro Monteverdi, Rigatti, Gesualdo and other
Italian Baroque composers..Vancouver Cantata Singers on Analekta.
Interesting collection. Adequate sound.
Ludovic Mirabel
My hearing: poor above 8000 Hz
My equipment: Surround sound with 6 speakers-used as needed in my
judgment.
Front: 2 stacked Quad 57 per side run by NAD 2200 amp. Crossed over at
100Hz to 2 Electrovoice woofers run by an Acoustat TNT amp. and 2
Velodyne selfpowered subwoofers.
Sides: Acoustat X electrostats with inteface to Acoustat TNT amp
Rear: Acoustat X electrostats interfaced to a Bryston NR8 amp and
X-overed at 4000 Hz to Bohlaender-Graebner ribbon tweeters.
Preamp: Custom tube made by a guru friend.
A nightmare of speaker wires and interconnects mostly silver in teflon
a la Kimber.