Roaming the Renaissance

In 1530 a collection of 18 secular works was published in Rome under the title Madrigali de diversi excellentissimi musici, Libro primo de la Serena. It was the first time that the term ‘madrigal’ appeared on the title page of a printed musical work. At that time the madrigal was still a relatively young genre.

One of the most important representatives of this genre was the French-born Philippe Verdelot, who is represented in this collection with seven madrigals. Others include Costanzo and Sebastiano Festa and a composer known as Maistre J(h)an. Some contributors are difficult to identify because their names are not given in full. Remarkable is the presence of Clément Janequin with his chanson Chants des oiseaux.

The ensemble Prattica di Musica performs these madrigals in various instrumentations. Some madrigals are performed by voices alone, others by voices combined with different instruments: cornetto, recorder and lute. One madrigal is performed on lute alone.

Playlist

1. Costanzo Festa – Lieti fior
   Prattica di Musica / Andrea Gavagnin, conductor

2. Philippe Verdelot – Trista Amarilli mia
   Prattica di Musica / Andrea Gavagnin, conductor

3. Philippe Verdelot – Se gli occhi
   Prattica di Musica / Andrea Gavagnin, conductor

4. Carlo (Charles d’Argentil / Argentille / Argentilly?) – Donna s’io non vi veggio
   Prattica di Musica / Andrea Gavagnin, conductor

5. Philippe Verdelot – Con lacrime e sospir
   Prattica di Musica / Andrea Gavagnin, conductor

6. Clément Janequin – Chants des oyseaulx (Reveillez vous)
   Prattica di Musica / Andrea Gavagnin, conductor

7. Costanzo Festa – Altro non è ’l mio amor
   Prattica di Musica / Andrea Gavagnin, conductor

8. Philippe Verdelot – Dio per mostrare in vita
   Prattica di Musica / Andrea Gavagnin, conductor

9. Anonymous – Se l’aura porge
   Prattica di Musica / Andrea Gavagnin, conductor

10. Carlo – Madonna io me pensava
    Prattica di Musica / Andrea Gavagnin, conductor

11. Philippe Verdelot – Se del mio amor temete
    Prattica di Musica / Andrea Gavagnin, conductor

12. Maistre J(h)an – Hor vedete madonna
    Prattica di Musica / Andrea Gavagnin, conductor

13. Philippe Verdelot – Amor quanto più lieto
    Prattica di Musica / Andrea Gavagnin, conductor

14. Sebastiano Festa – Se amor qualche remedio
    Prattica di Musica / Andrea Gavagnin, conductor

15. Jac. de Tho. (Jacopo de Toscana?) – Quando mia pastorella
    Prattica di Musica / Andrea Gavagnin, conductor

16. Philippe Verdelot – Quella che sospirando
    Prattica di Musica / Andrea Gavagnin, conductor

17. Philippe Verdelot – Se l’ardor fusse equale
    Prattica di Musica / Andrea Gavagnin, conductor

18. Carlo – Per ch’io de dir desio
    Prattica di Musica / Andrea Gavagnin, conductor
    (cd: “La Sirena 1530” – NovAntiqua Records NAD6, 2025)
    

19. Francesco da Milano – Ricercar 5
    Paul Beier, lute
    (cd: “Intabolatura da Leuto (1530ca)” – Stradivarius Str 33515, 2013)
    

Image: Musikalische Unterhaltung – Sebastiano Florigerio (1500–1543) (Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen) (Wikimedia)