Album

Britain's Hilliard Ensemble made a landmark recording of Gesualdo's Tenebrae Responsories around 1990, but since then has focused mostly on music earlier and later (often much later) than the late Renaissance. Now, with numerous changes in personnel under its belt, it shows that the group has not lost its way with this deliberately outrageous Italian composer. The dissonant harmonies in his madrigals are too often described as being centuries ahead of their time, when in fact they marked the end of a decaying tradition and looked backward rather than forward. Gesualdo, who caught his wife in the sack with another man and killed them both, withdrew from the world and cultivated his increasingly bizarre musical style. It's an open question as to how much his life influenced his music, and the temptation for performers is to overdo the tortured quality. The cool, precise sound of the Hilliard Ensemble, here augmented by the knife-like edge of German soprano Monika Mauch (usually they are an all-male group, but the decision was a good one), is preferable, however. The harmonic twists that are the essence of the Book Five madrigals take on a devastating effect here; for sheer dissonance Book Six exceeds these pieces, but here Gesualdo goes for shocking continuations of seemingly plain openings, and less is more in the interpretation of such a thing. ECM's flawless, minimal sound is another point in favor of this release, which could make a good first pick for anyone interested in the murky, decadent world of Gesualdo's madrigals.

© James Manheim, Rovi

CD 1
Carlo Gesualdo Composer Gioite voi col canto, W5.13 Work Hilliard Ensemble Vocal Ensemble
1	Gioite voi col canto, W5.13	2:54			$0.99
Carlo Gesualdo Composer S'io non miro non moro, W5.17 Work Hilliard Ensemble Vocal Ensemble
2	S'io non miro non moro, W5.17	2:48			$0.99
Carlo Gesualdo Composer Itene, O miei sospiri, W5.19 Work Hilliard Ensemble Vocal Ensemble
3	Itene, O miei sospiri, W5.19	2:58			$0.99
Carlo Gesualdo Composer Dolcissima mia vita, W5.23 Work Hilliard Ensemble Vocal Ensemble
4	Dolcissima mia vita, W5.23	2:29			$0.99
Carlo Gesualdo Composer O dolorosa gioia, W5.27 Work Hilliard Ensemble Vocal Ensemble
5	O dolorosa gioia, W5.27	3:07			$0.99
Carlo Gesualdo Composer Qual fora, donna, W5.31 Work Hilliard Ensemble Vocal Ensemble
6	Qual fora, donna, W5.31	1:56			$0.49
Carlo Gesualdo Composer Felicissimo sonno, W5.33 Work Hilliard Ensemble Vocal Ensemble
7	Felicissimo sonno, W5.33	2:53			$0.99
Carlo Gesualdo Composer Se vi duol il mio duolo, W5.37 Work Hilliard Ensemble Vocal Ensemble
8	Se vi duol il mio duolo, W5.37	2:58			$0.99
Carlo Gesualdo Composer Occhi del mio cor vita, W5.42 Work Hilliard Ensemble Vocal Ensemble
9	Occhi del mio cor vita, W5.42	2:10			$0.99
Carlo Gesualdo Composer Languisce al fin, W5.45 Work Hilliard Ensemble Vocal Ensemble
10	Languisce al fin, W5.45	3:17			$0.99
Carlo Gesualdo Composer Mercè grido piangendo, W5.49 Work Hilliard Ensemble Vocal Ensemble
11	Mercè grido piangendo, W5.49	3:53			$0.99
Carlo Gesualdo Composer O voi, troppo felici, W5.51 Work Hilliard Ensemble Vocal Ensemble
12	O voi, troppo felici, W5.51	1:45			$0.49
Carlo Gesualdo Composer Correte, amati, a prova, W5.54 Work Hilliard Ensemble Vocal Ensemble
13	Correte, amati, a prova, W5.54	2:53			$0.99
Carlo Gesualdo Composer Asciugate i begli occhi, W5.57 Work Hilliard Ensemble Vocal Ensemble
14	Asciugate i begli occhi, W5.57	3:01			$0.99
Carlo Gesualdo Composer Tu m'uccidi, o crudele, W5.60 Work Hilliard Ensemble Vocal Ensemble
15	Tu m'uccidi, o crudele, W5.60	3:18			$0.99
Carlo Gesualdo Composer Deh, coprite il bel seno, W5.64 Work Hilliard Ensemble Vocal Ensemble
16	Deh, coprite il bel seno, W5.64	2:09			$0.99
Carlo Gesualdo Composer Poichè l'avida sete, W5.67a Work 4:09 Hilliard Ensemble Vocal Ensemble
17	Prima parte: Poichè l'avida sete	2:01			$0.99
18	Seconda parte: Ma tu, cagion	2:08			$0.99
Carlo Gesualdo Composer O tenebroso giorno, W5.72 Work Hilliard Ensemble Vocal Ensemble
19	O tenebroso giorno, W5.72	2:11			$0.99
Carlo Gesualdo Composer Se tu fuggi, io non resto, W5.76 Work Hilliard Ensemble Vocal Ensemble
20	Se tu fuggi, io non resto, W5.76	1:56			$0.49
Carlo Gesualdo Composer T'amo, mia vita!, W5.79 Work Hilliard Ensemble Vocal Ensemble
21	T'amo, mia vita!, W5.79	2:20			$0.99