If the most familiar style of Gesualdo to us today is the outrageous and mannered approach found in the final printed collections, the foundations for such a personal language were nevertheless largely laid in the turning point that is the Third book.
The Third book can also be considered as one outcome of the time Gesualdo spent in Ferrara between 1594 and 1595.
At the time, the grim recollection of the bloody incident which had taken place in Naples over October 16-17, 1590 would still have been very vivid: the prince of Venosa, who was not yet 24 years of age, had taken his dagger out and stabbed his beautiful wife, Maria d’Avalos, who had been cought in the act of adultery with Duke Fabrizio Carafa. Neither of the two lovers survived: the woman murdered by her husband, the man slain by the composer’s followers. As this involved an “honour killing”, Gesualdo did non need, according to the law of the time, to undergo any punishment, although the turmoil produced in his mind by the disaster can easily be imagined.
Marco Bizzarini
CARLO GESUALDO TERZO LIBRO MADRIGALI | GCD 922806
LA COMPAGNIA DEL MADRIGALE
Rossana Bertini, soprano
Francesca Cassinari, soprano
Elena Carzaniga, alto
Giuseppe Maletto, tenor
Raffaele Giordani, tenor
Daniele Carnovich, bass
con
Laura Fabris, soprano
Annalisa Mazzoni, alto
DETAILS
Total playing time: 63:31
Recorded in Roletto (Chiesa al Colletto), Italy,
in September, October and November 2015
Engineered by Giuseppe Maletto
Produced by CDM
Booklet essay by Marco Bizzarini
English – Français – Italiano – Deutsch
TRACKS
1 Ancidetemi pur, grievi martiri
2 Sospirava il mio core
3 Del bel de’ bei vostri occhi
4 Ahi, dispietata e cruda
5 Deh, se già fu crudele
6 Ahi, disperata vita
7 Dolcissimo sospiro
8 Meraviglia d’Amore
9 Voi volete ch’io mora
10 Se vi miro pietosa
11 Crudelissima doglia
12 Dolce spirto d’amore
13 Languisco e moro, ahi, cruda
14 Se piange, ohimè, la donna
15 Veggio, sì, dal mio sole
16 Non t’amo, o voce ingrata
17 Donna, se m’ancidete
bonus tracks:
18 Scipione Stella: Sento dentr’al cor mio
19 Luzzasco Luzzaschi: Dolorosi martir
20 Alfonso Fontanelli: Colei che già si bella
premi
