Rinaldo Alessandrini, Concerto Italiano - Monteverdi: Daylight. Stories of Songs, Dances and Loves (2021)

This new recording is like an insert between the books of madrigals that mark the course of Rinaldo Alessandrini’s discography, in his long-term progress towards a complete recorded edition.
Daylight is a continuation of Night, which appeared on the occasion of the 350th Anniversary of the composer’s birth. Not only do we have the same thematic, non- chronological concept - a sort of ‘Best Of’ Monteverdi’s nine books of madrigals and opera arias, augmented by instrumental pieces by Falconieri and Marini - but it also has its own discrete dramaturgy, from dawn to the full sunlight of day, a scenario conceived by the Italian conductor and harpsichordist.
Borne aloft by the seasoned voices of Concerto Italiano and an unusually diverse instrumental ensemble, this sequence of music gravitates towards the rising sun, setting hearts on fire, singing of love, joy, passion, while holding up a mirror to the radiant glories of nature.
Here Rinaldo Alessandrini has set the scene for a hymn to beauty and to love, confessing his fascination with the inexhaustible riches of this music. As he admits, “I count myself among the company of those who are in love with the Monteverdian ideal that everything is theatre: a theatre made up of humanity, an aspiration towards the sublime, and a happy resolution of life’s sorrows through love, the healing power of song, and the energetic exaltation of the dance. This recording is intended as my final, definitive declaration of love for Monteverdi. Having associated with him for more than forty years, I owe him a considerable part of everything I’ve learnt.”

Tracklist
1. L'Orfeo, SV 318, Act III: "Sinfonia" (0:53)
2. Il secondo libro de madrigali a cinque voci, SV 40: No. 1.a, Non si levava ancor l’alba novella (4:12)
3. Il secondo libro de madrigali a cinque voci, SV 40: No. 1.b, E dicea l’una sospirando allora (4:36)
4. Concerto, settimo libro de madrigali: Sinfonia (1:02)
5. Madrigali guerrieri, et amorosi, libro ottavo, SV 166: No. 21, Sù, sù, sù pastorelli vezzosi (1:12)
6. Madrigali e canzonette a due, a tre voci…, libro nono, SV 177: No. 14, Sù, sù, sù augelletti canori (1:31)
7. Per ogni sorte di strumento musicale diversi generi di sonate, Op. 22: Gagliarda seconda (0:53)
8. Canzonette a tre voci, SV 9: No. 9, Sù, sù, sù ch’el giorno è fore (1:36)
9. Scherzi musicali, SV 245: No. 18, Balletto. De la bellezza le dovute lodi (5:59)
10. Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria, SV 325, Act I: "Duri e penosi" (10:07)
11. Il quarto libro de madrigali, SV 86: No. 12, Io mi son giovinetta (2:18)
12. Scherzi musicali, SV 251: No. 6, Zefiro torna e di soavi accenti (3:35)
13. Il primo libro di Canzone, Sinfonie, Fantasie, Capricci, Brandi, Correnti, Gagliarde, Alemane, Volte: No. 3, L’Eroica (1:56)
14. L'incoronazione di Poppea, SV 308, Act II: "Sento un certo non so ché" (6:17)
15. Per ogni sorte di strumento musicale diversi generi di sonate, Op. 22: Gagliarda seconda, aggiustata a cinque parti (0:54)
16. Concerto: settimo libro de madrigali, SV 143: No. 27, Chiome d’oro, bel tesoro (3:07)
17. Madrigali e canzonette a due, a tre voci…, libro nono / Sonate, symphonie, canzoni, passe'mezzi, baletti, corenti, gagliarde e retornelli (3:58)
18. Madrigali guerrieri, et amorosi, libro ottavo, SV 154: No. 9.a, Movete al mio bel suon le piante snelle (1:56)
19. L'Orfeo, SV 318: "Balli. Entrata (di Venere e Cupido) – Balletto (di Ninfe e Pastori) – Gagliarda – Canario – Gagliarda (di Marte) – Balletto (di Cupido e gli Amori) – Moresca" (3:51)
20. Madrigali guerrieri, et amorosi, libro ottavo, SV 154: No. 9.b, Gli arditi balli e l’armonia dei canti (1:53)