Later regarded as a leading figure in the transitional
period between the Renaissance and Baroque periods, Claudio Monteverdi was born
in the northern Italian town of Cremona in 1567. The date of his birth is
uncertain, though he was baptized on May 15. As a child, he received musical
instruction from Marc'Antonio Ingegneri, maestro di capella of the
cathedral in Cremona, and later studied at the University of Cremona. Beginning
in 1582, Monteverdi's compositions (motets and sacred madrigals) began to
appear in print and by 1587 he had produced an entire book of secular
madrigals.
For some time, Monteverdi worked as a court musician in
Mantua. However, by 1613 he had moved to San Marco in Venice and took the
position of conductor. He quickly restored the diminishing musical quality of
both the singers and instrumentalists caused by the negligence of his
predecessor. In 1632, Monteverdi was ordained as a priest. His final years
were, unfortunately, marked by poor health. Nevertheless, it is also from this
time that he produced two of his finest works—Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria ("The
Return of Ulysess") and L'incoronazione di Poppea ("The Coronation of
Poppea"). L'incoronazione di Poppea is considered the pinnacle of
Monteverdi's output. Musically, it represented the burgeoning Baroque period.
Even today it still has a place in the repertoires of opera companies.
A transitional figure somewhat like Beethoven would be
two centuries later, Monteverdi bridged the gap between the contrapuntal
texture of the Renaissance and the basso continuo of the Baroque. He
died on November 29, 1643 in Venice.
Claudio Monteverdi
Biography
Later regarded as a leading figure in the transitional period between the Renaissance and Baroque periods, Claudio Monteverdi was born in the northern Italian town of Cremona in 1567. The date of his birth is uncertain, though he was baptized on May 15. As a child, he received musical instruction from Marc'Antonio Ingegneri, maestro di capella of the cathedral in Cremona, and later studied at the University of Cremona. Beginning in 1582, Monteverdi's compositions (motets and sacred madrigals) began to appear in print and by 1587 he had produced an entire book of secular madrigals.
For some time, Monteverdi worked as a court musician in Mantua. However, by 1613 he had moved to San Marco in Venice and took the position of conductor. He quickly restored the diminishing musical quality of both the singers and instrumentalists caused by the negligence of his predecessor. In 1632, Monteverdi was ordained as a priest. His final years were, unfortunately, marked by poor health. Nevertheless, it is also from this time that he produced two of his finest works—Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria ("The Return of Ulysess") and L'incoronazione di Poppea ("The Coronation of Poppea"). L'incoronazione di Poppea is considered the pinnacle of Monteverdi's output. Musically, it represented the burgeoning Baroque period. Even today it still has a place in the repertoires of opera companies.
A transitional figure somewhat like Beethoven would be two centuries later, Monteverdi bridged the gap between the contrapuntal texture of the Renaissance and the basso continuo of the Baroque. He died on November 29, 1643 in Venice.