Description
Carlo Gesualdo: 6 Books of Madrigals for 5 Voices – Quintetto Vocale Italiano (Newton Classics 8802136, 6CD Box Set)
- UPC: 8718247711369
- MPN (Manufacturer Part Number): 8802136
- Brand Name: Newton Classics
- Product Type: 6 Audio CD Set
- Genre: Classical / Renaissance Vocal
- Style: Madrigals (A Cappella, Late Renaissance)
- Recording Type: ADD Stereo
- Total Duration: 6 Hours 01 Minute
Overview
This monumental Newton Classics 6CD box set presents the complete Six Books of Madrigals for Five Voices by Carlo Gesualdo, Prince of Venosa (c.1561–1613) — a collection that forever changed the course of vocal music.
Performed by the Quintetto Vocale Italiano, these landmark 1965 recordings remain a reference for their purity of tone, emotional depth, and precision in intonation. Gesualdo’s madrigals, composed between 1594 and 1611, push the boundaries of harmony and expression — weaving dissonance, chromatic intensity, and raw human passion into an astonishingly modern sound world.
Recorded at Villa Litta, Milan, under producer Giambattista Pirelli, this complete edition covers Books 1–6 in their entirety, tracing Gesualdo’s evolution from the courtly elegance of early madrigals to the bold harmonic language of his late works.
This digitally remastered release by Newton Classics BV (2012) restores one of the most celebrated achievements in early vocal recording history.
Product Features
- Format: 6 Audio CD Set
- Recording Type: ADD Stereo
- Recording Dates: January–September 1965
- Recording Location: Villa Litta, Milan, Italy
- Producer: Giambattista Pirelli
- Balance Engineers: Karla Schlean, Angelo Ephrikian
- Ensemble: Quintetto Vocale Italiano
-
Singers:
Label: Newton Classics BV- Karla Schlean – Soprano
- Clara Foti – Mezzo-soprano
- Elena Mazzoni – Contralto
- Rodolfo Farolfi – Tenor
- Gastone Sarti – Baritone
- Dmitri Nabokov – Bass
- Country of Manufacture: Netherlands
- Total Duration: 6 Hours 01 Minute
Interesting Facts
- A Composer of Contradictions: Carlo Gesualdo, an Italian nobleman, was both a visionary musician and a tragic historical figure, infamous for the murder of his wife yet revered for his revolutionary musical genius.
- Ahead of His Time: Gesualdo’s harmonic daring — full of jarring suspensions and unpredictable modulations — anticipates 20th-century modernism centuries ahead of its time.
- A Complete Cycle: Few ensembles have recorded the entire six books of madrigals; this performance by Quintetto Vocale Italiano remains one of the most comprehensive and authoritative.
- Villa Litta Acoustics: The resonant chamber setting of Milan’s Villa Litta adds warmth and intimacy to the a cappella textures, allowing every dissonance and resolution to shine.
- Newton Classics Restoration: These original 1965 recordings were remastered from Ascophan–Rivoalto masters, preserving the authenticity of the analog warmth with modern digital clarity.
Track Listing Overview
- CD 1 – Book I (1594) – 53′53″
- CD 2 – Book II (1595) – 52′18″
- CD 3 – Book III (1595) – 57′16″
- CD 4 – Book IV (1596) – 57′20″
- CD 5 – Book V (1611) – 67′07″
- CD 6 – Book VI (1611) – 73′32″
Total Duration: 6 Hours 01 Minute
Publishers
Originally recorded by Ascophan–Rivoalto (1965). Digitally remastered and reissued by Newton Classics BV (2012). Manufactured and printed in the Netherlands.
All rights of the producer and of the owner of the recorded work reserved. Unauthorized copying, hiring, lending, public performance, and broadcasting prohibited. Sung texts available as downloadable PDF booklet (Gesangstexte sind in einem elektronischen Beiheft zu finden / Textes chantés disponibles au format PDF).
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