Sensuous yet reverential, dramatic yet intimate; Renaissance poise and Baroque drama meet in Monteverdi’s exquisite choral landmark.

Claudio Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610 marked a moment of musical transformation as the intricate polyphony of the Renaissance began to make way for something new: the bold, expressive, dramatic sound of the Baroque.

Absorbing the rich cultural mix that surrounded him in the northern Italian cities, Monteverdi took the established traditions of church and court music and added influences from the Middle East and wider Mediterranean to create something radically different. Grand choral writing, virtuosic solo passages and richly inventive instrumental textures bring words, voices and instruments together to powerfully expressive effect, creating music that is at once deeply devotional and wonderfully theatrical.

From hushed, prayerful passages to thrilling vocal and instrumental flourishes, this is a monumental work of extraordinary colour, energy and emotion.

Royal Choral Society

Richard Cooke conductor

Meridian Sinfonia

Angela Hicks soprano

Penelope Appleyard soprano

Ben Alden tenor

Nicholas Madden tenor

Jimmy Holliday bass

William Gaunt bass