After three highly acclaimed albums of sacred music, Voces Suaves turns to the most important secular genre of the Renaissance: the madrigal. Their new album for Arcana, Versi d'Amore, is entirely devoted to the madrigals of Giaches de Wert (1535-1596): these expressive works, which are rarely performed nowadays, are the true precursors of the madrigals of Claudio Monteverdi, Wert's younger colleague in Mantua.
Versi d'Amore contains a selection of works from Wert's last three madrigal books: dark settings of profound sonnets by Petrarca performed a cappella, alongside elegant playful canzonetti performed with an instrumental consort, all demonstrating Wert's complete mastery of polyphonic writing, melodic expressivity and word-painting. Most of the pieces are being recorded for the first time, giving listeners the opportunity to discover these true jewels of the madrigal repertoire.
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