The Two Tenors: Zefiro Torna of Claudio Monteverdi, Voices of Music

CDs at http://magnatune.com/artists/albums/voicesofmusic-concerto/ Support Voices of Music!
Monteverdi's incomparable setting of Ottavio Rinuccini's "Zefiro Torna," the Western Wind. Enjoy the delightful word-painting as it flows by, such as the echoing highs and lows of "monti" (mountains) and "valli" (valleys); the ripples of "mormorondo" (murmuring) and the ever-dancing ciaccona. Featuring Thomas Cooley & Christopher LeCluyse, tenors; Elisabeth Reed, baroque cello, Katherine Heater, chamber organ; Hanneke van Proosdij, harpsichord; David Tayler, baroque guitar. Live video from the San Francisco Early Music Ensemble Voices of Music "Zefiro Torna" Concert, 2009.

Zefiro torna e di soavi accenti
l'aer fa grato e'il pié discioglie a l'onde
e, mormoranda tra le verdi fronde,
fa danzar al bel suon su'l prato i fiori.
Inghirlandato il crin Fillide e Clori
note temprando lor care e gioconde
e da monti e da valli ime e profonde
raddoppian l'armonia gli antri canori.
Sorge più vaga in ciel l'aurora, e'l sole,
sparge più luci d'or; più puro argento
fregia di Teti il bel ceruleo manto.

Sol io, per selve abbandonate e sole,
l'ardor di due belli occhi e'l mio tormento,
come vuol mia ventura, hor piango hor canto.

The Western Wind returns, and with gentle touch
Renews the air and sweeps his foot across the waves
And makes the green branches sing softly
Makes the flowers of the field dance the sweet sound;
Crowns with garlands Phyllis and Chloris
Tempers their love with just note and accent,
From mountains high and valleys deep
And from caverns that echo with harmony
Dawn soars into the heavens, and the sun
Radiates beams of gold, and purest silver
Adorns the azure cloak of Thetis.
But I, abandoned and alone,
Sing and weep for the two beautiful eyes
That are my torment and fate.
--David Tayler

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Voices of Music
• Proosdij
• Tayler
• Monteverdi
• Cooley
• Organ
• Theorbo
• harpsichord
• baroque
• two
• three tenors
• Zefiro
• Torna
• ensemble
• classical music
• live music
• David Tayler
• Thomas Cooley
• van Proosdij
• baroque guitar
• improvisation
• organ
• baroque cello
• continuo
• Zefiro Torna
• Monteverdi Madrigal
• Nigel Rogers
• passacaglia
• ciacona
• ciaccona
• variations
• opera

[galestorm3]

Wonderful! Were instrumentalists playing from figured bass or were there written out parts? If the latter, where can one buy/rent scores?

[Walvis2007]

@galestorm3 The continuo was improvised...there is no score for it....

[Lydia637]

Beautifully done and having fun while doing it - bravo.

Was this done in two takes, the lighting looks different from shot to shot.

[Walvis2007]

@Lydia637 Only one take from the concert--the lighting is difficult in the church, the color balance and brightness are quite different from left to right. Some of our later videos we use a white card to set the WB, but it is still different--also the cams are 50-75 feet away. Still, it is a nice place to perform--not dark and good sound!

[volk410]

I first heard Zefiro torna some 25 years ago as a music student at university. It still turns me into a weepy mess. Thank you for such beauty -- an incredible performance.

[camaratacaminoreal]

I love this! I have really enjoyed all the videos of I have seen of Voices of Music. I play continuo with and conduct an amateur baroque music group down near Ventura, CA. Does anyone know where I could find a score to this piece? (Ideally with a realized continuo part.) Thanks so much!:)

[derbeh]

this song sends chills up my spine every time i hear it... monteverdi was a genius, and these people did him justice!!!! bravo!

[tbhamdg]

Love this madrigal. Well done!

[AgnesRegina]

Wonderful!! What a beautiful blend, and you sing it with a grace that I think Monteverdi himself would have loved. Bravissimi.