About this Artist

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Editorial Reviews

For twenty-first century ears accustomed to every type of music imaginable, it can be hard to hear Gesualdo's later madrigals as the shocking and revolutionary pieces they are or imagine the reaction of their original audiences, but sometimes the music is so supremely odd that it inevitably elicits a double-take. This is sometimes the result of Gesualdo's brilliant/cavalier disregard for the late Renaissance conventions of harmony, tonality, and voice leading, but just as often it's the intensity of emotional affect in his response to the texts, which can create music that seems alarmingly disjunct, even schizophrenic, in its mood swings. In any case, Gesualdo is a composer who's most appealing to listeners who like wild rides and lots of aural surprises. These performances of the Fifth book of madrigals by the Consort of Musicke, led by Anthony Rooley, are close to ideal. The group's pristine, piercingly pure intonation is essential for the composer's dissonances and eccentric harmonic progressions to make sense. The spirited interpretations, though, are what make these performance so compelling; the group gets at the essence of the extreme emotions Gesualdo conjures and embodies them, so the music is always meaningfully expressive, never merely strange. The group is able to push the limits of expressivity without crossing the line into exaggeration, and the result is wonderfully effective music-making. This reissue of L'Oiseau-Lyre's 1983 release is a welcome addition to the catalog -- it should delight Gesualdo fans and serve as a terrific introduction for those who've never encountered his quirky charms. Stephen Eddins, All Music Guide

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