The Moral Forest
Bob Worth

In 1641, at the age of 74, Claudio Monteverdi published his ‘Selva morale’, an enormous compendium of sacred music for large and small ensembles. The volume includes music written in diverse styles over a period of some 25 years, during which Monteverdi served as the director of music at the Basilica of San Marco in Venice. We will explore some of the astonishing motets, mass music, spiritual madrigals and sacred songs of the volume, with musical examples from the bravura complete recording by Concert Cölln and Concerto Palatino, under the direction of Konrad Junghänel.