Madrigals from the Netherlands [Si Breve è 'l Tempo]

In the last quarter of the 16th century, the madrigal spread far beyond Italy. More than 85 books of Italian madrigals were printed in Antwerp, mainly by Pierre Phalèse the Younger, offering both Italian and local composers a place of distinction. The Compagnia del Madrigale has explored the collections published at the time and is now giving the world premiere of works from the volumes that helped the genre achieve its success. This demonstrates its full potential and establishes the madrigal as a cosmopolitan art form.