Monferrato: Motets for Solo Voice, Book 1, Op. 4

Natale Monferrato lived in Venice in the 17th century. He was a singer at St. Mark's Basilica and later became its chapelmaster and organist. From the early 17th century, the polyphonic motet, which had dominated sacred music in previous centuries, was supplemented in both liturgical and devotional contexts by a new, leaner form: the solo motet. This allowed prayers and meditations to be accompanied by music even in places where maintaining a stable polyphonic choir was impractical or financially unfeasible. At the same time, composers gained greater freedom to adapt to the emerging "modern taste" of the period, which favored the expressiveness of a single voice supported by the organ or other continuo instruments over the contrapuntal interplay of several voices. This modern aesthetic placed increasing emphasis on conveying "affetti", which were considered essential to the true expression of a text. The compositions by Natale Monferrato presented on this album by the Ensemble Amphion Novus are the first recording of an edition specially prepared for this occasion and illustrate precisely this development.