ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
PHILIPPE HERREWEGHE
Madrigals from:
Madrigali novamente composti a 5 voci [Nürnberg 1585]
Madrigali a 4-5-6 voci, novamente composti [Nürnberg 1587]
Sololists of
Collegium Vocale Gent
Hathor Consort
Philippe Herreweghe
Orlandus Lassus came to Italy as a choirboy, so it was only natural that he became interested in the madrigal. Petrarch’s Canzonière is a constant source of inspiration in his eight madrigal books, with other poets such as Pietro Bembo and Gabriele Fiamm appearing in the later books. A sense of the impermanence of life pervades the madrigali spirituali, yet with these expressive late works Lassus also joined the young generation of madrigalists such as Marenzio and Monteverdi.