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Jacques Arcadelt

Lucie Skeaping explores the life of Jacques Arcadelt, one of the most intriguing composers of the sixteenth century, and a key figure in the development of the Italian madrigal.

At the Hermitage in St Petersburg hangs one of Caravaggio's most famous paintings: the Lute Player. An androgynous young man looks out at us as he plucks the strings of this most iconic of Renaissance instruments, and a music book lies in front of him. Close inspection reveals that not only has Caravaggio carefully painted a real piece of lute music, but we can even identify its composer - Jacques Arcadelt.

Today Lucie Skeaping explores the life of Jacques Arcadelt, one of the most mysterious, fascinating, and significant figures in 16th century music. Many biographical details of his life are sketchy; but from being born in what we now know as Belgium, in the first decade of the 16th century, Arcadelt found his way to Italy where he became a driving force in the rise and popularity of the madrigal.

Arcadelt's several books of madrigals were among the most prolifically-published books of the entire Renaissance - the soundtrack to a film about the period's many great artists would unquestionably need to feature a great deal of music by him. Michelangelo's paintings were barely dry when Arcadelt began singing in the Sistine Chapel, and there's every suggestion that being at the heart of the Renaissance must have been a vital source of his creative inspiration.

All of Arcadelt's music is vocal, and covers a vast range of styles, from light songs to entire Masses, and also a setting of the epic Lamentations of Jeremiah. In this programme Lucie focuses on madrigals performed by the Hilliard Ensemble, the Orlando Consort, the Fires of Love; and religious music performed by the Josquin Capella from a disc released just last year. Lucie also reflects on an intriguing aspect of Arcadelt's work, namely that although he wrote no instrumental music, other composers of the period were all too ready to adapt it for instrumental performance.

The picture of Arcadelt that emerges is of a musician whose senses of enterprise and adventure led to a stellar career as composer and performer, reflected both in his service of distinguished patrons including the Medici family and the Vatican, and also in the huge popular esteem in which he was so obviously held.

58 minutes

Last on

Sun 25 Aug 2013 13:00
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Jacques Arcadelt

    Ave Maria

    Performers: Riga Chamber Choir Ave Sol, Imants Kokars (conductor)

    • Glory of Voices.
    • 002.

  • Jacques Arcadelt

    Il bianco et dolce cigno

    Performers: Hilliard Ensemble

    • Virgin Veritas.
    • 561 671 2.

  • Jacques Arcadelt

    Se la dura durezza

    Performers: Hilliard Ensemble

    • Virgin Veritas.
    • 561 671 2.

  • Jacques Arcadelt

    I vaghi fiori (1549)

    Performers: Orlando Consort

    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • HMU 907398.

  • Jacques Arcadelt

    Il bianco et dolce cigno

    Performers: Fires of Love

    • Delphian.
    • DCD34063.

  • Jacques Arcadelt

    Estote fortes in bello

    Performers: Josquin Capella, Meinolf BrΓΌser (director)

    • CPO.
    • 777 763-2.

  • Jacques Arcadelt

    Quand'io penso al martir

    Performers: Hopkinson Smith (lute)

    • Naive.
    • E8921.

  • Jacques Arcadelt (arranged by Diego Ortiz)

    O Felici Occhi Miei

    Performers: Jordi Savall (bass viol), Ton Koopman (organ and clavecin), Lorenz Duftschmid (violone), Rolf Lislevand (vihuela)

    • AstrΓ©e Audivis.
    • E8717.

  • Jacques Arcadelt

    Gloria and Credo from Missa Ave regina caelorum

    Performers: Josquin Capella, Meinolf BrΓΌser (director)

    • CPO.
    • 777 763-2.

  • Jacques Arcadelt

    Madonna, s'io v'offendo

    Performers: Hilliard Ensemble

    • Virgin Veritas.
    • 561 671 2.

  • Jacques Arcadelt

    O pulcherrima mulierum

    Performers: Josquin Capella, Meinolf BrΓΌser (director)

    • CPO.
    • 777 763-2.

  • Jacques Arcadelt

    Ave Maria

  • Jacques Arcadelt

    Il bianco et dolce cigno

  • Jacques Arcadelt

    Se la dura durezza

  • Jacques Arcadelt

    I vaghi fiori

  • Jacques Arcadelt

    Il bianco et dolce cigno

  • Jacques Arcadelt

    Estote fortes in bello

  • Jacques Arcadelt

    Quand'io penso al martir

  • Jacques Arcadelt

    O Felici Occhi Miei

  • Jacques Arcadelt

    'Gloria' from Missa Ave regina caelorum

  • Jacques Arcadelt

    'Credo' from Missa Ave regina caelorum

  • Jacques Arcadelt

    O pulcherrima mulierum

Broadcast

  • Sun 25 Aug 2013 13:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3

Podcast