Vespers 1610 [CD]

The sonic grandeur of Monteverdi's spectacular masterpiece is expertly realized in this recording by John Butt and Dunedin Consort. Together with the virtuoso players of His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts and a star-studded line up, including Peter Harvey, Joanne Lunn and Nicholas Mulroy, Dunedin Consort delivers the perfect recording to celebrate the 450th anniversary of Monteverdi's birth. The raison d'être for this recording was reinforced following a performance of the Vespers at the 2016 Lammermuir Festival which wowed the critics: The Herald called it 'superbly stylish... an exhilarating performance' whilst The Scotsman stated 'it is hard to imagine a more exquisite, deeply felt performance'. In direct contrast to the more typically lavish stagings John Butt's preference for single part performance brings a welcome sense of intimacy to Monteverdi's most famous work. In eschewing the pomp and circumstance John Butt's approach delivers a fresh, modern performance that allows the individuality of the soloists to shine.