Orazio Vecchi: Le veglie di Siena

La Compagnia del Madrigale releases another imaginative album on Glossa, turning to a late composition by Orazio Vecchi, Le veglie di Siena from 1604. This entertainment comes in two parts: the first embracing “pleasant” mimicry of the manners of speaking of Italians and foreigners and a high-spirited madrigal group, “La caccia d’Amore”; part two is more “serious” in tone, but with a kaleidoscope of musical styles and emotional expressions representing “umori” or moods. A vivid sense of theatricality from the vocal sextet is complemented by a modern master of the commedia dell’arte, the actor and director Antonio Fava. Nuances, attention to words, compelling humour and ribaldry were all revelled in by Italian patrician society of the time and Vecchi was held in high esteem, including by contemporary composers, achieving a fame which was cut short by his death at 54, with Le veglie di Siena being regarded as Vecchi’s “spiritual testament”. Marco Bizzarini’s compelling essay places this madrigal comedy in the contexts both of its time and of recent scholarship, whilst making plain the rumbustious fun there is to be had in the company of madrigalists as fine as can be heard on this new double-disc set.