Ceremony and conflict

Available for 29 days

By the beginning of the 16th century, Venice was in commercial decline, and the financial clout of the first and longest-lived of the European Empires was fading. However, just as the Republic’s political power was starting to ebb, artistic and cultural life began to flourish as never before. Venice became the centre of the cultural world. Over the course of this week, Donald Macleod explores this extraordinary period when music flourished throughout Venice’s streets and in the churches, palaces and public buildings which had sprung up all across the city, and the composers whose work came to define the age – the Venetian School. In today’s programme, Donald delves into the Venetian calendar to explore the exuberant, opulent celebrations which accompanied the schedule of ceremonies that the Republic marked throughout the year. He also explores the directors of music at St Mark’s who succeeded to the role after the death of Adrien Willaert and finds friction building within the Venetian School, coming to a dramatic head with a fight breaking out during the Feast of St Mark in 1569. Andrea Gabrieli Asia felice hor ben posso chiamarmi I Fagiolini Robert Hollingworth, director Cipriano De Rore Descendi in Hortum Meum Tallis Scholars Peter Phillips, director Gioseffo Zarlino Modulationes per Philippum lusbertum Singer Pur Andrea Gabrieli Gloria and Credo from Missa vexilla regis I Cantori di San Marco Marco Gemmani, director Andrea Gabrieli Ricercar VII Jordi Savall, viola da gamba Baldassare Donato Chi la gagliarda Daedalus Robert Festa, director Gioseffo Zarlino Adiuro vos, filie Ensemble Plus Ultra Michael Noone, director