# Carlo Gesualdo



## AvantThought (Feb 26, 2013)

The last couple of days I've been quite obsessed with this composer. I love the chromaticism.
One of my favorite pieces is Moro, lasso, al mio duolo.






Who else appreciates this composer? What pieces do you recommend?


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## Novelette (Dec 12, 2012)

I recommend acquiring all six books of his madrigals! Naxos has some excellent recordings of the various books.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Fans of Gesualdo (who are legion of course!) should really watch Werner Herzog's documentary, "Death for Five Voices." Like several of Herzog's "documentaries," it does make stuff up. But it's good stuff! Found it on YouTube, but I think you can get it from NetFlix.


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## AvantThought (Feb 26, 2013)

Fantastic! Thank you KenOC. I'll also have to look at the Naxos recordings.


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## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)

KenOC said:


> Like several of Herzog's "documentaries," it does make stuff up. But it's good stuff


lol, indeed!.


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## Norse (May 10, 2010)

Here's an instrumental piece by Gesualdo. It has some of those slightly bizarre chord movements, especially given the simple dance idiom. In the more intricate/'improvised' repetition I think it's the ensemble that plays on the strangeness of Gesualdo by adding even more chromaticism etc


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## matsoljare (Jul 28, 2008)

I didn't know he even wrote any instrumentals, do you know how many are preserved? Were they just one-offs, or form a larger collection like his madrigals?


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## JCarmel (Feb 3, 2013)

I remember reading a glowing review for a new Gesualdo recording in the Guardian newspaper, the other day....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2013/feb/28/gesualdo-sacrae-cantiones-liber-secundus-review


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## Norse (May 10, 2010)

matsoljare said:


> I didn't know he even wrote any instrumentals, do you know how many are preserved? Were they just one-offs, or form a larger collection like his madrigals?


Only two are preserved to my knowledge. The other one is this Canzone. There's no indication of instrumentation for either piece, but given the Canzone's style, it was probably concieved as a keyboard piece.






Gesualdo was also a lute virtuoso, so it's a shame we don't have any lute compositions by him.


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## GraemeG (Jun 30, 2009)

Just don't flirt with his wife, or things might not go so well for you...
GG


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

^ yea, you'll end up in her dress and not in the best of health...............


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