ConcertPulse
Voces Suaves / Capricornus Consort Basel
Elbphilharmonie, Kleiner Saal (Hamburg)
With their warm and clear choral sound, Voces Suaves bring century-old works to life. And it is often cause for goosebumps from the very first tones. For their performance at the Hamburg International Music Festival, the singers devote their attention to a collection of choral works by Claudio Monteverdi. Specialising in solo performances in the repertoire ranging from the Renaissance to the Baroque, Voces Suaves have a reputation as one of the most outstanding early music ensembles for good reason. This time around they in Hamburg with a first-class group of instrumentalists in tow: Like Voces Suaves, the Capricornus Consort Basel was founded at the legendary Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. In keeping with the theme of the music festival, »War and Peace«, the two renowned ensembles perform Monteverdi‘s enchanting »Madrigali guerrieri et amorosi« (Madrigals of War and Love). The Italian composer stands on the cusp between the Renaissance and the Baroque with his expressive musical language. In this collection of non-ecclesiastical songs, he juxtaposes dramatic soundscapes of war with atmospheric songs about love and passion.