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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