Monteverdi and sacred music in his Cremona and Mantuan years: recent research and suggestions for the future

Abstract

This article explores Monteverdi’s role as a composer and performer of sacred music and as maestro della chiesa from 1602 to 1612, and reviews scholarly publications and scholarly editions regarding Monteverdi’s Cremonese and Mantuan sacred music from the beginning of the 21st century to the present. The author discusses those that he believes are important contributions to our understanding of Monteverdi’s activities in the field as well as significant recent studies regarding his sole surviving sacred music from this period, the Sacrae cantiunculae of 1582 and the 1610 Missa in illo tempore and Vespro della Beata Vergine. The author’s points of difference with some of these publications are examined and explained, while others which the author considers detrimental to Monteverdi research and its presentation to the public are also noted. The article includes comments on possibilities for future research as well as a call for more communication and consultation in future research to avoid the unfortunate and unnecessary detours and dead ends that result from scholarly isolation in some of the publications reviewed.