Hannah Ely, Toby Carr, Monteverdi String Band; Oliver Webber - The Madrigal Reimagined

. The sixteenth-century madrigal, a deceptively simple, whimsical poetic form of no fixed structure, had an elusive quality that was to prove inspirational to generations of musicians; madrigal settings came to form the core of many composers' outputs and quickly evolved a musical identity independent of their poetic origins. . 'The Madrigal Reimagined' opens a window on how musicians exploited the madrigal's charm, poignancy and flexibility, with settings ranging from intimate solos to grand operatic scenes; virtuoso diminutions, old and new, share the stage with touching, subtle dissonance in music by Rore, Bovicelli, Caccini, Monteverdi and others. . The Monteverdi String Band is joined by soprano Hannah Ely and lutenist Toby Carr under the direction of violinist Oliver Webber.