I Fagiolini

I Fagiolini concert was beautiful.

Started with some English madrigals (Tomkins), all very jolly and as Robert Hollingworth explained, providing the fa-la-la bit of the evening. English madrigals were descended from dance songs, which is why all the falals, and mainly for amateurs to sing of a convivial evening. Monteverdi madrigals, which were next, are quite different. For a start, they were composed for pro virtuosi singers, and they are Dramatic. They are also some of the most gorgeous music ever (they sang Sfogava con le stelle, one of my favourites).

Second half - L'Amfiparnaso, one of the group's recent hits. This was the first time they'd done it "authentically", i.e. to Vecchio's instructions that it was to be heard rather than seen. Having seen the masked mimed version, it was easy to follow, but I think even with the translations and intros (wonderfully silly doggerel, and very mucky with it) it would be difficult for an audience who didn't know what was going on. We don't have the background that would have made it obvious to C16 Italians.

Afterwards had a brief chat with Robert, who was really not well but offered some points and a promise of email discussion. Hope he gets better for the 16th, when they are doing the full staged L'Amfiparnaso in Birmingham.

Brilliant evening.