Let us begin with the facts. In 1610 Monteverdi was in a state of near disgrace with his employers, the Gonzagas of Mantua. Employed as maestro di cappella in 1602, he had since 1608 (the year L’Arianna was composed; the work, apart from its famous Lamento, has not survived) been experiencing a particularly dull period in his career, with nary a stimulating project on the horizon.

What was more, his relations with Duke Francesco, whose opinions were followed throughout the illustrious household but who lacked the artistic intuition of his father, Duke Vincenzo, were becoming more and more fraught.

The new year seemed unpromising until Monteverdi conceived the idea of starting afresh in a more congenial environment, with the hope of creating a life more in keeping with his ambitions as a composer.

He determined to try his luck in Rome and to address himself directly to the Pope. To this end he published a six-voice Missa da Cappella in prima prattica polyphonic style, as well as the Vespro della Beata Vergine, both of which he dedicated to Pope Paul V.

The old-fashioned Mass was a mere pretext, however, and the more important work was ...

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