THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS ON TECHNIQUE AND EXPRESSIVITY IN THE FOUR-VOICE MASSES OF CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI

This work focuses on two of Monteverdi’s four-voice Masses. One was published in 1640/41 in the collection Selva morale e spirituale, and the other appeared posthumously in 1650. Both Masses demonstrate Monteverdi’s distinctive compositional techniques. While the works are mainly grounded in the traditional prima prattica, traces of the seconda prattica style are also evident.