Recent Researches in the Music of the Renaissance

Giovan Domenico Montella (ca. 1570–1607), the lutenist of the royal chapel of the viceroy court and contemporary of Carlo Gesualdo and Giovanni de Macque, was one of the most active Neapolitan composers at the end of the sixteenth century and the first decade of the seventeenth. His Primo libro de madrigali a cinque voci was printed by Nicola Antonio Stigliola at the Stamperia à Porta Regale in 1594. It was one of the few works that marked the beginning of a gradual revival of music printing in Naples. Montella used the texts not only of well-known poets but also of local authors; his is the first setting of "Se i lumi vostri" by Giambattista Marino, which was later printed in the poet’s Rime of 1602. Musically, his works in the Primo libro de madrigali a cinque voci display skillfully handled rhetorical details within the traditional contrapuntal style of cinquecento madrigals.

Music Sample

Contents:
1. Ninfe gioconde e liete
2. Non più saette Amore
3. Perche tentate ò Donna
4. Aventuroso velo
5. Vagho e tranquillo fonte
6. Poi che per darlo à voi
7. Allettava gli amanti
8. Donne, d'Amor con burla
9. Se i lumi vostri
10. Madonna, io ben vorrei
11. Amatemi, ben mio
12. Già la candida mano
13. Ben mio, perche bramate
14. Chiare et dolci faville
15. Se gli atti, ò Donna
16. O miracol d'Amore
17. Donna, qual meraviglia
18. Siami più crudo Amore
19. Donne gentili e belle
20. Non fù pietade, Amore
21. Non già con freddo core

Appendix: 
1. Poi che per darlo à voi, Manilio Caputi
2. Madonna, io ben vorrei, Gio. Vincenzo Macedonio di Mutio