Official Video - 'Michelangelo's Madrigal' Kate Macoboy/Robert Meunier

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"Michelangelo’s Madrigal" – Out Now! On the Dutch label, Et'cetera Records KTC 1623, KATE MACOBOY, soprano and ROBERT MEUNIER, lutenist perform songs and lute solos in a new adventurous performance style based on Italian Renaissance principles of rhetoric and oratory to best realize the expressive Italian language in song in a dramatic, yet natural way. Featuring "Michelangelo’s Madrigal," Come harò donque ardire (Track 11) is the first known publication of Michelangelo's poetry (1519), with a musical setting by Lucrezia Borgia’s singer and lutenist, Bartolomeo Tromboncino. It represents one of the most affecting songs of the period. Kate and Robert have discovered - as Renaissance musicians discovered - that the emotional impact of songs in performance rests in delivering the lines in a similar manner to the art of the actor or orator, reflecting the natural rhythms of actual speech. That is, opening the written score with gaps or short pauses and delivering emphasis and accents on certain words and syllables dictated by the poetic text. This style is known as, "recitar cantando" or speech-like song which is distinguished from the more stylized, "cantar recitando," singing-speech or recitative. Further, artists of jazz singing, and various singer songwriters of popular art songs seem to be closely aligned with many of the expressive elements cherished by early Italian Renaissance singers. In realizing melodic verse recitation in their songs , they have recaptured the spontaneity, freedom and flair of this rich and richly rewarding music.

Their album has garnered very good reviews and the accolade of *recording of the month* from MusicWeb International. The reviews have noted the freshness of their "new approach."

In the Observer, Sir Nicholas Kenyon writes of "Michelangelo’s Madrigal" that "Kate Macoboy's soprano, with lutenist Robert Meunier, restores the primacy of textual expression to 16th-century song"…

"Macoboy's pure soprano is balanced beautifully with Meunier's eloquent playing, her subtle colour variations beguiling." Sunday Times, Stephen Pettitt…

"It's clear both from the precision and easy-going sprezzatura of these performances, and from Meunier's extensive booklet note that this disc is the fruit of many years' work. Macoboy's voice is crystal clear and her diction exemplary and Meunier's accompaniments unfussy and responsive (his solo tracks are outstanding) and to have it performed with such grace is an extra bonus." Classical Music Magazine-Early Music Today, Adrian Horsewood


*Recording of the Month*
"The text is in the centre, and both Kate Macoboy and Robert Meunier aim for a personal treatment of the text. This is a very intimate recital: one has the feeling of being close to the artists, who sing and play specially for you. Ms Macoboy does sing mostly rather softly, and that fits the character and content of these songs. She stresses some important words, takes a breath, colours the words. This is underlined by Meunier, who plays a number of lute pieces by some of the main composers of lute music of the time, which are perfect complements to the vocal items. This is a wonderful disc which requires attentive listening. Only then can the depth of these songs be fully appreciated." MusicWeb International, Johan van Veen


"It’s a very well-constructed programme…the conception is so sympathetic…Kate Macoboy's timbre is most attractive." Gramophone, Fabrice Fitch

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