ADRIAN WILLAERT 
MUSICA NOVA   
MOTETTI  &  MADRIGALI  
FANTASIE RECERCAR CANTRAPUNTI
VENEDIG 1559

Musica Nova is the title of an extensive collection of music by Adrian Willaert, it was published in 1559 in Venice during the lifetime of the then almost 70-year-old music director at St. Marco. Musica Nova is a symbiosis of secular

and religious music, it contains 27 motets and 25  madrigals. Although the collection was not printed until 1559, by Antonio Gardano in Venice, it is well known that a large part of it existed and was performed in Venice around 1540.

The joint publication of sacred motets and secular madrigals was unprecedented to date.

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In 1544 the humanist, writer, poet, and musician Antonfrancesco Doni

visited Venice for six months from Piacenza.

The music he heard in Venice impressed him most with the richness and variety of instruments, such as viols, wind instruments, lutes, etc., played along with singers. Doni describes in his treatise "Dialogo della Musica"

with absolute clarity the transition from the modest musical activities of Piacenza to the excellent music of Venice. In a letter dated April 7, 1544

to  the Marquis Malvicino of Piacenza, directly from Venice, he clearly

describes hearing a concert of singers and viols conducted by the

wonderful Adrian Willaert...

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Andràs Montilla-Acurero  - Tenor   

Jedediah Allen  - Cornetto   

Myrna Herzog - Renaissance Tenor Viol  

Alexandra Polin - Renaissance Bass Viol  

Kentaro Nagata  -  Renaissance Bass Viol

Giomar Sthel - Renaissance  Contrabass Viol  

Francesco Tomassi  - Renaissance Lute

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