In Monteverdi’s Lament, the Erik Westberg Vocal Ensemble presents two contemporary works that reimagine poetry and music connected to the legacy of Claudio Monteverdi. Drawing on 17th-century sources, these compositions set historical and contemporary choir music in dialogue with interactive technologies and the hyperorgan – an instrument enhanced with digital control functions that allow performance beyond the traditional keyboard. The result is an exploration of the creative tension between past and present, echoing the spirit of innovation that shaped Monteverdi’s music in the early 1600s.

Carl Unander-Scharin’s Lamento è più takes inspiration from Ottavio Rinuccini’s libretto for the lost opera Arianna, originally set by Monteverdi in 1607. Created in collaboration with choreographer Åsa Unander-Scharin, this 2023 work expands the expressive potential of the 17th-century text through a dynamic interplay of choreography, choir, and hyperorgan.

The second piece revisits Monteverdi’s madrigal Sestina in a bold re-imagination by the TCP/IP Quartet. Here, the original madrigal is reframed and extended, weaving structural echoes of the source into a contemporary sonic landscape. This composition employs an algorithmic “reading” of Monteverdi’s score, enabling real-time interaction between MIDI guitar, augmented clarinet, sensors, and hyperorgans. Together, these works invite listeners into a unique sound world where historical resonance meets cutting-edge technological innovation.

Monteverdi’s Lament is a celebration of continuity and transformation – an immersive experience for anyone devoted to music for choir, and how traditional heritage can be enhanced by interactive technologies.