Imitation, all too readily confused with plagiarismtoday, was not only essential to the art of learningin the 1600s but also often a form of venerationtoward admired masters. Monteverdi’s debt tomany of the subtlest composers of his era canclearly be heard in his music, among themrenowned masters such as Ingegneri and Wert,choir master at Mantua when Monteverdi wasa young viola da gamba player in service ofthe Mantuan court.

‘This programme, whichfeatures works to poems by Guarini and Tasso,shows how imitation and emulation were thenorm in court musical society, where fiercecompetition between artists was temperedby this form of admiration and reverence’,comments Paul Agnew.