Here's why:
* Late Renaissance Style: Monteverdi's early works, like his madrigals, were firmly rooted in the Renaissance style, characterized by polyphonic textures, clear melodic lines, and a focus on text painting.
* Early Baroque Innovations: However, Monteverdi also pioneered innovations that are characteristic of the Baroque period, such as:
* Dramatic expression: He emphasized emotional intensity in his music, using dissonance and bold harmonies to create dramatic effects.
* Emphasis on basso continuo: He frequently employed a basso continuo (a bass line supported by chords), which became a hallmark of Baroque music.
* Monodist melodies: He incorporated monodic melodies (single-line melodies) alongside polyphony, moving away from the purely polyphonic textures of the Renaissance.
* The "Opera Revolution": Monteverdi's groundbreaking opera, "Orfeo" (1607), is considered a pivotal work in the development of opera, a distinctly Baroque genre.
While other composers of the late Renaissance, like Giovanni Gabrieli, showed some early signs of Baroque influence, Monteverdi's influence on the development of music during this transition period is undeniable.