Picchi: Complete Harpsichord Music

Stella, Simone

95998

Giovanni Matteo Picchi (1572-1643) was born in Venice, one of the most important musical centers of that time. A versatile musician, perfectly at ease in the practice of both secular and church music, Picchi lived and worked most of his life in Venice, and concentrated on performing on and composing for the keyboard, developing a musical practice closely linked to dance music, which enjoyed widespread popularity and a prestigious tradition in Venice.

In 1619, Picchi published Intavolatura di balli d’arpicordo, one of the rare collections of music for keyboard moulded on contemporary dance music. The majority of Picchi's dances are composed in pairs. Three of the four Passamezzos are followed by a Saltarello in triple meter. The short dances in duple meter (Ballo alla Polacha, Ballo Ongaro and the Todescha) conclude with either a balletto or saltarello in triple meter. The Padoana ditta la Ongara and the Ongara a un altro modo obviously form a single composition consisting of variations.

Further to the keyboard music of Picchi this recording presents other keyboard works by Venetian masters: Padovano, Merulo, Gabrieli and Bellavere, a collection of Canzonas, Toccatas and Ricerares.

Played on the harpsichord by Simone Stella. With his earlier recordings for Brilliant Classics (Buxtehude, Böhm, Reincken, Walther, Pachelbel and many others), Simone Stella established his reputation as one of the foremost interpreters of Baroque keyboard music, receiving 5 star reviews in the international press.

CD

Brilliant Classics

2.07.2021

5028421959986