The Renaissance Keyboard

On this CD Fabio Antonio Falcone presents recordings of possibly the two oldest examples of printed keyboard music. He uses three instruments, each of distinctive character: an Italian harpsichord after Alessandro Trasuntino (Venezia 1531) and a polygonal virginal after Domenico da Pesaro (ca.1550), both built by Roberto Livi. For Cavazzoni, he plays the organ of the Church of San Giuseppe, Montevecchio di Pergola, an instrument by a builder now unknown, which dates back to the end of the 17th century.

What survives of Cavazzoni is a small, precious collection mixing sacred fantasias under the title of ricercari, without the implication of a single underlying melody which that term now encloses, but more a collection of contrapuntal flourishes. There are two - the earliest known such composed for keyboards rather than voices - and each is followed by a motet (Salve Virgo, Stella maris) and four canzone that are transcriptions of original chansons. For these songs no vocal models have been located. Cavazzoni may well have arranged his own vocal compositions for organ.

On an appropriate instrument in good hands, the impression left by Cavazzoni tends towards a free-wheeling grandeur, whereas the surviving song transcriptions by the splendidly and aptly named Andrea Antico are of more tender intimacy, through perhaps less bold harmonic explorations but also closer observation of a singing line, whatever the chosen instrument.

Fabio Antonio Falcone is a student of the harpsichord wizard Bob van Asperen, among others: this is his second recording for Brilliant Classics after a no less adventurous survey of the works of Giovanni de Macque (BC94998).

This release presents the complete works of two Italian Renaissance composers, Marco Cavazzoni and Andrea Antico, the first printed keyboard music in history.
The works are a collection of Ricercars and transcriptions of sacred Motets and secular Chansons.
Italian Early Music specialist Fabio Antonio Falcone plays on three different instruments: an anonymous early 17th century organ, a harpsichord after Trasuntino (1531) and a polygonal virginal after Domenico da Pesaro (ca. 1550).
Falcone already recorded a much acclaimed CD for Brilliant Classics: keyboard music by Giovanni de Macque (BC94998).
A fascinating document of the early keyboard art!