- Music for Lute.
The lute was used in a great variety of instrumental music from the Medieval to the late Baroque eras. Historically, it was also used as an accompanying instrument, especially in vocal works.
Italian composer Alessandro Piccinini came from a family of lutenists who lived in Bologna and that made its mark on Italian musical life for over one and a half centuries. He was a contemporary of Monteverdi and Frescobaldi.
Piccinini published his first lute works in 1623. This first volume contains a fundamental introduction to playing the lute, and it was a core source for lute technique.
After Piccinini’ death, his son published a second volume with lute pieces by his father in 1639. Stylistically, Piccinini’s lute works are influenced by the emergent Italian instrumental music of the times, but French and Spanish influences can also be clearly heard.
On the present recording, Mónica Pustilnik introduces a selection from both of Piccinini’s lute books. These selections are listed below:
Piccinini:
Saravanda alla Francese
Corrente IX
Ricercar primo
Aria di saravanda in varie partita
Corrente VI sopra l’Alemana
Toccata cromatica
Gagliarda V
Toccata II
Chiaccona ‘Cappona alla vera Spagnola’
Corrente VII
Toccata VIII
Corrente III
Corrente VI
Corrente VIII
Toccata XIII
Chiaccona ‘Mariona alla vera Spagnola’
Performed by Mónica Pustilnik (lute)
Let me illustrate with some music, and do give me feedback with your reaction.
First, here’s a selection performed by singer Rosa Domínguez and accompanied by Mónica Pustilnik, Lute:
And next, here is the Lute duo by Galilei, as performed by Monica Pustilnik and Evangelina Mascardi:
I like these sounds; they hark back to very old times.
Tags: Alessandro Piccinini, Mónica Pustilnik, Lute, Monteverdi, Frescobaldi