Chromatic harpsichord

Il Cimbalo Cromatico Napoletano
Alan Curtis
Nuova Era 7177

Contents:

    Giovanni De Macque (c.1550-1614):
  1. Capriccio sopra re mi fa sol
  2. Consonanze stravaganti
  3. Seconde stravaganze
  4. Prima gagliarda
  5. Seconda gagliarda
  6. Luigi Rossi (c.1597-1653): Passacaille del Seigneur Luigi (MS Bauyn)

    7. Giovanni Maria Trabaci (c.1575-1647):
  7. Toccata terza et ricercar sopra il cimbalo cromatico (1615)
  8. Gagliarda quinta cromatica, detta La Trabacina (1615)
  9. Durezze et ligature (1603)
  10. Canzone francese settima cromatica (1603)
  11. Consonanze stravaganti (1603)
  12. Gagliarda quarta (1603)
  13. Ascanio Mayone (c.1565-1627): Toccata quarta per il cimbalo cromatico (1609)
  14. Trabaci: Canzone francese prima (1603)
  15. Mayone: Toccata quinta per il cimbalo cromatico (1609)

    16. Gioan Pietro Del Buono (c.1600-c.1650):
    Cinque sonate in varie maniere sopra l'Ave Maris Stella (1641)
  16. Sonata II, Presto
  17. Sonata V, Fuga cromatica
  18. Sonata IV
  19. Sonata VII, Stravagante, e per il cimbalo cromatico
  20. Sonata VIII, Presto / Adagio / Presto

    21. Giovanni Salvatore (c.1615-c.1688):
  21. Canzone francese seconda
  22. Corrente prima
  23. Durezze e ligature

    24. Gregorio Strozzi (c.1615-c.1690):
  24. Corrente terza (1687)
  25. Toccata di Passacagli (1687)
  26. Michelangelo Rossi (c.1601-1656): Toccata settima

Playing time: 56'

Recording date: May 1992

Many of these pieces were apparently conceived for harpsichords with more than 12 keys/octave. This "chromatic" style of composition did not remain in fashion very long, and was apparently confined to the region of Naples (with an outpost at Ferrara). It is a unique repertory.

This recording recaptures the sound of the enharmonic harpsichord by mixing together separately recorded tracks. As such, it is also unique, if unauthentic in its means.

Another program of this type:

Neapolitan Music for Organ, Harpsichord and Chromatic Harpsichord
Christopher Stembridge
Ars Musici 1207

The beginning of a series on Trabaci:

Trabaci: Keyboard Music - Book I
Sergio Vartolo
Naxos 8.553550-2 (3 CDs)

A recording devoted to Mayone:

Maione: Secondo libro di diversi Capricci per sonare
Francesco Tasini
Tactus 571302

A recording featuring De Macque and including Salvatore:

Napoli Barocco
De Macque / Salvatore
Michèle Dévérité
Arion 68476

Tracks #16-20 of the present citation are generally seen performed on keyboard recently, but come from a gigantic collection of general (i.e. unscored) instrumental music. A recording of a larger selection played by a consort:

Del Buono: Canoni, Oblighi e Sonate
Symposium Musicum - Miloslav Klement
Panton 81 1041-2 131

A broader program featuring some of this music played by viol consort:

Consonanze Stravaganti
Venetian & Neapolitan Music for Consort of Viols
l'Amoroso - Guido Balestracci
Symphonia 98161

Finally, a recording devoted to an earlier Neapolitan keyboard composer, who helped set the stage for the generation represented on the present recording:

Valente: Intavolatura di cimbalo
Francesco Cera
Tactus 532201

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Todd M. McComb