Girolamo Frescobaldi
Girolamo Frescobaldi's keyboard music moves between flamboyant improvisatory toccatas and strict counterpoint, with sudden shifts of tempo and mood that still challenge performers. His canzonas, partitas and sacred organ works shaped Baroque keyboard writing for generations.
The toccatas open in free, brilliant runs, settle into intimate affetti, then spark into short bursts of imitation. He wrote for ogni sort di stromenti, so canzonas travel easily between organ, harpsichord, recorders and viol. Vocal arias from the 1630 books sit beside the great Cento partite sopra passacagli, a vast set of variations that stitches independent ideas into one continuous argument. Fiori musicali gave the church organ a liturgical cycle long prized for its counterpoint. Even a popular Balletto carries his stamp: clean lines, bold emotional contrast, and a pulse the player must claim.
Compositions by Girolamo Frescobaldi appear on
Masters of Baroque
Trio Polyphonica was active between 1980 and 1990, with a repertoire spanning more than three centuries. This programme presents Baroque chamber works by Frescobaldi, Hellendaal, Couperin, Leclair, Rameau and Corelli.
La Prima Stravaganza
Sonatas of 17th-century Italy from Capella Corelli: a window on instrumental music as it found its own voice, from the experimental works of Cima, Castello, Montalbano, Fontana, Frescobaldi, Marini and Uccellini through to Corelli.
Via Frescobaldi
Seventeenth-century Italian composer Girolamo Frescobaldi was at once conservative and innovative. La Romanesca presents improvisatory toccatas, imitative polyphonic instrumental works, and songs from his arie musicali of 1630.
Italian Organ Masters
Major master organist Sergio de Pieri offers an enjoyable and authoritative survey of Italian organ repertoire by lesser-known masters, from Renaissance dances and ricercari to Zipoli and Frescobaldi.