Luogo e data di registrazione		Plenarsaal, München (Germania) - 28/29 ottobre 1973
	Registrazione: live / studio		studio
	Executive Producer		Dr. Andreas Holschneider
	Recording Producer		Werner Mayer
	Balance Engineer		Klaus Scheibe
	Prima Edizione LP		ARCHIV - 2533 173 - (1 LP - durata 46' 39") - (p) 1974 - Analogico
	Prima Edizione CD		ARCHIV - 447 727-2 - (4 CD's - durata 71' 05"; 73' 47"; 68' 14" & 62' 37" - [CD1 20-25; CD2 1-8]) - (c) 1995 - ADD
	Cover		Paolo Veronese: Il ricco epulone (Detail, Fresken, Venedig)
	Note		-

 

The oldest known lute music originated in Italy. It consists of pieces by Francesco Spinacino, two books of whose were published by Ottavio Petrucci, Venice, in 1507. Italian lute music of the l6th century may be divided into three basic groups: l. Pieces of an improvisatory character. These are preludes whose style is determined by the alternation of chordal and running passages, pieces whose purpose is to explore the instrument’s tonal resources and to prepare both the player and his listeners for the musical performance which is to follow. 2. Contrapuntal pieces in several voices, marked by imitation. These pieces are modelled stylistically on vocal music. It was customary to “set” for the lute, and publish as “Intavolatura” (intabulation), such vocal compositions as (sacred) motets and (secular) songs, chansons, frottole and madrigals, imitating vocal and contrapuntal techniques with a view to increasing the player’s command of the instrument. 3, Dances of all kinds. Pieces in the first group, i.e, far-ranging, free preludes, are described at the beginning of the 16th century, in the tablatures of Spinacino and Capirola, by the word “Ricercar” (from ricercare = to search or inquire). Later this expression was extended to pieces in the second group. As a third term for pieces in several parts “Fantasia” came into use from the time of Francesco da Milano. Like “Ricercar”, this expression signifies that the piece in question has been freely invented - not an arrangement for lute of` a vocal work already in existence. The majority of the dances are in triple time, and most of these are Galliards. Originally conceived to follow the slow Pavane, the Galliard became an independent dance to an ever-increasing extent during the 16th century, and indeed the most popular of dances. The basic pattern of the Galliard consists of five steps followed by a leap. Illustrations show that most figures of the Galliard were danced in open order, with the couples separated. The leap can be executed by both partners. However, not all Galliards in the lute tablatures were actually intended for dancing. Some of the compositions in galliard rhythm are given added interest by the insertion of passages in imitation, and the melodic line is broken up into shorter notes; these pieces were meant to be played during meals, on excursions, and while bathing. Their titles are often the names of ladies, to whom these pieces were probably dedicated (La Cesarina, La Mutia), but others bear derogatory remarks such as “La ne mente per la gola” (freely translated: “She’s a storyteller”).