''Il secondo libro di toccate'' () is a collection of keyboard music by

Girolamo Frescobaldi Girolamo Alessandro Frescobaldi (; also Gerolamo, Girolimo, and Geronimo Alissandro; September 15831 March 1643) was an Italian composer and virtuoso keyboard player. Born in the Duchy of Ferrara, he was one of the most important composers of ...

, first published in 1627. A work of immense historical importance, it includes the first known

chaconne A chaconne (; ; es, chacona, links=no; it, ciaccona, links=no, ; earlier English: ''chacony'') is a type of musical composition often used as a vehicle for variation on a repeated short harmonic progression, often involving a fairly short repe ...

and

passacaglia The passacaglia (; ) is a musical form that originated in early seventeenth-century Spain and is still used today by composers. It is usually of a serious character and is often based on a bass-ostinato and written in triple metre. Origin The ter ...

, as well as the earliest set of variations on an original theme (i.e. not a popular song, as in all earlier music). ''Il secondo libro di toccate'' is widely regarded as a high point in Frescobaldi's ''oeuvre''.

History

Like Frescobaldi's first book of toccatas (1615), ''Il secondo libro di toccate'' contains compositions in various forms: * 11 toccatas * 6 canzonas * 4 hymns * 3 Magnificats * 5 gagliarde (galliards) * 6 correntes * 4 partitas Accordingly, the full title of the collection is ''Il secondo libro di toccate, canzone, versi d'hinni, Magnificat, gagliarde, correnti et altre partite d'intavolatura di cembalo et organo''. It was first published in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

in 1627, when Frescobaldi worked as organist of St. Peter's Basilica. The print was engraved by Nicolò Borbone, musician and instrument builder with whom Frescobaldi had worked since at least 1613. The composer dedicated the book to Monsignor Luigi Gallo,

Bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ...

Ancona Ancona (, also , ) is a city and a seaport in the Marche region in central Italy, with a population of around 101,997 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region. The city is located northeast of Rome, on the Adriatic ...

and nuncio of

Savoy Savoy (; frp, Savouè ; french: Savoie ) is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south. ...

, a skilled keyboard player who may have been one of his pupils. A second printing appeared in 1637, identical to the first, except without the ostinato variations. ''Il secondo libro di toccate'' introduces two important deviations from Frescobaldi's usual practice. First and foremost, it contains several liturgical pieces, the composer's first forays into the field of sacred keyboard music (although he did compose sacred vocal music: two collections of motets, one of which is lost, were published in late 1620s, and standalone motets survive in manuscripts; Frescobaldi would later publish a large volume of liturgical organ pieces, '' Fiori musicali'', one of his most highly regarded and influential works). Secondly, the book contains Frescobaldi's only known

intabulation Intabulation, from the Italian word ''intavolatura'', refers to an arrangement of a vocal or ensemble piece for keyboard, lute, or other plucked string instrument, written in tablature. History Intabulation was a common practice in 14th–16th ...

(of

Jacques Arcadelt Jacques Arcadelt (also Jacob Arcadelt; 14 October 1568) was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance, active in both Italy and France, and principally known as a composer of secular vocal music. Although he also wrote sacred vocal music, he ...

's madrigal ''Ancidetemi, pur''), perhaps included as a homage to one of the oldest forms of keyboard music.

References

Citations

Sources

* Originally published as ''Geschichte der Orgel- und Klaviermusik bis 1700'' by Bärenreiter-Verlag, Kassel. *

External links

* {{Authority control Compositions by Girolamo Frescobaldi Compositions for keyboard Fresccobaldi 1627 in music