Giovanni Picchi (1572-1643)
Toccata, extrait du "Fitzwilliam virginal Book"
Intavolatura di Balli d'Arpicordo
Intavolatura d'organo

Annibale Padovano (1527-1575)
Toccata del VI tono
Ricercare del XII tono

claudio Merulo (1533-1604)
Canzon à 4 "La Bovia"
Toccata I "Undecimo detto Quinto Tono"

Andrea Gabrieli (1533-1585)
Canzon Francese detta "Frais et Gaillard"

Vincenzo Bellavere (1540-1587)
Toccata

Giovanni Gabrieli (1557-1612)
Fuga del IX tono
Ricercare del VII e VIII tono
Canzon detta "La Spiritata"

Simone Stella, clavecin

S'échappent de tablatures conservées à Venise depuis 1621 la cavalcade de notes d'une Toccata qui ressemble à un prélude non mesuré. Suivent une quinzaine de courtes pièces aux rythmes dansants et qui sont souvent des Balli . Gracieuses musiques de cour ou de fêtes d'une belle vitalité, servies par le toucher franc, alerte de Simone Stella qui sait mettre sa virtuosité au service de la phrase musicale et qui semble en accord intime avec les oeuvres qu'il interprète en familier de ce début du XVIIème siècle vénitien. Des pièces de cinq prédécesseurs vénitiens de Giovanni Picchi ( 1572-1643 ), dont quelques inconnus, apportent une profondeur de champ bienvenue en restituant quelques pans de la culture musicale du lieu. On saluera, une fois encore, le précieux travail d'édition discographique de Brillant classics qui permet aux mélomanes de découvrir et d'apprécier des répertoires oubliés ou négligés. (Alain Letrun)

The only complete survey available of the keyboard music written by a forwardlooking contemporary of Monteverdi. Born in 1572, Giovanni Picchi flourished in Venice, notably as the organist at the Scuola di San Rocco. He became renowned as a composer of both secular and sacred music, attested by his presence in the Nobiltà di dame by Fabrizio Caroso, the most important collection of dance music of the time. A collection of his canzone was published in 1625 and his fame spread to England, where a Toccata for harpsichord was transcribed within the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book (of which Brilliant has recently released the first-ever complete recording, 95915). Other important sources for his keyboard music include collections published in Venice in 1621 and an undated collection of intablatures (transcriptions and elaborations of music by other composers) which is now held in Turin. Together they amount to some of the most brilliant and appealing music for the harpsichord from 17th-century Italy. Picchi’s harmonic language was especially daring, and his flair as a performer is reflected in the style of his writing, which exploits the full range of the instrument. In complement to Picchi’s work, Simone Stella has chosen other jewels from Venetian composers of the time: toccatas, ricercare and canzone by Annibale Padovano, Claudio Merulo, Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli and Vincenzo Bellavere. Bellavere is another neglected figure nowadays, but the Toccata recorded here is a gloriously ornate example of the genre, alternating intricate counterpoint with filigree decoration.