The Raimondo Manuscript, Livre de sonates pour luth du 16e et 17e siècle
Toccata
Ricercata
Corrente francese
Brandle
Casandra
Entrata per la mano, balletto
Toccata con una fuga
Correntze francese
Volta
Fuga
Gagliarda
Toccata
Fuga
Volta
Paganina
Gagliarda

Francesco da Milano (1497-1543)
Fugues (2)

Vincenzo Pinti
Gagliarda del Cavagliero

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594)
Vestiva i colli

Lorenzo Tracetti (1552-?1590)
Préludio
Fantasia

Filippo Piccinini (?-1648)
Toccata di Fil

Domenico Cerasani, luth (luth de Matteo Baldinelli, Assisi 2013)

Originaire de Côme, le luthiste et compositeur Pietro Paolo Raimondo (autour de 1600), à défaut de nous laisser une biographie documentée, nous lègue ce « Libro de Sonate diverse » très représentatif du style de luth de la Renaissance, période où l'instrument était roi. Quelques pièces issues de cette compilation non exhaustive sont attribuées à d'autres : Francesco da Milano, Piccinini ou Lorenzo Tracetti. On y trouve les genres les plus populaires de l'époque : Fantaisies et toccatas, des danses (Gaillardes, courantes françaises) des fugues (F. de Milano) des chansons transcrites (Vestiva i colli) et des pièces originales aux titres énigmatiques : une Paganina, un Brandle (anglais) une Suzanna del Cavagliere suave et mélancolique, et cette aimable Cassandra, sans doute un souvenir galant, qui est la signature du compositeur. Ces pièces d'accès relativement faciles d'exécution étaient destinées aussi bien à l'amateur qu'au musicien confirmé. Le luthiste italien Domenico Cerasini qui joue sur un luth moderne à huit chœurs, nous en donne une lecture savante, la rigueur agogique l'emportant souvent sur les affects et la sensualité du timbre. (Jérôme Angouillant)

Highlights from a 17th -century manuscript of toccatas, fugues and dances for solo lute, compiled by a north-Italian nobleman: a haunting snapshot taken at the twilight of the Renaissance. Pietro Paolo Raimondo was a nobleman of Como and a musician of accomplishment who began in 1601 to compile a manuscript of pieces that came his way. He probably copied them out – or had them copied – for the purpose of playing them himself, but the manuscript now provides a significant record of pieces that would otherwise be lost, many of them by authors now unknown to us. Among the 69 pieces there are anonymously authored dances but also fantasias by Francesco da Milano and Lorenzino del Liuto, and intabulations of vocal works such as the famous Vestiva i colli and Susanne ung jour. Through the Raimondo Manuscript we may enter the rarified world of high-Renaissance culture as seen through the eyes and ears of a cultivated amateur. The collection has received relatively little attention on record before now, making this new recording all the more valuable: probably the first album to be devoted to it. The booklet-note gives valuable context both to the history and performance practice, written by the artist on this recording, Domenico Cerasini. He has chosen 24 items from the Manuscript, and provided authorship details where they can be deduced, but scholarly issues of who wrote what may be considered beside the point when listening through to pieces that alternate between lively celebration and melancholy reflection.