Italian music

Agostino Tinazzoli was born around 1660 in Bologna. He composed sacred works and keyboards works preserved in two manuscripts in Münster and Bologna. Almost all pieces are written only with 2 voices (bass and treble) with indications for the figured bass. I decided to play and record most often without completing harmony. I did not want to weigh down the achievement in the generous acoustics of the cathedral (there is one exemple of heavy sounding chords in first adagio). I find his style more classical than baroque.

The firs work is absolutly surprising. I first wanted to play it with italian colors on one keyboard, But I was not satisfied. As I progressed in reading the work, it became more and more obvious that this sonata was similar to English Voluntaries. The choice of stops became suddendly clear and easy.
1. introduction played on the principal stops
2. Cornet voluntary
3. Adagio, presto, adagio (the first adagio is played as written and sound heavy, the last is adapted to the organ).
4. Final Allegro : trumpet voluntary.
I find the result enough convincing. It could be interresting that someone record the same piece on an italian organ to compare both version.

The second sonata (6:44) is played on the choir organ. It's typical italian composition, very nicely composed. (Principal of the great + Gedackt 8 of the swell with tremulant)

The last work (10:50) is an harpsichord piece... but often in italian music of the XVIIIth c. the notion of keyboard is very open and allows you to play both the harpsichord and the organ

We often imagine that very large instruments only sound good when played very loudly...fortunately this statement is false. The quality of an instrument is measured above all by the possibility of playing with very few stops and obtaining total readability in a large space. This is what proves the quality of the harmonization of the organ builder and also the quality of the sample recording.