Had fun tonight recording some real old stuff. These two Ricercars by Girolamo Cavazzoni, an Italian composer and organist who worked in Venice and Mantua, are likely the oldest music we have on the site. The Intavolatura libro primo, his first collection of pieces to which these ricercars belong, was published in 1543 when Cavazzoni was a mere 17 years old. Pretty advanced and innovative stuff for the time and his age, and he must already have been a highly regarded composer to have his work published so young. It is said that these ricercars (there are two more which I'll record later) started the tradition of imitative ricercars. Enjoy.

Cavazzoni - Intavolatura libro primo - Ricercar No.3 (5:39)
Cavazzoni - Intavolatura libro primo - Ricercar No.4 (4:31)

Chris, I really enjoyed listening to these beautiful pieces! As you alrealy remarked this music doesn't sound that old!!! Some harmonies and typical rhythmical ending of each phrase remind me of vocal music from the Renaissance, but the style is really innovative, I think.
BTW did you see my writing posted on the Bach-Rach thread? Please check it

Thanks ! I was pleasantly surprised by the discovery of this repertoire (a bit of which I heard by chance on the radio last week).
Even if on my organ I can't quite get the ethereal sound I would like to.

Yes I just replied to your other posting and updated the page.

These are really two interesting pieces. Nice imitation-style in these early ricercars. The quint-mixture-register in the first piece sounds also unusual for modern ears, but it fits very well into this epoque, it´s like a reminiscence of "Parallel-Organum"-style like we find in the early middelages (f.ex. in the Gregorian Choral). The second piece sounds a bit clearer concerning the registration IMO.
Very nicely played. I have enjoyed it very much. Though I have no score of these pieces, I don´t think, there could much improved, it sounds all very good! I´m curious on the next ricercars you will record.
(Btw, did you see my question concerning the "test-thread" in the thread "advice on mp3-recorders?"9

Thanks Andreas. I am not sure I like the other two enough to record, but I may do some of his other pieces, and will certainly dig around a bit more in real old organ music.
I''' reply to your question in the other topic.

Hi Chris,

These two pieces were quite interesting to hear. The first almost has qualities of modern day improvisation with a surprising degree of dissonance. The second seems less experimental and more structured to the point where it might be difficult for the non-initiated to even guess the century in which it was written. I believe this Cavazzoni was ahead of his time! I'm curious--did you have to read scores with old white mensural notation? Where you're into "ancient music" at the moment, perhaps Palestrina will be appearing in the future?

David

Thanks David. No I can't read organ tabulature (or figured bass for that matter), so I'm glad this is all writte out normally. My lover for old music doesn't go that far that I want to learn old notations
Palestrina, hm... could be. I'll see what organ works he has, if any. I guess real old music is more interesting for the organ player than for the pianist (unless when you own a harpsichord).