Hi folks,
Please find a series of harpsichord pieces (I should say 'virginal ones') by Orlando Gibbons, this obscure although highly Glenn Gould-celebrated composer. Together with those that I've already posted, it forms the integral of Gibbons'pieces within a compilation called 'Parthenia or the First Musick everprinted for the Virginals'. Therefore something quite noticeable in the music history...
I find this music very fresh and joyfull (especially 'The Queenes command'). As for the Praeludium, it is amazing to think that it was composed about a century before those of J.S. Bach. Hope you'll enjoy these small bitter fruits !



Gibbons - The Galliard

Gibbons - Galliard in C

Gibbons - Praeludium

Gibbons - The Queens Command

Nice work as usual, Francois. Very idiomatic playing, good sound too. I would personally prefer a bit more depth, always finding harpsichord music a bit tinny. But I guess the virginal was not an instrument with the powerful sound of later Flemish harpsichords so
we should not try to make it sound like one.
I'm not sure what you imply with



Previous Gibbons pieces are listed in 'Miscellaneous', with no mention of Parthenia. Is another page needed now ?

Hello Chris,
Thank you for your kind appreciation. As for the sound, I have only harpsichord one on my Yamaha P 120, therefore I am not wasting time in hesitations... Hence I first discovered Gibbons music through an excerpt of the Fitzwilliam Virginal book, in which you can find only two pieces of this composer: 'The Woods so wilde' and 'The Lord of Salisbury his Pavin'. Later I found the Parthenia, in which you can find the latter plus all the others. So I guess the most correct classification would be, on the Gibbons page, to set two links: 'from the Fitzwilliam viriginal book' and 'from the Parthenia', one pieces appearing twice (if your directory system allows some intersections ? Nice problem for a computer man .

Haha yes, I guess that would require a many-to-many relationship with an extra linking entity, a referential constraint and a before-update trigger. Leave that to me
But I see now that Monica is already working on putting these up so I'll better stay clear.

Ok, Francois. Sorry it took me so long - I started working on it earlier and then had to go somewhere for a little while. These are up now. If I may make a request, if you ever record any more Gibbons from this particular grouping, maybe for me you can do the Pavan in D minor? It's okay if you don't want to - I just seem to like pavanes.

Chris - if you happen to see this - I had a little trouble with the two Galliards. I mixed them up and had to reupload. Please take the first two off the server.

Thank you, Monica. As for this pavan, it would be a pleasure to do that for you ! But I don't have the score of this piece. Is there any site from which I can download it ?

It's on ISMPL. Here is the link: http://imslp.org/wiki/Complete_Keyboard ... Orlando%29
The Pavan in D minor is in Vol. 3.
You have a nice weekend too, Francois.

I happened to see this.
But there are no wrong files on the server. Makes sense because you only mixed them up, not changed the names. All is fine.

Many thanks, Monica. I don't know why, but I had in mind that there was little Gibbons there, while actually they have the integral ! What an incredible site...

Thank you for these. Nice and clean, with good sound. I particularly like the articulation of the ornaments and scalic passages. I've only played a harpsichord once, and as someone who doesn't really play anything but Romantic-era music, I found it a very interesting experience.

Thanks Andrew ! I appreciate your compliments, especially by a fellow from Great Britain. Yes, playing harpsichord is very interesting for the pianists too. No more question with pedals or dynamic. You just have to pay attention to when you press the keys and how long you hold them. Yet to have a full control of these parameters is not an easy task... By the way, this is not a true harpsichord (it is a digital keyboard with sampled harpsichord sound). Not a bad imitation, isn't it ?

Yes, I realised from reading the mention of the Yamaha earlier in the thread that it was not a true harpsichord. It is certainly an impressive imitation! I wouldn't have realised if you had not mentioned it.

I thought the same thing when Francois began submitting his harpsichord recordings. I think it sounds so real when the keys are released like at the end of a phrase or section. I have a Yamaha Clavinova that has a harpsichord setting on it too. Sometime I'll have to play around with it...

Hi Francois,

The Galliard is so well played. The articulation is full of distinct and varied touches. The embellishments and broken chords are gorgeous.
You seem to have such an understanding of the style. What beautiful music! Thank you so much for sharing this.

Galliard in C
Again you have done a masterful job in converying the form and expression of this incredibly beautiful music.
Your insight into the historical importance of this music composed in England is spot on. No wonder Glen Gould appreciated him.

The Queen's Command
Truly joyful playing with sparkiling, crisp rhythms and scintillating runs. Thank you for these great interpretations and for the introduction to Gibbon's music.

Kaila Rochelle

Thank you Katia, I'm glad you appreciate this composer. 400 year-old music, but fresh as it had been composed yesterday !