The Playfords have ventured into the field of pop music in their latest CD – albeit pop music from several centuries ago. During the Renaissance, Italy was seen as the land of desire by numerous northern European countries: this led to the incorporation of rhythmic and harmonic models in new works, even in distant England, which were then termed as “Italian grounds”. In the country of origin, there was an abundance of dance rhythms and song melodies which were repeatedly utilised to produce an ever-growing collection of variations. The ciaccona for example was a popular entertainment which triggered off waves of intense euphoria.
At that time, music-making always also entailed a degree of improvisation and this is what lent the music of this period its fascinating rich colouring and broad spectrum. The Playfords have become infected by this fascination and present this collection of (primarily) Italian joie de vivre with their customary high spirits and technical perfection.
(Digipack) Booklet de / en
| 1. | Ballo del Gran Duca — Italy 16th century | ||
| Amor ch’attendi — M: Giulio Caccini (c. 1545-1618), T: Ottavio Rinuccini (1562-1621) | 5:04 | ||
| 2. | Fa una canzone — Orazio Vecchi (1550-1605) | 3:28 | |
| 3. | An Italian Ground — Improvisation after The Division Flute (London, 1706) | ||
| La bella Pedrina — Italy 17th century | |||
| Tarantella — traditional | 6:10 | ||
| 4. | Chi passa per sta strada — Filippo Azzaiolo (c. 1535–1569) | 2:25 | |
| 5. | So ben mi chi ha buon tempo — Cesare Negri (c. 1535–1604) | 2:51 | |
| 6. | Blame not my Lute — M: anonymous, T: Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) | ||
| La Gamba — Improvisation after Diego Ortiz (c. 1510-1570) | 5:48 | ||
| 7. | Chiaccona in partite variate — Alessandro Piccinini (1566–c.1638) | 3:21 | |
| 8. | Passamezzo moderno — Improvisation after Diego Ortiz | ||
| L’innamorato (A lieta vita) — Giovanni Giacomo Gastoldi (c.1554-1609) | 4:31 | ||
| 9. | Monicella mi farei — Cosimo Bottegari (1554-1620) | 3:51 | |
| 10. | Green-Sleeves and Pudding-Pies — John Playford (1623-1686) | ||
| from The Dancing Master (1686) | 3:20 | ||
| 11. | Gloria d’amore — Fabritio Caroso (c. 1527-after 1605) | 1:28 | |
| 12. | Bizzaria d’amore — Cesare Negri (c. 1535–1604) | 3:25 | |
| 13. | La scatola da gli agghi — Italy 17th century | 2:54 | |
| 14. | La vida de Culin — anonymous, Manuscript Montecassino 871 (15th century) | 2:59 | |
| 15. | Voltate in ça, do bella donzellina — Italy 16th century | ||
| Voltate in ça Rosina — anonymous, printed by Ottaviano dei Petrucci (1466-1539) | 4:09 | ||
| 16. | Sú, sú, leva, alza le ciglia — Bartolomeo Tromboncino (c. 1470–c.1535) | 1:18 | |
| total time: | 57:02 |