Luca Pianca – Nobilissimo Istromento – Virtuoso Lute Music of the Italian Renaissance (2021)

The Italian Renaissance is the golden age of the lute; in quality and quantity, the lute pieces from this period are comparable to the piano works of the 19th century.

Most of the works selected for this recording are by Francesco da Milano, an extraordinary virtuoso and gifted composer who was also known as “Il Divino” (the Divine), an epithet he shared with Michelangelo and Monteverdi.

In addition to lute pieces by da Milano, the recording also includes other equally outstanding works by contemporaries, among them some of the Milanese’s pupils.

Thanks to this selection, it is easy to comprehend still today why the lute was considered the noblest instrument of all in the 16th century: Il nobilissimo istromento.

TRACKLIST

1. Luca Pianca – Fantasia 65 (From “Intabolatura di lauto – Milano, 1548”)
2. Luca Pianca – Fantasia 30 (From “Intabolatura di lauto – Milano, 1548”)
3. Luca Pianca – Recercar secondo (No. 2 from “Intabolatura de Lauto, Libro 1 – Venice, 1546”)
4. Luca Pianca – Las je m’y plains (Version for Lute by Francesco da Milano)
5. Luca Pianca – Recercar alla spagnola (From “Compositione di meser Vincenzo Capirola, gentil homo bresano – circa 1517”)
6. Luca Pianca – Canone a 2 (From “Intabolatura di lauto – Milano, 1548”)
7. Luca Pianca – Fantasia prima (From “Intabolatura di liuto di M. Francesco Da Milano et Perino Fiorentino suo discipulo, libro terzo – Venezia, 1562”)
8. Luca Pianca – Fantasia 7 (From “Intabolatura di lauto – Milano, 1548”)
9. Luca Pianca – Incognito (No. 9 from “Opera IX de balli – Venice, 1553” – Version for Solo Lute)
10. Luca Pianca – Fantasia 33 (From “Intabolatura di lauto – Milano, 1548”)
11. Luca Pianca – De mon triste déplaisir (Version for Lute by Francesco da Milano)
12. Luca Pianca – Recercar nono (From “Compositione di meser Vincenzo Capirola, gentil homo bresano – circa 1517”)
13. Luca Pianca – Fantasia 1 (From “Intabolatura di lauto – Milano, 1548”)
14. Luca Pianca – Fantasia septima (No. 41 from “Novae Tabulae Musicae – 1582”)
15. Luca Pianca – Fantasia 15 (From “Intabolatura di lauto – Milano, 1548”)
16. Luca Pianca – Fantasia 34 “La Compagna” (From “Intabolatura di lauto – Milano, 1548”)
17. Luca Pianca – So ben mi ch’a bon tempo (Aria) (Version for Solo Lute – From “Balletti moderni facili per sonar sopra il liuto – 1608”)
18. Luca Pianca – Fantasia 87 (From “Intabolatura di lauto – Milano, 1548”)
19. Luca Pianca – Fantasia 10 (From “Intabolatura di lauto – Milano, 1548”)
20. Luca Pianca – Recercar decimoquinto (No. 15 from “Intabolatura de Lauto, Libro 1 – Venice, 1546”)
21. Luca Pianca – Fantasia 61 (From “Intabolatura di lauto – Milano, 1548”)
22. Luca Pianca – Fantasia ottava
23. Luca Pianca – Fantasia 90 (From “Intabolatura di lauto – Milano, 1548”)
24. Luca Pianca – Recercar sesto (From “Compositione di meser Vincenzo Capirola, gentil homo bresano – circa 1517”)
25. Luca Pianca – Fantasia 6 (From “Intabolatura di lauto – Milano, 1548”)
26. Luca Pianca – Fantasia 67 (From “Intabolatura de lauto, Libro 1 – Venice, 1546”)
27. Luca Pianca – Fantasia 5 (From “Intabolatura di lauto – Milano, 1548”)
28. Luca Pianca – Calata spagnola 5 (No. 32 from “Intabulatura de Lauto, Libro 4 – 1508”)
29. Luca Pianca – Fantasia 22 (From “Intabolatura di lauto – Milano, 1548”)