Zipoli D. | Canzona in F arr. organ
Channel: PlentyMusic
Date: 2020-09-07

A very attractive piece for #organ (or harpsichord) by D.#Zipoli just 56 bars in length that features strong musical shapes exploring the full range of the organ manual. Free #sheetmusic link: https://plentymusic.uk/short/?c=j3D6mKM 

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A tempo in the range 84 – 96 quarter note beats to the minute is suggested with the realisation playing back at 84 quarter note beats to the minute. 

The movement can be played on a one manual instrument with an 8 foot stop suggested as an appropriate registration. Imitation, the use of sequence and repetition are compositional processes that feature with the full range of the keyboard being explored. The descending musical shapes and motifs need to be clearly articulated particularly at the beginning of phrases.

There are 12 ornaments indicated in the score. The upper mordent note /note above/note is used on short notes while the trill is in place on notes a quarter note (crotchet) in length. As the movement progresses the texture becomes more complex and ornaments become less evident in the score. The video score which can be viewed on the YouTube channel has all the ornaments written out whilst the sheet music score available from the PlentyMusic website has symbols in place for ornaments. Ornamentation in music performance is a complex topic and additional ornaments could be added at important cadence points. The music editor argues the case for clarity and simplicity suggesting that ornaments are added when the movement can be played competently. Note that rests in silent voices are used rather inconsistently

The music editor has found recordings of this music where it has been attributed to A. Scarlatti. As music was hand copied and often shared between teachers and pupils this is a frequent occurrence in music from these early times.

Domenico Zipoli (1688-1726) was an #ItalianBaroque composer who lived and worked as a Jesuit priest in South America. Born in Prato, near Florence he studied with Alessandro Scarlatti and Bernardo Pasquini and in Rome produced in 1716 a collection of keyboard pieces titled Sonate d’intavolatura per organo e cimbalo which includes this particular canzona. This music is still highly regarded and playable by an #intermediatelevel player.

Do have a look at the PlentyMusic blog  "Encouraging pianists to become occasional organists". Find a link from the PlentyMusic home page.