Fitzwilliam Virginal Book on the piano

[iumonito]

Recently one of our awesome members posted the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book on the music sheet request area.  This is a large collection of pieces, perhaps 8 to 10 hours of music.

Looking at it, one would get the impression that Catholic English keyboard music focuses on variation sets and isolated dances, with a few character pieces along the way.  Many appear to be what we would term today transcriptions of vocal music.

I have seen Peter Serkin play some of this stuff, and it appears to be quite effective on the piano.  Do we now whether the instruments most suitable to performance at the time were clavichord-like (with its almost vocal capacity for dynamic expression) rather than harpsichord like?

Is there anyone playing this repertoire on the piano more than as a curiosity?  I know Gould played some Sweelink and music form other masters of that period on the piano.

Anyone among you all who has explored this literature?

[gonzalo]

I've been listening to the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book a lot , and have been trying it on the piano since I requested it at the sheetmusic request area

The instruments more suited are clavichord like,you're right. As an example listen to John Sankey who has a section dedicated solely to William Byrd, a famous musician from the Elizabethian time. Sankey plays William Byrd's pieces in a harpsichord. Then compare them with Serkin on the piano

Apart from that, you're right about the clavichord being able to imitate the human voice, not only for it's dynamic capacity, but because it also enables you to play vibrato notes.


Take care,
Gonzalo