Antonio De Innocentis - Italian Harpsichordists on Guitar (2026)

“The guitar is an expressive harpsichord” declared the composer Claude Debussy after a concert by the Catalan guitarist, Miguel Llobet. The classic guitar has benefited, more than most other instruments, from arrangements of music of many genres. Renaissance and Baroque music especially suit the timbre and range of the guitar and keyboard music is ideal for playing on the guitar, often direct from the original score. Debussy’s comment may be unjust to harpsichordists, but the expressive limits of the guitar may be said to outweigh those of the harpsichord.Girolamo Frescobaldi was born in Ferrara, one of the most musically stimulating cities in Italy at the end of the 1500s. He was organist of St Peter’s, Rome and is said to have also been a magnificent harpsichordist. His influence spread not just through Italy, but also north of the Alps.
Gaetano Greco (also Grieco) was born and worked in Naples, notably as Maestro di cappella of the Basilica in Naples from 1704-1720. He was an influential figure, numbering Domenico Scarlatti and Nicola Porpora among his pupils.

Tracklist
01. Passacaglia, F2.28
02. Aria Con Variazioni Detta La Frescobalda, F 3.32
03. Aria Di Ballo
04. Giga (Presto) from Sonata, Op. 1 No. 4[8] in G Minor
05. Allegro from Sonata da Camera in F Major
06. Suite No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 1 No. 18: I. Preludio
07. Suite No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 1 No. 18: II. Corrente
08. Suite No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 1 No. 18: III. Sarabanda
09. Suite No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 1 No. 18: IV. Giga
10. Partita Sopra L'aria Della Follia da Espagna
11. Allegro in G Major (Allegretto Con Grazia)
12. Allegro Con Brio from Sonata in C Major, S.704
13. Allegro from Sonata No. 4 Sf.736°
14. Sonata No. 58
15. Sonata No. 53
16. Sonata No. 61
17. Sonata No. 47
18. Sonata, K.1
19. Sonata, K.78 (Giga/Minuetto)
20. Sonata, K.27
21. Sonata, K.159
22. Allegro (Toccata) from Sonata No. 6 in A Major