Diego Ortiz: Tres Recercadas (1553)

Tres recercadas

0:06 Recercada Tercera sopra “la Spagna” (viol, harp, organ)
2:16 Recercada Ottava sopra “la Folia” (viol, harpsichord)
4:19 Recercada Settima sopra “la Romanesca” (viol, organ)

Diego Ortiz, a well travelled Spanish composer from Toledo, published his collection of Recercadas, titled "Tratado de Glosas" in Rome in 1553. One edition was printed in Italian, the other in Spanish. Although his arrangements are based on tunes that were widely familiar to early 16th Century audiences, Tratado was a first-of-its-kind compilation of original music specifically targeting bowed instruments (vihuelas de arco or bowed violas). It explored the expressive range and virtuosic potential of the viola da gamba for both high and low pitch instruments. It was also an instructional manual on how to play improvisations using ornaments and divisions on stringed instruments. Because of its meticulous notation of the ornamentation, we are able to glimpse into the world of performance practices during the High Renaissance.

Description of the photos:

1. "Recercada Tercera" score for the solo instrument (likely tenor gamba), Diego Ortiz, Tratado de Glosas, Rome, 1553
2. Detail of viola da gamba players from "Wedding at Cana," Paolo Veronese, 1563; it has been speculated that the bearded gamba player leaning over the gambist in a white tunic is Ortiz himself.
3. “Este” Italian double harp, c1580
4. Close up view of #2 above.
5. "Recercada Ottava" score for the solo instrument, Diego Ortiz, Tratado de Glosas, Rome, 1553
6. Angels playing viola da gamba, keyboard, lute and harp, detail from “Vision of St Augustine,” Benvenuto Tisi (Garofalo), 1533
7. Clavichord “Lepante,” Italian, c1571
8. Pegasus on Mt. Olympus, seal of the Roman publishers of Tratado de Glosas
9. "Recercada Settima" score for the solo instrument, Diego Ortiz, Tratado de Glosas, Rome, 1553
10. Hercules playing a Renaissance chamber organ, Pirro Ligorio, 1560
11. Old man playing gamba, illustration of the side of the organ from Santo Spirito in Sassia, Rome
12. The main organ of Chiesa di Santo Spirito in Sassia which was contemporary with Ortiz
13. Portrait of Diego Ortiz on the cover page of the Spanish edition of "Tratado de Glosas," 1553

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