Composer

:

Diego Ortiz

Genre

:

Chamber

Style

:

Ricercar

Average_duration

:

10:11

Diego Ortiz's "Recercadas (4) on Sandrin's Doulce memoire" is a set of four pieces for viola da gamba or other bass instruments. The pieces were composed in the late 16th century, around 1553, and were first published in Rome in 1556. The premiere of the pieces is not known, but they were likely performed in courtly settings or by professional musicians. The "Recercadas" are a type of instrumental composition that was popular in the Renaissance period. They are characterized by their use of imitative counterpoint, which involves the repetition and variation of a musical theme across different voices or instruments. In the case of Ortiz's "Recercadas," the theme is taken from a popular chanson by the French composer Sandrin, titled "Doulce memoire." Each of the four "Recercadas" in Ortiz's set is a variation on Sandrin's theme, with each variation becoming increasingly complex and virtuosic. The first "Recercada" is relatively simple, with a single voice playing the theme in a straightforward manner. The second "Recercada" adds a second voice, which imitates the first voice at a distance of one measure. The third "Recercada" adds a third voice, which imitates the first voice at a distance of two measures. The fourth and final "Recercada" is the most complex, with four voices playing in intricate counterpoint. Overall, Ortiz's "Recercadas" are notable for their technical virtuosity and their use of imitative counterpoint. They are also an important example of the influence of French chansons on instrumental music in the Renaissance period.

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