This "Volta" is the second of five pieces for Renaissance guitar in Concerto Vago ... , described in my previous post. Like all the others it uses the temple viejo tuning: i.e. with the 4th string tuned to F3.
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| The first few bars of "Volta" Facsimile at: Museo internazionale e Bibl. della musica, Bologna (I-Bc): V.156 |
It is set in 3/2 time, which at this period apparently implied something like a slow waltz tempo.
The piece is reminiscent of Spanish music published 100 years before. It seems to me to involve both chordal and polyphonic styles, and to have up to 3 voices – quite an achievement on and instrument with such a tonal range. It was a challenge to indicate these in the setting.
There are seven unequal sections of 8, 8, 8, 4, 5, 5 and 8 bars.
You can download a pdf version of "Volta" here
Update: See also a plainer version posted 7 March 2023
