Johann Jacob Froberger (1616-1667) was the first important German composer to incorporate Italian and French influences into his music. His surviving works mainly consist of keyboard music (toccatas, polyphonic works in the Italian style, suites, etc.). In his toccatas, free and often very expressive passages alternate with short fugal passages. His suites consist of three or four dances in the
… order Allemande, Gigue (not in all suites), Courante, Sarabande. After Froberger's death, an Amsterdam publisher thought he had to 'improve' this order to the more common order: Allemande, Sarabande, Courante, Gigue. As a result of this intervention, Froberger has been wrongly regarded as the classic founder of the traditional suite well into this century. Still, Froberger's order was not entirely illogical. In the French lute tradition, the Allemande and the Gigue formed a steady couple, while the stately character of the Sarabande provided a worthy conclusion. Harpsichordist Enrico Baiano plays the "Ricercare VII", the "Fantasia IV" and a number of toccatas and suites on an Italian instrument from the 17th century. He also plays the "Tombeau", composed in memory of Monsieur de Blancheroche, and the painful "Lamentation", written in memory of Froberger's lord Emperor Ferdinand III. (HJ) _ s en suites on a 17th century Italian instrument. He also plays the "Tombeau", composed in memory of Monsieur de Blancheroche, and the painful "Lamentation", written in memory of Froberger's lord Emperor Ferdinand III. (HJ) _ s en suites on a 17th century Italian instrument. He also plays the "Tombeau", composed in memory of Monsieur de Blancheroche, and the painful "Lamentation", written in memory of Froberger's lord Emperor Ferdinand III. (HJ) _more
