Catalina Vicens (c1622 harpsichord & 1664 virginals)
The Cobbe Collection, Hatchlands Park, East Sussex. 10 June 2015.

With the sponsorship and encouragement of the Keyboard Charitable Trust, the talented Chilean early keyboard player Catalina Vicens gave an outstanding lunchtime concert at Hatchlands, the National Trust home of The Cobbe Collection of historic keyboard instruments. Her short UK tour continues with two London concerts, tomorrow (11 June) in the Handel House Museum , and on Friday (12 June) at Fenton House.

Catalina’s Hatchlands recital explored the influence of Italian Renaissance keyboard music on late 16^th and early 17^th century English music, focussing on some of the first music publications. England was just one of the countries that fell under the spell of Italian music and musicians as they ventured north over the Alps. Usefully played in chronological order, Catalina’s programme also provided a fascinating insight into the early development of keyboard music itself.

She started with Italian pieces played on the harpsichord attributed to Girolamo Zenti, dated 1622. Zenti also worked  in England for Charles II, so it was appropriate that the second part of the concert was played on the 1664 John Player virginals from Charles II’s Whitehall Palace.  This early repertoire includes many  Continue reading →