Regole, e Principj di sonare lezzioni di partimenti 1 & 2

Carlo Cotumacci (1709-1785) is one of the foremost music educators of the 18th century. As a student of Alessandro Scarlatti, Cotumacci developed the tradition of teaching counterpoint through thoroughbass-based exercises for keyboard instruments. This edition, Regole e Principj di sonare lezzioni di partimenti, is based on a recently identified autograph of Cotumacci's complete exercises, housed in the music library of the Naples Conservatory. Volume 1 includes, in addition to an introduction provided here in transcription in Italian and furnished with a fine translation by Massimo Redaelli, simpler introductory cadences in all keys, followed by 50 simpler thoroughbass exercises. The volume concludes with a "Workbook Section" where the student can sketch and plan his or her realizations.

Volume 2 contains Cotumacci's 75 partimenti, guiding the player from simpler figured basses to extremely virtuosic partimento fugues.