Jean Baptiste Besard (c. 1567 - 1625) :
1 - Branle Gay
Louis Couperin (c. 1626 - 1661) :
2 - Tombeau de M. de Blancrocher
Antoine Francisque (c. 1570 - 1605) :
3 - Branle de Montirande
Domenico Scarlatti (1685 - 1757) :
4- Sonata in E major, K. 381
Freixanet (c. 1730 - ?) :
5 - Sonata in A major
J. S. Bach (1685 - 1750) :
6 - Concerto in D minor
John Bull (c. 1563 - 1628) :
7 - Les Buffons (ms. 23623 British Museum)
William Byrd (1543 - 1623) :
8 - La Volta
Peter Philips (c. 1563 - 1628) :
9 - Pavana Dolorosa-Galiarda Dolorosa
Anonymous (circa 1500) :
10 - My Lady Carey's Dompe
Martin Peerson (c. 1580 - 1650) :
11 - The Primerose - The Fall of the Leafe
John Bull (c. 1562 - 1628) :
12 - The King's Hunt
Mateo Albeniz (1760 - 1831) :
13 - Sonata in D major

Recorded in April and May 1962 at Fine Recording Studios, New York City,

The harpsichord left its stamp on the musical language of the Baroque as no other. Whether employed as a continuous bass to accompany delicate chamber music, or heard in heady open-air concerts, or just as a solo instrument, its bright sound, rich in overtones, was highly esteemed by all important composers and musicians of the era. Due to the construction of the instrument it is not possible to play with a differentiated volume of sound, so performers made a virtue of necessity in that they concentrated upon lively phrasing and a well-considered choice of register.
In the present recording Rafael Puyana plays a two-manual Pleyel harpsichord and interprets a wide and varied range of European keyboard works from the 17th and 18th centuries. Along with compositions by Louis Couperin and Domenico Scarlatti’s, both of whom had a great influence on style in their day, this compilation has at its heart works by the English composers John Bull, William Byrd and Peter Philips, which are taken from the most famous collection of all Baroque compositions, the "Fitzwilliam Virginal Book". Short notes on the back cover provide useful information on the works’ historical context.

This Speakers Corner LP was remastered using pure analogue components only, from the original analogue studio tapes through to the cutting head, and was pressed with virgin vinyl at Pallas. More information under http://www.pure-analogue.com