Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625) is thought to have been the seventh son of William and Mary Gibbons. William was a city councillor and head of the waits in Oxford. By the age of 22 Orlando had a job as an organist in the Chapel Royal. His madrigals are interesting in that they are less obviously Italian than those of Wilbye or Weelkes.
These three fantasias are printed here after the Dutch anthology XXIX Konincklycke Fantasien, Op. 3 Fioolen de Gamba enander Speel-tuigh te gebruycken, published in Amsterdam by Paul Matthysz in 1648.
We have arranged them for recorders AAB, but have provided an alternative set of parts for SST (or TTGb) ↣.
In order to fit on the restricted ranges of recorders, we have made some alterations to the original, particularly in the bass part.
(David Katz)
