Gabrieli: Four Canzoni à4 (1608)

These four canzoni by Giovanni Gabrieli are taken from the great Raverii collection Canzoni per sonar of 1608.
They are taken from Alessandro Raverii’s famous anthology, Canzoni per Sonare con ogni sorte di stromenti a quattro, Cinque, & Otro, published in Venice in 1608. Raverii’s collection also includes two eight-part pieces by Gabrieli.
The 1608 collection is not particularly accurate, as can be seen from the commentary. In this edition editorial accidentals are printed small above the stave, applying to the one note only.
Raverii’s print is one of the earliest to include a basso continuo part, labelled “basso generale”. This normally gives the lowest sounding part at any time, but occasionally gives entries where there is a lower note in another part; in other words the arranger gives the indication of entries a higher priority – in such places it is quite obvious what chord should be played.