Historical Background, Modal Analysis, and Transcription for Guitar Solo with a Discussion About the Problematic Differences Between Ricercar and Fantasia
The fantasia was an instrumental genre first cultivated in Italy and Spain in the early 1530’s and was quite popular among composers because it imposed no set rules or form, thus allowing experimentation with numerous styles and compositional techniques. Composers used the fantasia as a way to write with complete freedom, not restrained by any preexisting structure; this often resulted in improvisatory treatment of musical material. First developed by Italian lutenists such as Francesco Canova da Milano and Spanish vihuelists such as Luis Milán, the fantasia eventually became known all over Europe. Throughout the history of this genre, the fantasia is often connected to an earlier form called the ricercare. Composers and writers of the sixteenth century either made loose distinctions between these genres, or could not agree on how to explain them, which resulted in some confusion about the terms.
Research paper by Fernand Vera
Luis-Milan-Historical Background, Modal Analysis
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