Giovanni Battista Riccio

Giovanni Battista Riccio (Giambattista Riccio) (late 16th centuryafter 1621) was a musician and composer of the early Baroque era, resident in Venice, most notable for his development of instrumental forms, particularly utilizing the recorder. Life and music No details are available regarding the early part of his life, but he must have been born in the late sixteenth century. Records show that he was appointed as organist at the Scuola di San Giovanni Evangelista, Venice, in 1609, when he was the preferred choice over Gabriel Sponga (a nephew of Francesco Usper). He was probably also a violinist. Riccio is known to have published three books of vocal and instrumental music in Venice. These books include his instrumental works for recorderunusual for Venetian music at the time, although Giovanni Picchi also wrote for the instrument. The initial publication date of Riccio’s Primo Libro is unknown, but the reprint dating from 1612 survives. The majority of the first book is allotted to vocal works, but in the revised edition two new instrumental canzonas are appended. One is his first known piece for recordera canzone for two flautini. His Secondo Libro, also published in Venice, app