"Without any doubt, Miguel de Fuenllana is one of the most outstanding instrumental composers of the sixteenth century and still largely underestimated. He is a composer who deserves to be included among the most outstanding instrumental musicians of the sixteenth century alongside Antonio de Cabezon, Francesco da Milano, William Byrd, John Dowland, or any other acknowledged Renaissance master." John Griffiths, eminent musicologist.
Welcome to the música secreta y callada (secret and hushed) of Miguel de Fuenllana - an underrated composer who deserves much greater recognition by vihuela, lute and guitar players. His compositions are of a very high quality, full of variety, demand the full attention of the performer and the listener, and are very serious in tone. He has an individual voice, and is not scared to experiment with bold harmonies, as in his Tientos.
Miguel de Fuenllana was born near Madrid and flourished between 1553 - 1578. His Orphenica lyra was published in Seville in 1554, while he was in the service of the Marquesa de Tarifa. There followed periods of service with the third wife of Philip II, Isabel de Valois (1560-69), and Don Sebastian of Portugal in Lisbon from 1574. His daughter, Dona Catalina de Fuenllana claimed that her father gave more than 46 years of service to both Philip II and Philip III.
Complete Tientos
To the best of my knowledge, here is the first recording on a vihuela of the complete Tientos of Miguel de Fuenllana. I recorded them in 2005 with my home recording system. I subsequently tried to get them released on CD, and was willing to record them again. I found myself becoming frustrated with record-company executives, and have decided to issue them here online for free. I think they are extraordinarily beautiful pieces. To be listened to through quality headphones in a haze of red wine...
Tiento 1 Tablature only Full Score
Tiento 2 Tablature only Full Score
Tiento 3 Tablature only Full Score
Tiento 4 Tablature only Full Score
Tiento 5 Tablature only Full Score
Tiento 6 Tablature only Full Score
Tiento 7 Tablature only Full Score
Tiento 8 Tablature only Full Score
Fantasias from Book IV
[Mp3 files for Fantasias 1, 4 and 10, and missing scores, to follow.]
Fantasia 1 MP3 PDF Scores: Tablature only Full Score
Fantasia 2 MP3 PDF Scores: Tablature only Full Score
Fantasia 3 MP3 PDF Scores: Tablature only Full Score
Fantasia 4 MP3 PDF Scores: Tablature only Full Score
Fantasia 5 MP3 PDF Scores: Tablature only Full Score
Fantasia 6 MP3 PDF Scores: Tablature only Full Score
Fantasia 7 MP3 PDF Scores: Tablature only Full Score
Fantasia 8 MP3 PDF Scores: Tablature only Full Score
Fantasia 9 MP3 PDF Scores: Tablature only Full Score
Fantasia 10 MP3 PDF Scores: Tablature only Full Score There is a mistake in the scores for Fantasia 10: BAR 2 is missing. It only consists of one note, the open first course. So, rather than write the whole thing out again, here are the first three bars. You could write the second bar into the main score. Unfortunately, as I don't have the original files anymore, I would have to rewrite the entire score. Someday, maybe, when time permits...
Fantasia 11 MP3 PDF Scores: Tablature only Full Score
Fantasia 12 MP3 PDF Scores: Tablature only Full Score
Fantasia 13 MP3 PDF Scores: Tablature only Full Score