Giovanni Paolo Foscarini

This Italian guitarist served in a variety of courts duiring his life. His publications bore the name of "the fury" which was given to him (or taken by him) during his membership in the Accademia dei Caliginosi. Foscarini's published works include a five part course for the guitar in which he distinguishes between strummed and plucked pieces (battute/pizzicato). The early books contained conventional dances such as the passacaglia but the later works incorporate tocattas, fantasias and capriccios. Instructions throughout the books included tablature, fingering, how to perform the various strumming techniques and methods for continuo accompaniment on guiter. ~ Keith Johnson