Fantasia Chromatica by Sweelinck with fingering

Ausra and I are preparing for a recital together which will be in 10 days were we will be performing solo and duet works by Sweelinck, Bach, Mozart and Mendelssohn.

Ausra is playing the famous Fantasia Chromatica by Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562-1621), "Orpheus of Amsterdam" and "the Maker of German Organists" as he was called back in the day to point out his artistic and pedagogical significance.

The piece is called "Chromatic" because of the theme which is presented in the beginning. It is formed of descending chromatic tetrachord and later developed in all kinds of ways - canons, augmentation, diminution, double augmentation and double diminution.

Interestingly, Sweelinck worked out not only the main subject but also the counter-subject so this piece is a pinnacle of polyphonic mastery before Bach. Of course it's so difficult to pick one Sweelinck's piece over the others because most of them are masterpieces.

Fantasia Chromatica is so fantastic that I thought our students who love early music would want to play it too. Therefore I've prepared a PDF score with complete early fingering (5 pages) for efficient practice and instant articulated legato touch. It will save you many hours and give you the tools for historically informed performance practice.

Enjoy and let us know how your practice of this piece goes.

This score is free for Total Organist students.