Alessandro Piccinini (1566 -1638) archlute

Italian composer and lutenist. He went with his family (also lutenists) to the Este court at Ferrara, remained there until 1597, then entered the service of Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini. He published two volumes, Intavolatura di liuto, et di chitarrone ... (Bologna, 1632) and Intavolatura di liuto, nel quale si contengano toccata ... (Bologna, 1639). In the preface to the earlier volume he claims to have invented a type of archlute (now thought to be a bass lute) and praises the virtues of the chitarrone; the preface also contains interesting performance practice instructions.