William Tisdale: Pavana (from The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book)
Anonymous: Paul's Wharf (from Tisdale Virginal Book)
- John Holmes' Pavan "Robin Smart's Delight" (from Tisdale Virginal Book)
Robert Johnson: Pavan (from The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book)
Edward Johnson: Johnson's Medley (from Tisdale Virginal Book)
Thomas Morley: Pavan (from Tisdale Virginal Book)
- Galliard (from Tisdale Virginal Book)
John Dowland: Paduana Lachrymae, P. 15
Anonymous: Passamezzo Pavan (from Tisdale Virginal Book)
- Passamezzo Galliard (from Tisdale Virginal Book)
Orlando di Lasso: Susanne un jour (arr. for virginal)
William Tisdale: Galliarda (from The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book)
John Marchant: Pavan (from Tisdale Virginal Book)
William Tisdale: Coranto (from Tisdale Virginal Book) (1)
John Dowland: Paduana Lachrymae, P. 15 (arr. W. Randall for virginal)
- The Earl of Essex, his Galliard, P. 12 (arr. for virginal)
William Byrd: Pavan (from Tisdale Virginal Book)
- The Hunt's Up, "Pescodd Time"
Anonymous: My Desire (from Tisdale Virginal Book)
William Tisdale: Almand (from The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book)
Thomas Morley: Passymeasures Pavan
William Randall: Newman's Pavan
William Tisdale: Pavana Chromatica, "Mrs. Katherin Tregian Pavan" (from The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book)
- Pavana Clement Cotton (from The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book)
- Coranto (from Tisdale Virginal Book) (2)

In this day and age where it seems that for most people the only thing worth having is the latest iteration of the iPhone, it's reassuring to know that there are still craftsmen indulged in the restoration and preservation of musical instruments dating back to the Renaissance, and musicians who specialize in the performance of music from Renaissance and Baroque era composers.

According to the booklet notes, this instrument surfaced in an antique shop around 2005. Although unplayable, Charles Metz purchased it suspecting that it was original. Based on the keyboard scroll it was identified by Denzil Wraight, an expert in Italian instruments of the late Renaissance, as the work of Francesco Poggi. Based on comparisons with other Francesco Poggi virginals that reside in museum collections, Metz dates his instrument to c.1590. Metz enlisted Walter and Berta Burr who spent three years meticulously restoring the instrument to its original state. The most painstaking part of the work involved re-bracing and an almost daily wetting and drying of the soundboard which had collapsed downward and distorted under the string tension. With the exception of new brass and iron strings of course, most of the instrument's case and keyboard remain intact.

Early keyboard music specialist Charles Metz studied harpsichord under two of the masters associated with the instrument, Igor Kipnis and Trevor Pinnock. He currently performs on his own keyboard collection including his historic Italian virginal. This recording presents rarely performed works by masters of the Renaissance period like Dowland, Byrd, Tisdale, Lasso and the ever prolific Anonymous. Their generally straightforward 2-3 parts voicing is perfectly suited to the clarity and purity of tone inherent to the virginal, a 14th century instrument designed at the time to be used as a personal in-home educational and entertainment device. It sounds like a cross between the lute and the harpsichord, but with a quieter and sweeter tone than its offshoot the harpsichord, an instrument more suited to the concert stage. This Francesco Poggi instrument in particular must have held a place of honor within a stately Renaissance abode over 400 years ago. The audio recording sits you on the keyboard bench as if you were playing the instrument yourself, and in doing so, offers a private and relaxing listening experience, which is exactly what the sound of the virginal was meant to do.