Andante from Pièces de clavecin, Op.1 by Fiocco

Joseph-Hector Fiocco’s Pièces de clavecin, Op. 1 (Pieces for Harpsichord, Op. 1) is a collection of 24 Baroque keyboard pieces published around 1730 in Brussels. It is the composer’s only published work and was dedicated to Léopold Philippe, Duke of Arenberg. 

Fiocco (1703–1741), a Belgian composer of Italian descent, organized the pieces into two suites:

• Première Suite (Suite No. 1, primarily in G major/minor): Includes character pieces such as L’Angloise (Rondeau), L’Armonieuse, La Plaintive, La Villageoise, Les Promenades, L’Inconstante, L’Italienne, La Françoise, followed by an Adagio, Allegro, Andante, and Vivace. These last four movements are sometimes grouped as an “Italian Sonata” in G major.

• Seconde Suite (Suite No. 2, in D major/minor): Features dances and character pieces like Allemande, La Légère, Gigue, Sarabande, L’Inquiette (Rondeau), Gavotte, Menuets 1 & 2, Les Sauterelles, L’Agitée (Rondeau), Les Zéphirs (Rondeau), La Musette, and La Fringante. 

The style is strongly French Baroque (with influences from the style galant and character pieces), featuring elegant ornamentation, dances, rondeaux, and programmatic titles evoking moods or scenes. Some movements, especially the Adagio, Allegro, and Andante from Suite No. 1, show Italianate lyricism and brilliance.

Popular Movements

Several pieces from Op. 1 are well-known today, often in modern editions or arrangements:

• Andante (from Suite No. 1, movement 11) — A graceful Baroque slow movement with lyricism, elegant phrasing, and semiquavers often grouped in triplets. It has been a popular choice for piano exams (e.g., ABRSM Grade 5) and is frequently performed on piano, harpsichord, or organ.