Biography
From 1582 until 1597 Piccinini held positions as lutenist and composer at the Ferrara court. He next entered the service of Cardinal Aldobrandini in Bologna, remaining there through 1621. During his lifetime he created a bass lute and introduced refinements to the chittarone. His published volumes on the lute and its performance practices supplied detailed guidance for playing both instruments. Toccata and dance structures accounted for the bulk of his works, a number of them grouped into suites. The toccatas themselves explored multiple forms, while his dance melodies stood out for their resonant tone and unusually bold rhythmic profiles.