This collection investigates the stylistic evolution and technical requirements of Italian keyboard compositions from the Renaissance through the early Baroque period. Editor Howard Ferguson compiles a rigorous selection of primary source scores, providing historical context for the transition from vocal-based polyphony to idiomatic keyboard writing. The volume serves as a scholarly resource for performers and musicologists seeking to understand the foundational techniques of early Italian instrumental music.

Experts and music historians frequently cite this collection as a foundational reference for students of early keyboard literature. Readers often note the academic density of the editorial commentary, which provides essential guidance for interpreting the stylistic nuances of the period.