The term canzona means song, and it may have come to Venice in imitation of Orlande de Lassus. He used the term for some of his printed chansons, and not only were such pieces popular in late sixteenth century Venice, Giovanni Gabrieli (Lassus' student) used the same term when he transcribed them for the organ. But by the time of the early seventeenth century, the term tended to express a different genre, one for instrumental ensemble. It is telling that the other generic term Gabrieli used for such pieces is sonata; literally, this second term just means music played rather than music sung, but over the course of the seventeenth century, the sonata grew in Europe-wide prominence as a musical form. Gabrieli and his north Italian colleagues helped cement this new instrumental form by their compositions for instrumental ensemble; though his "canzon seconda" takes the name of song, it is an example of the earliest music clearly written without vocal performance in mind.

The Canzon seconda takes its simple name from the fact that it appears second among Gabrieli's contributions to a large 1608 Venetian anthology of music. In some features, the piece is characteristic of the turn-of-the century canzona genre, with its sectional organization, motivic repeats, simple contrapuntal and homophonic textures, and long/short/short principal rhythmic motive. The faster notes that immediately follow this rhythm in the opening imitation ornament the melody, but clearly articulate triadic harmonies. Yet the ornamental character of the melody, and the very high range in which the upper voices linger, both suggest music for instruments rather than even the most accomplished (male) sopranos to be found in Venice. Gabrieli, indeed, had two of the world's best cornetto players at his disposal, and these parts seem written just for their fingers. The bass voice, as well, involves some limber playing skill; in the central section of the piece it is even the featured instrumental part. In a rare exchange of instrumental roles, it is the lowest instrument that drives the rhythm and harmony to a new area, while the upper three voices harmonize with it. After another pair of texturally contrasting passages, the original motive returns to lead the music to a triumphant conclusion on the (major) tonic key. Once again, however, the lowest instrument gets a moment of prominence, as Gabrieli gives it the final running passage, and the most prominent "accidental" note, just before the very last cadence.

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