1st Edition

The Viola da Gamba Society Index of Manuscripts containing Consort Music Volume I

By Andrew Ashbee, Robert Thompson Copyright 2001
    424 Pages
    by Routledge

    The Viola da Gamba Society Thematic Index of Music for Viols (ed. Gordon Dodd), 1980-92 (and continuing), is composer-based. The present volume initiates a companion project to catalogue manuscripts containing consort music. The editors are all highly experienced in the field and have newly examined all sources. Volume 1 features over 50 MSS whose copyists or owners are known: Bing, Hutton, Jenkins, Le Strange, Lilly, Merro, North. As well as a detailed inventory of every book (with anonymous work identified where possible), the descriptions include information on date, size, binding, paper, rastra, watermarks, collations, scripts, inscriptions and provenance, together with bibliographical references. Brief notes on the owners and copyists are provided. Of particular importance is the inclusion of facsimiles of all hands. Also included is a comprehensive study and illustration of watermarks by Robert Thompson (serving for the whole series). With some printed catalogues such as the British Library and Christ Church, Oxford, now nearly 100 years old, this new and comprehensive study will be an invaluable tool for future research.

    Contents: Preface; Acknowledgements; Layout of each entry; Notes on owners and copyists; Manuscripts: descriptions and contents; London, British Library (GB-Lbl); London, Royal College of Music (GB-Lcm); London, Guildhall Library (GB-Lg); Oxford, Bodleian Library (GB-Ob); Oxford, Christ Church (GB-Och); York, York Minster Library (GB-Y); Chicago, Newberry Library (US-Cn); New York, New York Public Library (US-NYp); Appendix I: Watermarks and paper types; Appendix II: Facsimiles; Bibliography; Index.

    Biography

    Andrew Ashbee, Robert Thompson

    ’This is a summary of information that will continue to be a standard reference book...Congratulations to the editors on their skill and labour....’ Early Music Review ’The furthering of general interest and research could hardly be achieved at a fairer price.’ Music and Letters