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Commercial music manuscript book, May 1855-Apr 1857

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Oriel College MS. Mus. 7

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Music manuscript notebook, inscribed on the decorative title-page 'Arthur Sullivan, May 3rd 1855' and 'A.S. Sullivan, 1857', and containing works composed or copied by him in these years.

  1. (fols. 2-5) 'Trio in the oratorio of St Polycarp [composed by] Sir F.A.G. Ousely [sic], Mus. Doc.'. With piano accompaniment. Begins: 'In the sight of the unwise he seemed to die'. Evidently copied with slight modifications from the published full score (London, Novello, 1855), which incorporates a piano reduction.
  2. (fols. 5r+v, 8-9v) 'Madrigal, written whilst lying outside the bed one night, undressed, & in deadly fear lest Mr Helmore should come in - A.S.S.' For SATB. Begins: 'O lady dear, that sparkling eye'. Dated at end, 'Finis A.S. Sullivan, March 26th 1857'. On fols. 8v and 9r, the music occupies only the lower half of the page, with fragments of other music above it.
  3. (fols. 6-7v) 'O Israel. (Sacred song). Composed [for, and dedicated to Mrs Bridgman] by Arthur S. Sullivan, [Sept. 1st 1855]'. The bracketed portions have been crossed through. For voice and piano. Begins: 'O Israel return unto the Lord thy God'. Published: London, Novello, 1855.
  4. (fol. 8v) Three and a half bars only of the piano introduction to a song in A minor.
  5. (fol. 9) 'Margoton va à l'eau. Auteur inconnu'. Opening eight and a half bars only of a song for voice and piano.
  6. (fol. 10r+v) 'Psalm 103. H.S. Sullivan 1838 [sic]'. For SATB. Begins: Praise the Lord O my soul. The attribution and date appear to be a joke, but Sullivan in a letter to his father of ?1856 asks 'When are you going to sing my psalm?' (see Arthur Jacobs, Arthur Sullivan, 2nd ed. (1992), p. 12).
  7. (fols. 10v-12v) 'Scherzo. A.S. Sullivan 1857'. For piano, in C minor. Originally entitled 'Sonata'. Dated at end, 'Finis April 17th 1857'.
  8. (fol. 13r+v) 'Capriccio no. 2. A.S. Sullivan, April 1857'. For piano, in A major. Unfinished.
  9. (fols. 15v-16v [vol. reversed]) Counterpoint exercises copied from a French work, not in Sullivan's hand.

Dates

  • Creation: May 1855-Apr 1857

Extent

17 Leaves

Language of Materials

  • English
  • French

Shelfmark

Oriel College MS. Mus. 7

Physical Facet

Binding: Publisher's stiff paper covers.

Dimensions

Folio (300 × 240 mm)

Repository Details

Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository

Contact:
Weston Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG United Kingdom