Miscellaneous short compositions by Beckford, and sketches mainly in his hand, 1781-1803
File
MS. Beckford c. 62/1
Held at the Weston Library
Comprises:
- (fols. 1-2v) 'Marche' in F major for 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns and 2 bassoons (a single line, but marked 'fagotti'), in the hand of an amanuensis, dated 'Fev. 1781'
- (fols. 3-5) 'To the ocean now I fly', song for soprano/tenor, chorus and instruments (words by John Milton)
- (fol. 5v rev.) 'Notturno', duet, beg. 'Ah che da me lontana', and (fol. 6 rev.) sketch for the 'notturno'
- (fol. 6v rev.'Andante' in F major, keyboard sketch, 22 March 1781
- (fols. 7-8v, 9-10v) two copies, the second not in Beckford's hand, of 'Care luce amati rai', aria for soprano and strings, April 1783
- (fol. 11) 'Coplas al SSo —', song beg. 'Al rayo duna flexa', sketch, '14 del juglio 1788'
- (fols. 12-13) 'Cinto il crin di Faustia', aria for soprano and instruments (2 violins and cello?), not in Beckford's hand (for a sketch of this aria, see MS. Beckford c. 62/2, fols. 1-2)
- (fols. 14-34) a set of eleven 'Stroffe' for voice and piano, July 1789, lacking no.8, (fols. 14-15) 'Stroffa prima', beg. 'Grazie agli inganni tuoi', 1 July, (fols. 16-17) 'Stroffa seconda', beg. 'Mancó l'antico ardore', 2 July, (fols. 18-19) 'Terza stroffa', beg. 'Sogno ma fé non miro', 3 July, (fols. 20-1)'Quarta stroffa', beg. 'Di tua beltá', 7 July, (fols. 22-3) '5a stroffa', beg. 'Volgimi il guardo altera', 3 July, (fols. 24-5) 'Sesta stroffa', beg. 'Quel ch'or m'alletta ó spiace', (fols. 26-7v) '7 stroffa', beg. 'Odi sio son sincero', 9 July, (fols. 28-9) 'Stroffa nona', beg. 'Nel visco in cui s'avenne', 11 July, (fols. 30-1) 'Stroffa decima', beg. 'Io' che non credi estinto', 9 July, (fols. 32-3) 'Stroffa undecima', beg. 'Doppo il cruel [sic] cimento', and (fol. 34r & v) sketches for stroffe 10 and 11, no.11 dated 13 July
- (fols. 35-6) 'Cavatina', beg. 'Digli ch'io son fedele', Sept. 1800
- (fols. 37-41) 'Thou art worthy to take the book', anthem, organ part only, including solo vocal lines but not chorus lines, August 1800
- (fol. 42r &v) adagio in F major for 4 clarinets, 2 horns and 2 bassoons, not in Beckford's hand, dated 'à Fonthil [sic] 1mr juliet [sic] 1793'
- (fol. 44) unfinished keyboard piece in F minor, 6 Sept. 1806
- (fol. 46) piano piece in D major, 27 bars
- (fol. 46v) piano piece in D major, 10 bars, in Beckford's hand, but ascribed by him to 'WC' (William Courtenay?)
- (fols. 47-52) 'Aria del Sigr. Guglielmo di Beckford alla Sigra. Augusta Wynne', beg. 'Ah del crudel momento', for soprano and strings
- (fols. 53-6) part of a chorus in Italian, for S.A.T.B. and orchestra, lacking the opening
- (fol. 58) a very inaccurate attempt to write down from memory, in F major, the 'Harmonious Blacksmith' theme from the harpsichord Suite no. 5 in E major by Handel (torn from a larger sheet)
- (fols. 59-60) 'O Astra, O Coelum', Latin elegy for voice and keyboard, 27 Sept. 1800
- (fols. 61-6) a different setting of 'O Astra, O Coelum', for voice and keyboard, Oct. 1800, with, added to the title page (fol. 62) a keyboard sketch of 'Ego dormo cor meum vigilate', dated 'Paris, 7th May 1803', with brown paper wrappers
- (fols. 67-72) a revised version of the previous setting, scored for S.A.B., 2 oboes, 2 horns and strings, dated 'Fonthill, 1801'
- (fol. 75) a fair copy of the keyboard sketch 'Ego dormo' almost identical to that in fols. 61-6, paper watermarked 1799
- (fols. 36v, 45v, 57, 60v, 65v) miscellaneous sketches, the last dated 'Paris, 12 Decr. 1801'
Dates
- Creation: 1781-1803
Extent
75 Leaves
Language of Materials
- English
Shelfmark
MS. Beckford c. 62/1
Repository Details
Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository
Contact:
Weston Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG United Kingdom
specialcollections.enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk
Weston Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG United Kingdom
specialcollections.enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk