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A composite volume of instrumental music

 Single Item
MS. Mus. Sch. c. 93

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Miscellaneous pieces of instrumental music, chiefly in score, iii + 85 leaves.

Items 1-6 are from the James Sherard collection.

Items 8-16 (fols. 67-81v) are the remains of a book used by Thomas Tomkins for noting compositions, in various hands, partly autograph. Titles were written by an almost-contemporary hand. 16 small upright folio leaves. Watermarks: Pot, Posts (2 marks. Ruling: 8 or 10 6-lined staves. Formerly stubbed and sewn. Perhaps owned by the Withy family.

  1. (fols. 1-14) 'Bassan': 12 sonatas in score for 2 violins, bass and basso continuo; '17'. (Not G.B. Bassani's op. 5).
  2. Formerly bound folded as fols. 15-32. Removed to MS. Mus. Sch. a. 641 (1973). J[ames] S[herard]'s specimens of 3-part composition, collected in groups according to key. Other composers quoted are Boccaletti [Sonata op. 1 (Venice, 1692), Sonate 3, Allegro] (fol. 23), Rugiore (fol. 30v) and Tibaldi (Sonata op. 1 (Rome, 1701), Sonata 6, Presto] (fol. 32v). 9 double sheets, small folio. Watermark: Coat of Arms, somewhat like Heawood 353, 356, countermark IV. Ruling: 16 5-lined staves, no margins.
  3. (fols. 33-41) Georg Knüpffer [Knüpfer]: 'Sonata a6' [recte a7] in F, for 2 violins, 3 violas, violone, bassoon and organ continuo. Parts on single leaves within folded bass part.
  4. (fols. 42-50) Georg Knüpffer [Knüpfer]: 'Sonata a7' in G, for 2 violins, 3 violas, violone, bassoon and organ continuo. Parts on single leaves within folded bass part.
  5. (fols. 51-56) [James Sherard]: Drafts of 3-part compositions. Early drafts were erased, the paper re-sized, and improvements written over the older music. Quire of 4; watermark Fleur de Lys; ruling 12 5-lined staves, red marginal ruling. Cover white paper; watermarks: Fleur de Lys, countermark, IHS PT.
  6. (fols. 57v-60) [G. Finger]: Sonatina in B flat for two viole da gamba [RI 59]. Copied by or for J. Sherard.
  7. (fols. 61-66) [John Blow]: 6 'Vers[es] for the Organ', the last incomplete. Autograph.
  8. (fols. 67-70) [Thomas Tomkins]: [Ut mi re fa sol la], lacking beginning [MB 35]. An earlier version from that in Paris MS. 1122. [See Musica Britannica 5 (2010), p. 170].
  9. (fols. 70v-73) 'Ut mi re: Mr. Thomas Tomkins' [MB 38].
  10. (fols. 73v-80) 'Mr. Thomas Tomkins offertorye upon thes nots', [A C B C D B A] [MB 21]. A note on fol. 80 says 'Mr. Thomas Tomkins: organest of his maiestys Chapell 1637'.
  11. (fol. 80) Thomas Tomkins: [A short verse] 'for Edward [Thornburgh]'. [MB 74]. Autograph. [Edward Thornborough (1587-1645) was Archdeacon of Worcester].
  12. (fol. 80) [T. Tomkins]: 'Another' [short verse]. [MB 75]. Autograph.
  13. (fol. 82 rev.) Incomplete fair transcript, piece in A minor. Copied earlier by another hand.
  14. (fols. 81v-r rev.) [T. Tomkins]: 'For Mr. Arc[hdeacon] ThorneBurghe' [MB 76]. Autograph.
  15. (fol. 81r rev.) Te Deum, incomplete. Headed 'God prosper my endevours'.
  16. (fol. 80v rev.) [John Redford]: 'A very good vers called redfords meane'. Copied earlier by another hand.

Dates

  • Creation: 2nd half of the 17th cent.

Extent

1 box

Language of Materials

  • English

Preferred Citation

Oxford, Bodleian Libraries [followed by shelfmark and folio or page reference, e.g. MS. Mus. Sch. c. 93, fols. 1-2].

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Shelfmark:

MS. Mus. Sch. c. 93

Former shelfmark:

Music School A. 5. 79

Collection ID (for staff)

CMD ID 17333

Abstract

A composite volume of unrelated manuscript of instrumental music from the 2nd half of the 17th cent, including Italianate ensemble music from John Sherard's collection and organ music (partly autograph) by Thomas Tomkins.

Biographical / Historical

James Sherard [Sharwood] (1666-1738) was an English physician and botanist, and also an amateur violinist and composer. See Grove Music Online for further details.

Thomas Tomkins (1572-1656) was an organist and composer. See Grove Music Online for further details.

Georg Knüpfer (fl c 1670) was probably a brother of Sebastian Knüpfer, for many years Kantor at the Thomaskirche in Leipzig (cf. MGG online).

Other Finding Aids

Robert Hake, [Catalogue of the Music School Collection], c 1850-1855. No. LXII.

Falconer Madan, et al., A summary catalogue of western manuscripts in the Bodleian Library at Oxford which have not hitherto been catalogued in the Quarto series (7 vols. in 8 [vol. II in 2 parts], Oxford, 1895-1953; reprinted, with corrections in vols. I and VII, Munich, 1980), vol. V, no. 26461.

Custodial History

The item is part of the Music School collection of printed and manuscript music, which was originally bequeathed to the University of Oxford by William Heather (c 1563-1627), and gradually added to until the end of the 18th century.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The collection was transferred to the Bodleian in 1885.

Bibliography

  • Margaret Crum, 'James Sherard and the Oxford Music School Collection', conference paper (Oxford, 1986) [unpublished].
  • Peter Wollny, 'A collection of seventeenth-century vocal music at the Bodleian Library', Schütz-Jahrbuch 15 (1993), 77-108, pp. 77-108 [description on p. 103].
  • Robert G. Rawson, From Olomouc to London: the early music of Gottfried Finger (c 1655-1730)PhD dissertation, Royal Holloway, University of London, 2002 [RI], p. 368.
  • Arthur W. Marshall, 'The viola da gamba music of Godfrey Finger', Chelys 1 (1969), pp. 16-26.
  • Thomas Tomkins, Keyboard music, ed. John Tuttle (Musica Britannica, 5), 3rd ed., rev. John Irving (Stainer & Bell, 2010) [MB]
Title
A composite volume of instrumental music
Status
Published
Date
EAD version 2019
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository

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