A single Bassus partbook from a set probably of 4 volumes. The compiler and original owner was David Melvill or Melvine (both spellings in manuscript), an Aberdeen printer and bookseller, whose name appears at bottom of many folios (he also copied the 'Tolquhon Cantus' book in the Fitzwilliam Museum at Cambridge). Later owned by William Forbes and Forbes-Leith family. Acquired by British Museum in 1900.
| Archive | British Library, London, England (GB-Lbl) |
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| Shelfmark | Add. MS 36484 |
| Image Availability | DIAMM does not have images of this source. |
| Surface | Paper |
| Numbering System | Mixed Foliation and Pagination |
| Measurements | 198 x 281 mm |
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| Contents | Contains 160 compositions, 88 from 25 composers, 72 are anonymous. |
General Description
Binding
Modern covers of maroon leather and cloth on cardboard.
Notation
black void mensural
Foliation
Other numberings: original numbering of pieces, 1-164 (with some errors)
Foliation
Original ink pagination, 3-144; modern pencil foliation, 1-71
Decoration
Black inked initials embellished with ornamental motifs in brown ink
Surface
paper
Census Catalogue of Music Description
This information is reproduced here by kind permission of the publishers. It is COPYRIGHT and copying/reproduction of this content without permission may result in legal action.
1 Agnus, 4 Mass Ordinary sections, 13 motets, 8 anthems, 82 English secular pieces, 31 Italian secular pieces, 8 French secular pieces, 1 Latin secular piece, 18 textless pieces (In nomines, Fantasias, Pavanes, Galliards, etc.) = 166 + 1 duplicate = 167
(Bicci)-1, Black-3, (Blackhall)-1, (Byrd)-8, (Croce)-4, (Dowland)-1, Dowland-anon-2, (M. East)-11, (Eremita)-1, (Farmer)-2, (A. Ferrabosco I)-2, (Giovanelli)-21, (R.Johnson I)-1, (Lassus)-2, Lauder-1, (Maillard)-1, (Maillard/Tye)-1, (Morley)-17, (Mosto)-8, (Nanino)-1, (Pevernage)-1, (Pinello di Ghirardi)-1, (Quintiani)-1, (F. Regnart)-3, Sharp(?)-1, Skene-1, (Sweelinck)-2, (Tallis)-1, (Venturi)-1, Wilder [Maister philip]-1, anon-64
1 paper partbook of an original 4? (B-iii + 71 + iii folios), 198 x 281. Original ink pagination, 3-144; modern pencil foliation, 1-71; original numbering of pieces, 1-164 (with some errors). Modern covers of maroon leather and cloth on cardboard. No index. Copied by David Melvill or Melvine (see below), whose name appears at bottom of many folios; Melvill also copied the "Tolquhon Cantus" book in the Fitzwilliam Museum at Cambridge.* Black inked initials embellished with ornamental motifs in brown ink. Many pieces have text incipits or titles only.
*To be described in the Supplement.
Ca. 1604. Copied in Aberdeen, Scotland. The compiler and original owner was David Melvill or Melvine (both spellings in manuscript), an Aberdeen printer and bookseller. Later owned by William Forbes and Forbes-Leith family. Acquired by British Museum in 1900.
Vol 4
Composers: Add "(Cadéac/Lupus)-1" and "(Sermisy)-1"; change "anon-64" to "anon-62."
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‡ denotes primary source study
Elliott, Kenneth, and Frederick Rimmer. 1973. A History of Scottish Music. London. Pages: 43-4. Notes: mention of MS; contents list (partial).
Blezzard, Judith H. 1972. The Sacred Music of the Lumley Books (British Museum Royal Appendix Manuscripts 74-76): An Edition and Critical Study. University of Leeds, Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation. Pages: I, 74. Notes: physical description (partial); contents list (partial); concordances (partial).
Poulton, Diana. 1972. John Dowland: His Life and Works. Berkeley and Los Angeles. Pages: 480-2, 495. Notes: contents list (partial); concordances (partial).
Brett, Philip. 1965. The Songs of William Byrd. Cambridge University, Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation. Pages: 240. Notes: physical description (partial); contents list (partial); concordances (partial).
Harrison, Frank Llewellyn (editor). 1963-. Early English Church Music. London: Stainer & Bell. Pages: XII, 124. Notes: contents list (partial); concordances (partial).
Hutchinson, Hilda S P. 1957. The St. Andrews Psalter. Transcription and Critical Study of Thomas Wode's Psalter. Edinburgh University, Unpublished B.Mus. thesis. Pages: 87, 168, 175, 202, 208, 216. Notes: contents list (partial); concordances (partial); mention of MS; discussion.
Noble, Jeremy. 1955. La Répertoire Instrumental Anglais: 1550-1585. La Musique Instrumentale de la Renaissance, 91-114. Paris. Pages: 100, 106. Notes: contents list (partial); concordances (partial).
Hughes, Dom Anselm. 1953. Catalogue of the Musical Manuscripts at Peterhouse, Cambridge. Cambridge. Pages: I, 7, 183, 279; II, 144-6, 194, 451; III, 203, 224. Notes: physical description (partial); contents list.
Lewis, Anthony (editor). 1951-. Musica Britannica: A National Collection of Music. London. Pages: XV, 151, 168-9, 174, 176, 209-16, 221. Notes: contents list (partial); concordances (partial); transcriptions (partial).
Madden, F. 1843-. Catalogue of Additions to the Manuscripts in the British Museum. Pages: [1900-5], 120. Notes: physical description (partial).
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DIAMM, 2016
Monday, 23 January, 2017
NB: Migrated from old site. Credit for notes may not be completely accurate. General Description; Binding Note; Notation Note; Foliation Note; Foliation Note; Decoration Note; Surface Note
Census-Catalogue of Manuscript Sources of Polyphonic Music 1400-1550
Monday, 23 January, 2017
NB: Migrated from old site. Credit for notes may not be completely accurate. Census Catalogue of Music Description