increased by the gift of a few volumes from Mr. Macray, and some French cantatas from Sir F. A. G. Ouseley. There are also some rare early treatises on music in this library. A remarkable early Psalter is noticed under Notation.
b. Christ Church. The library of this college contains a very large and valuable collection of early English and foreign music, chiefly bequeathed to the college by Dean Aldrich and Mr. Goodson, but since then increased by many additions. The printed works comprise compositions by more than 180 different composers, while the MSS. contain 1075 anonymous pieces, and 2417 pieces by known composers, of whom 182 are English, 80 Italian, and 14 composers of other nations. This estimate does not include the many separate movements of operas, services, etc., and the almost numberless Fancies for instruments, which if enumerated would amount to nearly 5000. Amongst the MSS. here are 30 anthems by Dr. Aldrich; 23 anthems, 7 motets, 4 services, and a masque ('Venus and Adonis') by Dr. Blow; 29 anthems, 43 motets, 19 madrigals, etc., and a very curious piece of programme music ('Mr. Bird's Battle') by W. Byrd; 18 motets by R. Deering; 20 anthems and 21 madrigals and canzonets by T. Ford; 24 anthems by Orlando Gibbons; 21 anthems by John Goldwin; 33 motets by M. Jeffrey; 21 canzonets by J. Jenkins; 17 motets by W. Mundy; 15 operas by Henry Purcell; 39 motets by J. Shepperde; 17 motets by John Taverner; 10 madrigals by J. Warde; 25 motets by R. Whyte; 47 motets and 45 cantatas by Carissimi; 15 cantatas by Cesti; 67 motets by Gratiani; 27 cantatas by Michaeli; 30 motets by Palestrina; 112 cantatas by Luigi Rossi; 12 cantatas, a serenata, 2 dramas, and an opera by A. Scarlatti; and the following anonymous compositions:—239 motets, 162 cantatas, etc., to English words (including a Passion on the death of Prince Henry, and a dialogue between Cromwell and Charon[1]), and 408 cantatas, etc., to Italian words. There is a MS. catalogue of the collection compiled in 1845–47 by the late Rev. H. E. Havergal.
c. The Music School. The library of the Music School contains a valuable collection of old music, principally in MS. It comprises the gifts to the university of Dr. Heather (the founder of the chair of music at Oxford), the Rawlinson collection (bequeathed in 1755), a collection of the MS. scores of most of the exercises written for musical degrees from 1750 to the present time, and a small collection of printed works of about 300 composers. Among the valuable MSS. preserved here are 18 masses by Taverner, Burton, Merbecke, Fayrfax, Kasar, Aston, Ashwell, Norman, Shepparde, Tye, and Alwood; a collection of In Nomines in 4 and 5 parts, by English composers of the 15th and 16th centuries; 5-part motets by Felice Sances; motets, etc., for voices and orchestra by Rosenmüller, Schelling, and Knüpfer; Christopher Simpson's 'Monthes and Seasons, for 2 basses and a treble'; collections of vocal and instrumental compositions by W. Lawea and Orlando Gibbons; Occasional Odes by Dr. Boyce; many anthems and services; and collections of rare English instrumental music, and French and Italian songs. There is a good MS. catalogue of the collection, compiled in 1854.
[App. p.723 "Ripon. In the Minster Library is preserved an interesting volume of theological tracts by Gerson and others, on blank leaves of which are written two 16th century ballads for three voices. The first is entitled 'A ballet of ye deth of ye Cardinall' (i.e. Wolsey), and the second, 'A lytyll ballet mayde of ye yong dukes gace,' (i.e. Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset, a natural son of Henry VIII, who died in 1536.) The words of these ballads are printed in the Yorkshire Archaeological and Topographical Journal, ii. 396. The library also contains some rare liturgical printed books, particularly a York Manuale (W. de Worde) of 1509, and a York Missal (Rouen) of 1517."]
Rochester. The music library of the cathedral consists of 478 volumes, 84 of which are in MS., and contain anthems and services (some of which are unpublished) by the following composers:—Hopkins, Henstridge, Lock, Wootton, Hine, Turner, Elvey, Child, Dupuis, Lambert, Fussell, Mason, Walmisley, Russell, Rogers, Marsh, and Pratt.
Stonyhurst. This college possesses the original MS. of de Vico's responses for Holy Week, MS. music by Cartoni, and a few litanies, motets, sequences, etc., by Palestrina.
Windsor. St. George's Chapel. The Chapel library contains a good collection of old church music, many MS. services and anthems, an interesting old organ book containing the Benedicite to Child's service in G (in score), and a copy of Tompkins' 'Musica Deo Sacra' (1668).
Worcester. The Cathedral library possesses a fine Sarum Missal, and a MS. volume containing several fine ancient Latin services.
York. The Minster library contains 258 musical works, both printed and MS., besides a large quantity of anthems and services. Amongst the MSS. the following works may be mentioned: a collection of duets, glees, etc., by Aldrich, Wise, Blow, etc.; an installation ode by Hague; Te Deums by Haydn, Neukomm, Schicht, and Weber; 'The Nativity,' an oratorio by Homilius; a mass by Naumann; 'The Intercession,' an oratorio by King; the upper part of several duets by Purcell; and 23 volumes of anthems and services. The printed music includes early editions of works by Amner, Bassani, Byrd, Cherici, Diving, Este, Gibbons, Locke, Marcello, Monteverde, Morley, Mundy, Praetorius, and Purcell.
Private Collections. a. The collection of Her Majesty the Queen, preserved at Buckingham Palace, is principally renowned for its priceless Handel autographs (87 volumes), which have been already noticed. But in addition to these, this library (which contains about 2000 works) is remarkable both for its valuable MSS. and fine printed works. Amongst the chief treasures are some splendid volumes of autograph MSS. by Purcell; a complete copy of the original Venetian edition of Marcello's psalms; a fine and curious volume of puzzle canons by Dr. John Bull; a unique collection of puzzle canons, in from two to twenty parts, by Elway Bevin, in the composer's own handwriting; a fine copy of the 2nd edition of Monteverde's 'Orfeo'; a volume of 'Aires and Phantasies,' by Coperario, which formerly belonged to Charles I.; an original copy of Mendelssohn's 'Œdipus in Colonos,' sent by the composer to the Prince Consort for the production of the work at Buckingham Palace; curious masques by Schmied; a complete copy of 'Parthenia'; a unique collection of Steffani's operas, splendidly
- ↑ According to a copy in Mr. Taphouse's collection, this piece is by Henry Hall.
