Fitzwilliam virginal book manuscript

Aug 22, 2019 the fitzwilliam virginal book is the most remarkable, and in many respects the most valuable collection of elizabethan keyboard music. Fitzwilliam virginal book, also called erroneously queen elizabeths virginal book, an early 17thcentury english manuscript collection of. An elizabethan virginal book being a critical essay on the. Pieterjan belder continues his superb survey of the fitzwilliam virginal book, an extraordinary manuscript compiled in the late 16th century and held in the fitzwilliam museum in cambridge. Posted on october 3, 2018 by emr2015 posted in recording tagged keyboard, renaissance. Of unknown origins, the previously scarce collectors item is now available at popular prices for the first time. Contents listing this is a detailed listing of the contents of the fitzwilliam virginal book. Toward a critical edition of gordon jacobs william byrd suite.

During the reign of queen elizabeth i in england in the late sixteenthearly seventeenth centuries, very repressive anticatholic laws were enacted by parliament. The fitzwilliam virginal book, including music from twelfth night and winters tale shakespeare documented. It takes its name from viscount fitzwilliam who bequeathed this manuscript collection to cambridge university in 1816, where it remains to this day in the. Edited from the original manuscript, with an introduction and notes translated into german by john bernhoff, by j. The fitzwilliam virginal book is the most famous, extensive and important collection of keyboard music from the english elizabethan and jacobean era.

The fitzwilliam virginal book was first published in 1899 in a not wholly reliable transcription by fullermaitland and barclay squire. In fact the pieces in the book are not written for performance on virginals alone several other keyboard instruments are provided for. Description and ownership the fitzwilliam virginal book is by far the largest of several manuscripts of harpsichord music that were compiled in the late sixteenth. Numerous minor errors, misprints, and misinterpretations in. Toward a critical edition of gordon jacobs william byrd. The fitzwilliam virginal book, an early 17thcentury english manuscript for keyboard music, is yet another compendium of musical pieces that combine the pieces of several composers. Among close to three hundred pieces contained in the most famous keyboard manuscript of the english renaissance, now known as the fitzwilliam virginal book, is william byrds the earl of oxford march fitzwilliam ii 402. The pieces herein, while composed for the virginal, can be played without difficulty on. By far the largest manuscript collection of english keyboard music surviving from the 16th17th centuries.

The pieces herein, while composed for the virginal, can be played. She concluded that the manuscript appears to have been planned professionally as a unified project for which enough paper of uniform quality was obtained beforehand. Shakespeare documented features all primary sources that document the life and career of william shakespeare. In this, the sixth volume, belder focuses on the compositions of john bull, one of the main contributors to the collection. An elizabethan virginal book being a critical essay on the contents of a manuscript in the fitzwilliam museum at cambridge edward w naylor home.

The fitzwilliam virginal book, volume 6 2cd naxosdirect. Whatever its origins, the exceptional manuscript contains almost 300. The codex was created in the first quarter of the 16h century, around 1510 in the town of bruges the place where flemish art of illumination was born and with its countless fullpage miniatures and profusion of border decorations it is justly. It contains the largest collection of elizabethan and jacobean keyboard music a virginal being a small harpsichord numbering nearly three hundred pieces composed during the fifty years before the first published keyboard music in england in 1612. Jul 29, 2019 pieterjan belder continues his superb survey of the fitzwilliam virginal book, an extraordinary manuscript compiled in the late 16th century and held in the fitzwilliam museum in cambridge. The fitzwilliam book of hours, taking its name from its place of preservation, is one of the most unique examples of flemish illumination. Doctor of musical arts performance, august 2007, 150 pp. It is now deposited in the fitzwilliam museum at cambridge. The fitzwilliam virginal book is the most remarkable. The manuscripts uncertain origins and provenance have been discussed many times, most authoritatively of late by david smith in his article francis tregian the younger as music copyist. Fitzwilliam virginal book music collection britannica. The release concludes with bulls quadran pavan and galiard, probably the longest piece in the entire fitzwilliam virginal book, with an extensive variation of the pavan followed by a galliard. There is a beautiful, handwritten manuscript in the fitzwilliam museum in cambridge known as the fitzwilliam virginal book.

Full text of fitzwilliam virginal book internet archive. The fitzwilliam virginal book and lady nevells book the. The fitzwilliam virginal book is a primary source of keyboard music from the late elizabethan and early jacobean periods in england, i. The learned editors contribute a very interesting and exhaustive introduction to the book. With an introduction and notes translated into german by john bernhoff. The fitzwilliam virginal book, including music from twelfth. The oxford march has become well known to present day early music enthusiasts, and apparently was well known at the beginning of its life as well musica. Oct 18, 2016 the release concludes with bulls quadran pavan and galiard, probably the longest piece in the entire fitzwilliam virginal book, with an extensive variation of the pavan followed by a galliard. Barclay edited by fitzwilliam and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. It has images, descriptions, and transcriptions of 500 manuscripts and printed works. Oct 03, 2018 the fitzwilliam virginal book, volume 6 posted on october 3, 2018 by emr2015 posted in recording tagged keyboard, renaissance pieterjan belder harpsichords. The scribe of the volume was francis tregian the younger, imprisoned in the fleet prison for recusancy as his father had been until his death there in 1619.

This collection of compositions for keyboard instruments is widely regarded as the most important surviving manuscript of 16th and 17th century english music. The fitzwilliam virginal book 2 volumes by maitland j a. It takes its name from viscount fitzwilliam who bequeathed this manuscript collection to cambridge university in 1816. Fitzwilliam virginal book, an early 17thcentury english manuscript collection of 297 pieces for keyboard by many of the major composers of the period. A comparison of extant editions with the fitzwilliam virginal book. As i have mentioned in others blogs, a compendium is a monument to a period of music. An elizabethan virginal book being a critical essay on the contents of a manuscript in the fitzwilliam museum at cambridge edward w naylor. Apr 25, 2020 the fitzwilliam virginal book is the most remarkable, and in many respects the most valuable collection of elizabethan keyboard music. The fitzwilliam virginal book is a primary source of keyboard music from the late elizabethan and early jacobean. Thompson found that the entire manuscript was written on highquality swiss paper made by the during family of basle. Fitzwilliam virginal book, also called erroneously queen elizabeths virginal book, an early 17thcentury english manuscript collection of pieces for. The fitzwilliam virginal book, queen elizabeths virginal book. Fitzwilliam virginal book, also called erroneously queen elizabeths virginal book, an early 17thcentury english manuscript collection of 297 pieces for keyboard by many of the major composers of the period, including william byrd, who is represented by 67 pieces. William byrds battle and the earl of oxford shakespeare.

The fitzwilliam virginal book is the most remarkable, and in many respects the most valuable collection of elizabethan keyboard music. It takes its name from viscount fitzwilliam who bequeathed this manuscript. In this, the fifth volume, belder explores the music of some of the books best known composers, such as thomas tallis, john munday and thomas tomkins. It is believed to be the manuscript collection of an amateur keyboard player of the very early 17th. Fitzwilliam virginal book edited from the original manuscript. The fitzwilliam virginal book, volumes one and two edited from the original manuscript by editors maitland, j. The fitzwilliam virginal book by far the largest manuscript collection of english keyboard music surviving from the 16th17th centuries. In 2006, the british library acquired my ladye nevells booke, william byrds collection of virginal music and the last significant manuscript of early keyboard. Search for library items search for lists search for.

The fitzwilliam virginal book, including music from. The extraordinary fitzwilliam virginal book is a fascinating document. The fitzwilliam manuscript used to be known as queen elizabeths virginal book, in the mistaken belief that it was owned by her. The fitzwilliam virginal book, volume 6 brilliant classics. Edited from the original manuscript, with an introduction. Lodged in the fitzwilliam museum in cambridge it contains more than 300 works for the virginal, by composers such as john, bull, william byrd, thomas tomkins and many others. Johannes, jan or johan vermeer 1632 december 1675, dutch. In 1951 elizabeth cole compared tregians signature on a legal document with a hand in which titles and composers names are copied in the fitzwilliam virginal book and eg. Related works, pieces from the fitzwilliam virginal book. The fitzwilliam virginal book in the fitzwilliam museum, the bestknown of the anthologies. The fitzwilliam virginal book is the most remarkable, and in many respects the most valuable collection of elizabethan keyboard music, according to groves dictionary of music and musicians. Young lady seated at the virginal, johannes vermeer. Beautie is a louely sweete bateson the nightingale, the nightingale, so soone as aprill springeth bateson. Drexel 4302, the sambrook book in the drexel collection, in the new york public library.