Mus. 1127

Manuscript. Performing parts for a pair of Oxford Act odes for 1682 ('Conveniunt doctae sorores' and 'Hic sede Carolus'), together with a concluding instrumental suite, all by Henry Aldrich. Copied by Edward Lowe and an unidentified copyist.

The order of the sheets and the foliation system both date from the early 20th century, when the sheets were placed in their current binding of stiff card and vellum (upright format, 387 x 253 mm.). The binding encloses the upper leaf of an 18th-century wrapper of thick paper, bearing the following annotation by Malchair: 'Two Act Songs in Partes [addition by Havergal: 'by Aldrich ?'] Performed in Oxford Theatre July 7th - 1682. NB a small slip of paper unpasted - belonging to the beginning of the first trible Violin - by way of alteration'. No early bookplate.19th-century shelfmark: K.I.20. Formerly Mus. 1059.

Provenance: presumably from the Aldrich bequest, but not listed in any of the 18th-century catalogues of the Christ Church music collections.

The parts are bound in order of size, starting with instrumental parts copied on half sheets in oblong format (all c. 240 x 190 mm), followed by vocal and instrumental parts copied on full sheets in upright format (all c. 380 x 245 mm), or on large sheets in oblong format (dimensions given individually below). The majority are bifolios, with music copied only on the first recto; the remaining pages are blank ruled staves. In the listing below, which follows the designations given on the majority of parts, '1st song' refers to 'Conveniunt doctae sorores', '2nd song' to 'Hic sede Carolus', and 'Suite' to the concluding suite of dances.

• ff. 1-4: 1st song, '1st Treble' [violin]. Oblong half-sheets. Copyist unidentified.
• ff. 5-8: 1st song, '1st Treble' [violin; duplicate]. Oblong half-sheets. Copied by Edward Lowe.
• ff. 9-10: Suite, '1st Treble' [violin]. Oblong half-sheets. Copied by Edward Lowe.
• ff. 11-14: 1st song, '2nd Treble' [violin]. Oblong half-sheets. Copyist unidentified.
• ff. 15-16: 1st song, '2nd Treble' [violin; duplicate]. Oblong half-sheets. Copied by Edward Lowe.
• ff. 17-18: Suite, '2nd Treble' [violin]. Oblong half-sheets. Copied by Edward Lowe.
• ff. 19-22: 1st and 2nd songs, 'Base viol'. Oblong half-sheets. Copied by Edward Lowe.
• ff. 23-4: Suite, 'Base' [viol]. Oblong half-sheets. Copied by Edward Lowe.
• ['25' is missing from the foliation sequence, apparently in error.]
• f. 26: 1st song, 'Organ part'. Large oblong sheet, 475 x 375 mm., folded twice vertically. Copied by Edward Lowe. Corrections and cues entered on pastedown cancels, partly lifted.
• f. 27: 2nd song, 'First treble' [violin]. Upright sheet. Copyist unidentified. Vocal cue entered on a pastedown slip.
• f. 28: 2nd song, 'Second Treble' [violin]. Upright sheet. Copyist unidentified. Two vocal cues entered on pastedown slips.
• ff. 29-30: 1st song, 'Cantus Primus' [vocal part]. Upright sheets. Copied by Edward Lowe.
• ff. 31-2: 1st song, 'Cantus Secundus' [vocal part]. Upright sheets. Copied by Edward Lowe.
• ff. 33-4: 1st song, 'Tenor' [vocal part]. Upright sheets. Copied by Edward Lowe.
• ff. 35-6: 1st song, 'CounterTenor Primus' [vocal part]. Upright sheets. Copied by Edward Lowe.
• ff. 37-8: 1st song, 'Secundus Contratenor' [vocal part]. Upright sheets. Copied by Edward Lowe.
• ff. 39-40: 1st song, 'Singinge Base' [vocal part]. Upright sheets. Copied by Edward Lowe.
• ff. 41v-42: 2nd song and suite, 'Through Base'. Large oblong sheet, 475 x 375 mm., mounted on a guard. Copied by Edward Lowe.
• ff. 43-4: 2nd song, [countertenor vocal part]. Upright sheets. Unidentified copyist.
• f. 45: 2nd song, [countertenor vocal part, chorus only]. Upright sheet. Unidentified copyist.
• f. 46: 2nd song, [bass vocal part, chorus only]. Upright sheets. Copied by Edward Lowe.
• f. 47v: 1st song, [bass vocal part]. Upright sheet. Copied by Edward Lowe.
• ff. 48-9: 2nd song, [bass vocal part]. Upright sheets. Unidentified copyist.
• ff. 50-51: 2nd song, [soprano vocal part]. Upright sheets. Unidentified copyist.
• f. 52: 2nd song, [soprano vocal part, chorus only]. Upright sheet. Unidentified copyist.
• f. 53: 2nd song, [tenor vocal part]. Upright sheets. Unidentified copyist.

Microfilm: manuscript music, reel 37.

Bibliography:

Peter Holman, 'Original Sets of Parts for Restoration Concerted Music at Oxford', in Performing the Music of Henry Purcell, ed. Michael Burden (Oxford, 1996).

This is one of the many music manuscripts at Christ Church containing works by Henry Aldrich.