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Mus. 1226

Manuscript. Organ accompaniments for anthems and Anglican chants (including autograph copies of works by William Crotch), copied in Oxford by several hands for use at Christ Church Cathedral in the last quarter of the 18th century. (Follow this link for a list of surviving music-books from Christ Church Cathedral from the Restoration to the early 19th century.) There are two principal layers.

LAYER 1 (copied at what is now designated as the front of the volume): a collection of 248 single and double Anglican chants, copied partly by William Crotch and headed 'Chants in use at Christ Church from the year 1790'. Attributions include: Alcock, Aldrich, Bailey, Battishill, Beckwith, Bennett, Blow, Boyce, Chard, Church, Clarke, Crotch, Dix, Dupuis, Fuller, Goodenough, Green, Handel, Hayes, Heathcote, Hellendaal, Higgins, Holmes, Jackson, Jones, Kelway, Kent, King, Lord Mornington, Nares, Langdon, Morley, Norris, Pears, Pratt, Pring, Purcell, Randall, Redcliffe, Robinson, Savage, Souper, Spencer, Tallis, Travers, Turner and Woodward. The collection ends with further chants attributed to 'Wm Holland: Hert[ford] Coll[ege, Oxford] 1807'. Layer 1 is neither foliated nor paginated. A few additional chants have been inserted into Layer 2; see below.

LAYER 2 (copied at what is now designated as the rear of the volume): a collection of anthems, copied by various hands. Organ parts only, unless stated otherwise. Notes on individual pieces:

  • Item 4 is headed 'Composed by Thos. Norris Bac. Mus. Organist of Christ Church & St Johns Col[lege] Oxford'. Norris was appointed organist of Christ Church in 1776, and may have been responsible for some of the copying of Mus. 1226 itself.
  • Items 13-14 are copied in score.
  • Items 16-19 are autograph scores by William Crotch.
  • Items 2-3 and 9 are later additions.
Table of titles and composers in modern form. Display form found in manuscript.
1 Benedetto Marcello O Lord our governor pp. 1-8
2   (sketches in pencil) p. 3
3 W. W. Holland (Four chants, the first dated '1807') p. 8
4 Thomas Norris Hear my prayer, O God pp. 9-15
5 Michael Wise Awake, awake, put on thy strength, o Zion pp. 16-22
6 James Kent The Lord is my shepherd pp. 23-31
7 Henry Aldrich (after Carissimi) I am well pleased (= Praevaluerunt in nos inimici + Vidi impium superexaltatum) pp. 32-39
8 John Weldon O praise the Lord pp. 40-41
9 W. W. Holland (Chant, dated '1807') p. 41
10 William Mason Lord of all power and might pp. 42-43
11 John Weldon O praise God in his holiness pp. 44-45
12 Jeremiah Clarke O Lord God of my salvation pp. 46-52
13 William Crotch (Two chants, dated 'Feb. 5th 1791') p. 53
14 William Crotch God is our hope and strength pp. 54-91
15 Henry Purcell I was glad when they said unto me (Z.19) pp. 92-97
16 William Crotch Sing we merrily (dated '1794') pp. 98-114
17 William Crotch O Lord God of hosts pp. 115-117
18 William Crotch Be merciful unto me, O Lord (dated '1794') pp. 118-123
19 William Crotch I will cry unto God (dated 'April 15th [17]96') pp. 124-129
20 Benedetto Marcello Hear me when I call pp. 130-[144]

Oblong format, 357 x 270 mm. 90 leaves; collation not researched. Layer 2 has been paginated '1-138' by the copyists. The current binding dates from 1972; no trace remains of any previous binding, except for a leather panel inset into the lower cover, gold-tooled with the word 'Anthems'. An early 19th-century contents-list of the anthems is pasted to the inside lower cover. A note by Basil Harwood, dated 1895 and relating to the anthems by Crotch, is pasted to the inside upper cover. No early bookplate.

Provenance: transferred from Christ Church Cathedral, probably in the early 20th century.

Microfilm: manuscript music, reel 42.