Mus. 824-7

Printed. Complete set of four partbooks.

Mus. 824-7 Purcell, Henry, 1659-1695 Ten sonata's in four parts. Compos'd by the late Mr. Henry Purcell. London: Printed by J. Heptinstall, for Frances Purcell, executrix of the author, 1697 RISM A/I P6085 Mus. 824: Violino primo; Mus. 825: Violino secundo; Mus. 826: Bassus; Mus. 827: Through bass for the harpsichord, or organ.

Provenance: from the Aldrich bequest. The entries in Archives 1717 and Dowding for item D2 are minimal, specifying only 'Purcel's Sonatas'. This probably relates to both Mus. 824-7 and Mus. 828-31; all eight partbooks have annotated upper covers that include the name 'Dr. Henry Aldridge'. On the original outside upper cover of Mus. 824 , a printed label partly conceals the number '2'. Possibly the eight volumes were tied together when catalogued in Archives 1717 and Dowding, and their contents not examined. In Malchair 1787 there are explicit entries for both sets at the head of items with 'D' shelfmarks. In Burney 1778 (f. 7v) there is an entry for Mus. 828-31 only, again placed together with items with 'D' shelfmarks; the absence of an entry for Mus. 824-7 may imply that the two sets were still tied together, but their order reversed.

Upright format, 315 x 200 mm. Late C17th or early C18th covers of thick blue paper; each partbook is now stitched into a folder of modern card and mounted impermanently on cords within an early C20th folder of stiff card and vellum. Original upper covers annotated 'Purcels Sonatas, Dr Henry Aldridge' (together with the part-name) in an unidentified C18th hand. Bookplate 2 in Mus. 824. C19th shelfmarks: K.4.38-41.

Microfilm: The printed music of Christ Church, Oxford, reel 45.
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