Mus. 526

Manuscript. Organ accompaniments to service music, copied jointly by Henry Aldrich (items 1-3) and Edward Lowe (item 4); English, before 1677 (on account of references to John Blow as 'Mr', not 'Dr'). For a partner volume, see Mus. 525.

Table of titles and composers as shown in the manuscript. Display in modern form.

Upright format, 180 x 117 mm. 53 folios, of which the first 38 are foliated in modern pencil. Gathering structure not wholly clear on account of the tightness of the binding, but probably originally at least seven gatherings, each of 4 nested bifolios (= 8 folios). Gatherings A and B (ff. 1-8 and 9-16) are intact. Gathering C probably lacks its first three leaves, and now comprises only C4-8 (= ff. 17-21). One leaf of gathering D appears to have been excised before copying. Unused staves on ff. 14r-16v and 37v-end. Binding: late 17th-century binding of brown leather over boards, of the 'Aldrich binding' Type 1. Bookplate 2. 19th-century shelfmark: I.7.28.

Provenance: presumably from the Aldrich bequest. The earliest catalogue entry for this item is by Hind (in Dowding), where it is listed at position M.4.5 as 'Blow's Service in Elami. Benedicite &c.' In Mus. 526 itself, the shelfmark 'M.4.5' is written in ink of the first flyleaf.

Microfilm: manuscript music, reel 22.

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

This is one of the many music manuscripts at Christ Church copied by Edward Lowe.