Mus. 53

Manuscript. Motets by Giacomo Carissimi, copied in score by Francis Smith; English, 1690s.

Table of titles and composers in modern form. Display form found in manuscript.

Upright format, 337 x 215 mm. 86 folios, paginated in ink by Smith. Collation: two gatherings each of three nested bifolios (A-B6), then 18 gatherings each of two nested bifolios (C-T4), then a single bifolio (U2). Early 18th-century binding of thick grey card edged in vellum. List of contents on first flyleaf by Malchair. Bookplate 2 on inside upper cover. 19th-century shelfmark: I.1.17.

Provenance: probably from the Aldrich bequest. The earliest reference to this volume is by Hind in Archives 1717, where it is listed at position H58 as 'O vulnera doloris &c. Lucifer &c. M.S. Folio'; in Mus. 53 itself, the shelfmark 'H.58' is written on the first flyleaf in Hind's hand. Possibly the volume was previously part of the sequence described by Hind in Dowding as '18 Vols. of Musick, chiefly M.S. mark'd on the Backs, A. B. C. C.2. D. D.2. E. E.2. F. H. I. K. L. M. M.2. N. O. P. Q. T.' In Mus. 53, the letter 'A' is written in ink on the outside upper and lower covers.

Microfilm: manuscript music, reel 47.

Francis Smith was a chorister at Christ Church in 1681-90, and remained there as singing-man until his death in 1698. Other music manuscripts at Christ Church copied or partially copied by him include the following. (Please note that this list may be expanded as further information comes to light.)

• Some headings and text-underlay in Mus. 12.
• Mus. 37 (pp. 1-24): Carissimi 'Jephte' (co-copied with Aldrich).
• Possibly parts of Mus. 48.
• Mus. 49 (pp. 1-43A): anonymous Mass in C major.
• Mus. 49 (pp. 192-9): anthem by O. Gibbons.
• Possibly parts of Mus. 619 (ff. 28-30): music by Estwick.
• Mus. 1220-4, items 261-3: anthems.
• Probably Mus. 1246, item 72: anthem.