Mathias, Mathias, Cooke, Caroline: 64 Pieces, 1620
Collection
64 Pieces
GB-Lbl , Add. 23623
Contains
Scoring summary: keyb
Original Title: TABLATURE | DOCT BVLL | 1629
Material description:
  • Source type
    Source type: Manuscript copy
    Content type: Notated music
    Date
    1620-1690
    Material
    Format, extent: part
    Dimensions: 23 x 19.5 cm
    Parts held and extent: keyb: 181f.
    Watermark description
    [3 crescents with fleur-de-lys]
    Binding note
    Binding note: Original vellum binding, tooled in gold, pasted inside front and back covers of newly bound volume. Spine tooled with title: TABLATURE / DOCT BVLL / 1629
Former owner:
Former owner:
Former owner:
Former owner:
Provenance note: Mathias, Thomas James, Mathias, Gabriel, Cooke, H., Caroline, Queen of Great Britain
Scoring: keyb
Notes: [S.l], [s.n.], 17th century
The foliation used here is the later sequence added in pencil at the British Museum. The original remaining foliation, which begins with f. 16, is indicative that the first fifteen folios (a set of versets for the Salve regina listed in the Register: see below) were removed. At least 35 further folios (containing more keyboard works) at the back of the volume are also missing (f. 197-233+)
Facsimile edition by Alexander Silbiger, ed., 'London British Library, MS Add. 23623 (Seventeenth-century keyboard music, v. 18; New York & London: Garland, 1987)
'Register' on f. 181r-181v lists contents of volume
Inscribed on first folio in two hands after the title: 'Fantasia - &c. / by Dr John Bull (temp. Queen elizabeth) / 1621 + / 1628 + / &c. / Property / The gift of Gabriel Mathias Esq. / This book once formed part of the / Library of Queen Caroline consort / of King George 2˚. / H. Cooke. / page 51. MS. of [...] D.r John Bull / I take it. / ex dono / Tho James Mathias. / queen's Tresurer. Charlotte/ Eliza= / Bohemia' (the last referring to the drawing)
Some titles and musical notation in red ink
Various inscriptions on f. 1 in one or two, later, 18th-century hands, including details of ownership (see below), and a drawing on f. 1, beginning with the title: 'Tablature | Picturing | M.r D.r John Bull: 1629.
Owners: H. Cooke; Queen Caroline; Gabriel Mathias; Thomas James Mathias. Acquired by the British Museum in 1860
The 'Register' at the back of the volume indicates that it formerly included seven versets for the Salve Regina at the beginning, preceding the Fantasia on f. 2 (formerly fol '16'); twelve further keyboard works at the back of the volume are also listed; One of principal sources of keyboard music by John Bull, some of which was copied during the last years of his life (1621-1628), and dated 1628. The only other composer identified in the Ms is a Hieronimo Ferabosco who scholars have suggested could be Frescobaldi. Other composers since identified through concordance search are William Byrd, Orlando Gibbons, Thomas Tallis, Giovanni de Macque and Eustache du Caurroy.
Bibliographic reference: p.179-181
Library (siglum) shelfmark: Add. 23623
RISM ID no.: 806350936
Last update: October 16, 2022