Virtual Music Rare Book Room - 39 Matching Results

Search Results

prev Results: 21 - 39 next
open access

Le istitutioni harmoniche

Description: This is a 1562 copy of "Le istitutioni harmoniche," one of the most influential music theory treatises written by Gioseffo Zarlino. The first edition appeared in Venice in 1558. The treatise, divided in four parts, includes theoretical and practical elements of music. The first two parts discuss philosophical, cosmological and mathematical aspects of music, Greek tonal system and tuning. The third and fourth parts cover the rules of counterpoint and modes, respectively. This copy bears a dedic… more
Date: 1562
Creator: Zarlino, Gioseffo, 1517-1590.
Partner: UNT Music Library
open access

Jeannot et Colin

Description: This is a ca. 1857 copy of the libretto of Jeannot et Colin, an opera by Charles Etienne with music by Nicolo Isouard. The opera premiered in Paris at the theater of the Opéra-Comique on 17 October 1814. The expressive melodies of the opera as well as its performers ensured its success. The opera was staged again on 14 October 1857. The first page of the library's copy contain the names of the performers that participated in both productions.
Date: 1857
Creator: Etienne, Charles Guillaume, 1777-1845.
Partner: UNT Music Library
open access

Momie

Description: This is a ca. 1778 libretto for the burlesque opera in three acts "Momie" by a Jean Étiennethat Despréaux. The opera is a parody based on Leblanc du Roullet's libretto of "Iphigénie en Aulide," an opera by Christoph Willibald Gluck. The libretto includes the titles of the tunes at the opening of each scene. Page 6 of the library's copy is incorrectly numbered as page 9.
Date: 1778?
Creator: Despréaux, Jean Étienne, 1748-1820.
Partner: UNT Music Library
open access

The Padlock

Description: This is a copy of a ca. 1768 edition of Isaac Bickerstaff libretto for the two-act English comic opera "The Paddlock" by Charles Dibdin. The plot is an adaptation of Miguel de Cervantes's "El celoso extremeño" (translated as, The Jealous Estremaduran). The t.p. features a vignette signed by IJ Taylor [possibly by the London engraver Isaac Taylor (1730-1807)] with four infants. The one at the center is holding several keys and is playing horse riding with a walking stick that has a padlock attac… more
Date: 1768
Creator: Bickerstaff, Isaac, 1735-1812
Partner: UNT Music Library
open access

Phaeton

Description: Libretto of the opera "Phaeton," by Philippe Quinolt. The plot is based on an episode in Ovid's Metamorphoses. In the plot, Phaethon, son of Climène and Soleil [the Sun], is filled with excessive ambition and pride. He abandons his beloved, Théone, and requests to the King of Egypt the hand of his daughter Libie. Climène, who after consulting the sea god Proteus knows of the demise that her son's avarice will bring upon himself, tries in vain to discourage his ambition for the throne of Egypt a… more
Date: 1683
Creator: Quinault, Philippe, 1635-1688
Partner: UNT Music Library
open access

Le piacevoli poesie

Description: This is a ca. 1750 copy of "Le piacevoli poesie di Giuseppe Baretti" (The Pleasing Poetry of Giuseppe Baretti). Although Baretti is primarily remembered for his frequent travels throughout Italy, England, France, and Portugal, which he recounted in his "Lettere familiari ai suoi tre fratelli," he was also a scholar, linguist, poet, translator, and journalist. He wrote "Le piacevoli poesie di Giuseppe Baretti" in 1750. The poetry imitated the style of Fancesco Berni, a 16th-century Italian poe… more
Date: 1750
Creator: Baretti, Giuseppe Marco Antonio, 1719-1789.
Partner: UNT Music Library
open access

Pigmalion

Description: This is the 1773 edition of the libretto to the comic opera and vaudeville, "Pigmalion" by Charles-François Panard and Thomas Laffichard. The opera premiered at the Paris Opéra Comique in 1735 . The plot is an adaptation of Ovid's story of Pygmalion, a sculptor who fell in love with a statue that he carved. Operatic and ballet representation of the subject of Pigmalion (or Pygmalion) became famous after Antoine Houdar de la Motte's entrée "La sculpture" for the ballet "Le triomphe des arts," … more
Date: 1773
Creator: Panard, Charles-François, d. 1765.
Partner: UNT Music Library
open access

Plain and easy introduction to practical music

Description: In 1597, while Morley was negotiating for the patent, he wrote his musical treatise, A Plaine and Easie Introduction to Practicall Musicke. Although his preface contains the statement that he had “nothing better to do,” Morley probably knew publishing a treatise on the science of music would boost public interest in purchasing musical works. In addition, by publishing such a work, the English audience would view Morley as an authority in music (and he would become more likely to obtain the pa… more
Date: 1771
Creator: Morley, Thomas, 1557-1603?
Partner: UNT Music Library
open access

Prattica di musica, utile et necessaria si al compositore per comporre i canti suoi regolatamente, si anco al cantore per assicurarsi in tutte le cose cantabili

Description: This book is the first part of Lodovico Zacconi's "Prattica di musica," published in 1596. The contents of this book are divided in four parts covering: the history of music, definition of musical terms, introduction to musical notation, modes, time and prolation, rules of counterpoint, musica ficta, classification of musical instruments, and proper manner of singing polyphonic works and musical ornaments. A second part, "Prattica di musica seconda parte," was published in Venice in 1622. The… more
Date: 1596
Creator: Zacconi, Lodovico, 1555-1627.
Partner: UNT Music Library
open access

Proserpine

Description: Libretto of the opera "Proserpine," by Philippe Quinolt; the plot is based on the story of the abduction of Proserpine and her descent into Hades, and also on Ovid's Metamorphoses, its original source. In the plot, Cerés, the goddess of the earth, summons the nymph Aréthuse to guard her daughter Proserpine. Aréthuse protests, and tells Cerés of her love for Alphée, the river god, but the anxious mother warns her she should not let her own feelings interfere with the assigned task. Alphée assume… more
Date: 1680
Creator: Quinault, Philippe, 1635-1688
Partner: UNT Music Library
open access

Roland

Description: Libretto of the opera "Roland" by Philippe Quinault; he based the plot of Roland on medieval legends of chivalry, setting episodes from Ludovico Ariosto's epic poem "Orlando furioso." Roland centers on the conflict between duty and love and the intervention of goddesses. This copy includes includes handwritten annotations of performers' names, and a frontispiece engraving undersigned by Jean Dolivar (i.e., Juan Dolivar) that illustrates one of the scenes from the opera. Jean-Baptiste Lully co… more
Date: 1685
Creator: Quinault, Philippe, 1635-1688
Partner: UNT Music Library
open access

Sofonisba

Description: This is a ca. 1764 copy of the libretto of the opera seria "Sofonisba" by Mattia Verazi. Baldassare Galuppi set this libretto to music for the 1764 carnival season in Turin. Mattia Verazi became a court poet at Mannheim and Stuttgart in 1756. Duke Carl Eugen favored operas with French influence, and Verazi catered to his tastes by providing libretti that deviated from Metastasian opera conventions. In 1762, Verazi and Tommaso Traeta collaborated to create operas following French models. Sofon… more
Date: 1764
Creator: Verazi, Mattia.
Partner: UNT Music Library
open access

Storia Della Musica: Volume 1

Description: Copy of the first of three volumes of "Storia della musica" (Music History) containing eleven chapters and three dissertations. The text describes various topics related to music history including music classification, early music in biblical descriptions, music theories, singing and harmonies, church music, and musical notations.
Date: 1757
Creator: Martini, Giovanni Battista, 1706-1784
Partner: UNT Music Library
open access

Storia Della Musica: Volume 2

Description: Copy of the second of three volumes of "Storia della musica" (Music History) containing nine chapters and three dissertations that talk about music in relation to ancient Greece, such as Greek mythological figures and festivals, Greek theories of music, and unique features of ancient Greek music.
Date: 1770
Creator: Martini, Giovanni Battista, 1706-1784
Partner: UNT Music Library
open access

Storia Della Musica: Volume 3

Description: This is a copy of the third of three volumes of "Storia della musica" (Music History), including numerous figures, musical examples demonstrating theoretical concepts of Greek music, and footnotes. It divided as follows: ch.1 - Greek music (pp. 1-24); ch.2 - Poetics, music and drama (pp. 25-90); ch.3 Dramatic poetry (pp. 91-148); ch.4 - Medieval and new dramatic poetry (pp.149-169); ch.5 - Music in Greek tragedy and drama (pp. 170-197); ch. 6 - Illustrious Greek music teachers (pp.198-268); ch… more
Date: 1781
Creator: Martini, Giovanni Battista, 1706-1784
Partner: UNT Music Library
open access

Thetis et Pelée

Description: Libretto of the opera "Thetis et Pelée" by Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle. In the plot, the Nereid Thetis is wooed by Jupiter and Neptune, as well as by a mortal, Pelée (Peleus). When a storm caused by Neptune disrupts a celebration Jupiter gave in honor of Thetis, an oracle is consulted, which foretells that Thetis's husband will one day be less powerful than his son. Neptune and Jupiter withdraw their claims, and Thetis marries Pelée. Pascal Collasse composed the music of the opera which pr… more
Date: 1689
Creator: Fontenelle, M. de (Bernard Le Bovier), 1657-1757
Partner: UNT Music Library
open access

Tractatus de musica

Description: The present volume is a 1875 compendium of various Latin music treatises by Johannes Tinctoris gathered from manuscript sources from Brussels, Bologna and Gand. The present edition, edited by Charles Coussemaker, comprises ten of the twelve surviving manuscripts of Tinctoris's theoretical works. According to Oxford Music, these were written in the first few years of his employment at Ferrante's court and demonstrate Tinctoris's intellectual and pedagogical mastery of music theory. They also dem… more
Date: 1875
Creator: Tinctoris, Johannes, d. 1511.
Partner: UNT Music Library
open access

Le triomphe de l'amour

Description: Libretto of the ballet "Le triomphe de l'amour" written by Philippe Quinault in collaboration with Isaac de Benserade. It is divided in two parts. The first, contais the prologue and the ballet entrances (i.e., entrées); the second part contains flattering comments and instructions directed to the noble people participating in the ballet. Each of the entrées that comprise "Le Triomphe de l'Amour" reveal aspects of love triumphant. The theater represents a magnificently ornate place wher… more
Date: 1681
Creator: Quinault, Philippe, 1635-1688
Partner: UNT Music Library
open access

Zephire et Flore

Description: This is a digital reproduction of the 1688 libretto of the opera "Zephire et Flore" by Michel Du Boullay. The music of the opera is attributed to Louis and Jean-Louis Lully, sons of Jean-Baptiste Lully. It was performed for the first time on March 22, 1688 at the Palais Royale in Paris.
Date: 1688
Creator: Duboullay, Michel
Partner: UNT Music Library
Back to Top of Screen