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Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Volume 2

Description: This is a copy of the second volume of "Dictionary of Music and Musicians," edited by Sir George Grove. This volume, published in 1880, is an encyclopedic work that contains the biographies of well-known composers as well as articles contributed by various authors on music topics, concepts and definitions starting alphabetically from: "I" (improperia) to "P" (plain song). The names of contributing authors appear in a list on pp.[v]-vii, signed "Bedford Street, Covent Garden, October 1, 1880." … more
Date: 1880
Creator: Grove, George, Sir, 1820-1900.
Partner: UNT Music Library
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Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Volume 3

Description: This is a copy of the third volume of "Dictionary of Music and Musicians," edited by Sir George Grove. This volume, published in 1883, is an encyclopedic work that contains the biographies of well-known composers as well as articles contributed by various authors on music topics, concepts and definitions starting alphabetically from: "P" (Planché, James Robinson) to "S" (the title of the Medieval rota, "Sume is icumen in"). The names of contributing authors appear in a list on pp.[v]-vii, sign… more
Date: 1883
Creator: Grove, George, Sir, 1820-1900.
Partner: UNT Music Library
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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

Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Volume 1

Description: This is a copy of the first volume of "Dictionary of Music and Musicians," edited by Sir George Grove. This volume, published in 1879, is an encyclopedic work that contains the biographies of well-known composers as well as articles contributed by various authors on music topics, concepts and definitions starting alphabetically from: "A" (i.e., the sixth note in the scale of C major) to "I" (impromptu). The names of contributing authors appear in a list on pp.[vii]-viii), signed "Bedford Stree… more
Date: 1879
Creator: Grove, George, Sir, 1820-1900.
Partner: UNT Music Library

Devil to pay: or, The wives metamorphos'd

Description: English libretto to Charles Coffey's ballad opera The devil to pay or, The wives metamorphos'd. The Devil to Pay is an adaptation of Thomas Jevon’s play The Devil of a Wife (1686). Nearly fifty years later, the ballad opera appeared at Drury Lane with Charles Coffey and John Mottley each responsible for half of the three acts. However, a much shorter and more well-received one-act version, edited by Theophilus Cibber, is represented in the printed libretto. Today Coffey is generally the onl… more
Date: 1732
Creator: Coffey, Charles, d. 1745; Mottley, John, 1692-1750 & Jevon, Thomas, 1652-1688
Partner: UNT Music Library

Beggar's opera

Description: This is a 1735 fourth ed. of the three-act ballad opera "The beggar's opera" by John Christopher Pepusch and John Gay. It includes the score for the overture (for violins (2), viola, and bass ensemble) and the melodies of each song. The inscription, "Nos haec novimus esse nihil" (transl. as, We know these to be nothing) that appears on the t.p. is an epigram by Marcus Valerius Martialis from his Books of Epigrams. On the back of the t.p. appears the advertisement of these works printed by Joh… more
Date: 1735
Creator: Pepusch, John Christopher, 1667-1752 & Gay, John, 1685-1732
Partner: UNT Music Library

Esther, a sacred oratorio in score

Description: This is a ca. 1794 score of "Esther," a sacred oratorio by Handel. According to the Grove Dictionary of Music, the English libretto of the oratorio was probably a collaborative work between John Arbuthnot and Alexander Pope with additional words by Samuel Humphreys. The engraved frontispiece that precedes the t.p. bears the title "Apotheosis of Handel," and the inscription, "The portrait from an original picture of Hudson's in the possession of Dr. Arnold. Designed by Rebecca [Biagio]. Engrave… more
Date: 1794
Creator: Handel, George Frideric, 1685-1759
Partner: UNT Music Library

Esther, a sacred oratorio in score

Description: This is a bound copy of a ca. 1794 score of "Esther," a sacred oratorio by Handel. The cover contains the inscription, "The works of Handel, edited by Dr. Arnold." It does not include the frontispiece preceding the t.p. According to the Grove Dictionary of Music, the English libretto of the oratorio was probably a collaborative work between John Arbuthnot and Alexander Pope with additional words by Samuel Humphreys. A table of contents appears on p. 185 with incipits of first lines of text of… more
Date: 1794
Creator: Handel, George Frideric, 1685-1759
Partner: UNT Music Library

Handel's Songs, Selected From His Oratorios: Volume 2

Description: This is the second of a five-volume anthology featuring 160 arias and songs from various oratorios by G. F. Handel. The vocal score contains musical selections arranged for 1-2 voices with unrealized figured bass intended for harpsichord (continuo), oboe, or flute accompaniment. The English text is printed between the treble and bass, or alto staves. A publisher's note in the t.p. announced the availability of instrumental parts are available separately for concerts. The table of content that … more
Date: 1780
Creator: Handel, George Frideric, 1685-1759
Partner: UNT Music Library

Handel's Songs, Selected From His Oratorios: Volume 3

Description: This is the third volume of a five-volume anthology featuring arias and songs from various oratorios by G. F. Handel. The vocal score contains musical selections arranged for 1-2 voices with unrealized figured bass intended for harpsichord (continuo), oboe, or flute accompaniment. The English text is printed between the treble and bass, or alto staves. A publisher's note on the t.p. announced the availability of instrumental parts sold separately. The table of content indicates the oratorio f… more
Date: 1785
Creator: Handel, George Frideric, 1685-1759
Partner: UNT Music Library

Love in a Village: a Comic Opera As it is Performed at the Theatre Royal in Covent-Garden. For the Harpsicord, Voice, German Flute, or Violin.

Description: Vocal score for Love in a Village is broken into four labeled sections ('books'), each of which has a separate title page, and includes the music from the comic opera which has figured bass. Some of the music includes underlaid lyrics and the names of the persons who performed the pieces. Table of contents for the entire work is on page [1].
Date: 1763
Creator: Arne, Thomas Augustine, 1710-1778 & Bickerstaff, Isaac, 1735-1812
Partner: UNT Music Library

A compendium of practical music in five parts, Teaching, by a new and easie method

Description: A compendium of practical music in five parts, Teaching, by a new and easie method, 1. The rudiments of song, 2. The principles of composition, 3. The use of discords, 4. The form of figurate descant, 5. The contrivance of canon, Together with lessons for viols, &c., third edition. First published under the title "The principles of practical musick."
Date: 1678
Creator: Simpson, Christopher, -1669
Partner: UNT Music Library

The Booke of Common Prayer

Description: 1611 edition of the Book of Common Prayer, with psalms. The psalms include incipits in Latin, and occasional notated settings, along with the traditional canticles (Benedictus, Magnificat, Nunc Dimmitis) for morning, evening, and night prayer, Te Deum, the Athanasian Creed, and other hymns and prayers.
Date: 1611
Creator: Church of England
Partner: UNT Music Library

The Day-spring, or, Union collection of songs for the sanctuary

Description: "Compiled by Sylvester Main from the already published works of the late I.B. Woodbury as well as from much choice manuscript music found in his portfolio at his death, together with copious contributions from the first living authors." The beginning of the collection includes brief instruction in the fundamentals of music and choral singing.
Date: 1859
Creator: Main, Sylvester,1817-1873 & Woodbury, I. B. (Isaac Baker), 1819-1858
Partner: UNT Music Library

Three Cantatas

Description: It is upon this set of three Italianate cantatas - "Martillo," "Thyrsis and Neptune" and "Amymone" that Hayden's reputation mainly rests. The second and third works include unspecified obbligato instruments. Content is printed only on the recto of each leaf. The bass line contains no figuration.
Date: 1717
Creator: Hayden, George, d. 1722?
Partner: UNT Music Library

Rosamond

Description: This three-act opera is to a libretto by Joseph Addison. Content is printed only on the recto side of each leaf. The score features two title pages: the first, with an engraving and small print describing the contents; the second, with large font. The work opens with a three-part "symphony or overture" for an ensemble of unspecified instrumentation: two treble instruments and one bass instrument. The indication "with Violins" on some the songs suggests the nature of the high instruments. No fig… more
Date: 1707
Creator: Clayton, Thomas, 1673-1725
Partner: UNT Music Library

The Theater of music

Description: A note at the bottom of the final page reads, "In the Title Page of this Book, instead of Theorbo-Bass, read Thorow-Bass." Although this seems to suggest that chordal accompaniment should be used, bass lines are unfigured and meant for either a plucked or bowed string instrument per the suggestions on the title page. Three-part ritornelli are interspersed throughout this volume. All vocal lines (the top one of each system) use the treble clef. Only the text of the first stanza is underlaid; any… more
Date: 1685
Creator: Playford, Henry, 1657-1710
Partner: UNT Music Library

XII solos for a violin

Description: This English edition of Corelli's Op. 5 sonata for violin and continuo is, aside from an engraving of the composer and the title page, printed on both the recto and verso sides of the leaves. The bass line contains figures. A note by the publisher states: "These Solos are Printed from a curious Edition Publish'd at Rome by the Author."
Date: 1740~
Creator: Corelli, Arcangelo, 1653-1713
Partner: UNT Music Library

Vocal Melody Book IV

Description: This collection of songs from the pantomime "Harlequin Sorcerer" and the play "The Oracle" are scored for various voice types with obbligato instruments and basso continuo (with figured bass). A "Mrs. Cibber" is credited prominently on the title page. Some songs also have alternate parts for the solo line (conflating obbligato and vocal parts) for German flute (sometimes simply designated as "Flute").
Date: 1752
Creator: Arne, Thomas Augustine, 1710-1778
Partner: UNT Music Library

Harmonia Sacra

Description: This collection of six anthems for various combinations of voices employs a figured continuo accompaniment. Instrumental interludes labeled "symphonies" can also be found interspersed among the choral selections. Though the music cites no particular scriptural passages, the text seems inspired by - if not directly derived from - the Bible.
Date: 1730~
Creator: Purcell, Henry, 1659-1695
Partner: UNT Music Library
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