Fitzwilliam Virginal Book

The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book is a primary source of keyboard music from the late Elizabethan and early Jacobean periods in England, i.e., the late Renaissance and very early Baroque. It takes its name from Viscount Fitzwilliam who bequeathed this manuscript collection to Cambridge University in 1816. It is now deposited in the Fitzwilliam Museum at Cambridge. Although the word virginals or virginal (the plural form does not necessarily denote more than one instrument) is used today to refer to a specific instrument similar to a small, portable harpsichord, at the time of the book the word was used to denote virtually any keyboard instrument including the organ.

virginal made by Ruckers

History

It was given no title by its copyist and the ownership of the manuscript before the eighteenth century is unclear. At the time the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book was put together most collections of keyboard music were compiled by performers: other examples include Will Forster's Virginal Book, Clement Matchett's Virginal Book, and Anne Cromwell's Virginal Book. Until Parthenia was printed in about 1612, there was no keyboard music published as such in England, because of the technical complexity of printing keyboard music as opposed to, for example, vocal parts.

It was once called Queen Elizabeth's Virginal Book, a title that has been abandoned because it has been determined that she never owned it, Another hypothesis, which still has supporters, is that it belonged to Francis Tregian the Younger, a recusant and amateur musician. It has been argued that Tregian may have copied the entire collection while imprisoned in the period leading up to his death in 1618. The nature of Tregian's contribution to the book, if any, has been disputed.^[1] Recent scholarship suggests that even if Tregian is the compiler, it is unlikely that he was imprisoned long enough to do the copying involved.^[2]

It includes music dating from approximately 1562 to 1612 by John Bull, William Byrd, Orlando Gibbons, Giles Farnaby (51 of whose 52 known pieces are included), Martin Peerson, Peter Philips and Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, as well as many others. There are 297 separate pieces (actually, 298: one piece is numbered, but is blank. Strangely, the Maitland Squire edition numbers No. 182 twice). As with many keyboard manuscripts of the time, the pieces were not written for a specific instrument, and most sound happily on all contemporary keyboard instruments, including virginals, harpsichord, clavichord and chamber organ.^[3] Many of the pieces in the book are short, and many of them are character pieces with droll and memorable titles, including "Put Up Thy Dagger, Jemy", "The New Sa-Hoo", and "Quodlings Delight" by Giles Farnaby; "Nobody's Gigge", by Richard Farnaby; "Pakington's Pownde" and "The Irishe Dumpe" (anonymous); "The Ghost" and "The Earle of Oxford's Marche" by William Byrd; "Worster Braules" by Thomas Tomkins; and the famous "Lachrymae Pavan" by John Dowland, as arranged by Giles Farnaby and by William Byrd.

In 1899, Breitkopf & Härtel published an edition in two volumes (the Maitland Squire edition, see the Sources below) with only a basic critical commentary, which has been reprinted by Dover Publications and is available inexpensively. A microfilm facsimile of the manuscript is included in The music collections of the Cambridge libraries (Woodbridge, Conn. : Research Publications, 1991). Musica Britannica is preparing a volume dedicated to the "Keyboard Music from Fitzwilliam Manuscripts" .

Richard Strauss used several selections from the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book in his 1935 opera, Die schweigsame Frau, and cited them accordingly at their appearances in the work. They appear at ritualized moments in the action to provide commentary and atmosphere in the Act 2 marriage scene (No. XIV and No. XC) and in the Act 3 courtroom scene (No. XXXVII).

The first recording of selections from the anthology was made by Joseph Payne in 1964. It was issued by Vox Box (i.e. Vox Records) as a three-LP boxed set and features Payne performing three album sides on harpsichord (a modern Eric Herz instrument) and three sides on organ. Generally the more moderately paced and sustained pieces are performed on the organ.

The Pieces in the Book

(For each composer, the pieces follow the order in which they appear in the manuscript)

Anonymous

Alman
Barafostus' Dreame
Muscadin
Alman
Galiarda
Praeludium, El. Kyddermynster
Praeludium
The Irishe Hoe-Hoane
Veni
Heavene and Erthe
[Exercise]
Praeludium
Praeludium
Why Aske Yow
[deest owing to an error in numbering]
Pakingtons Pownde
The Irish Dompe
Watkins Ale
Can Shee
A Toye
An Almain
Corranto
Alman
Corranto
Corranto
Corranto
Daunce
Praeludium
Martin Sayd to his Man
Coranto
Corranto
Corranto
Corranto
Corranto
Alman
Nowels Galliarde
The Kynges Morisco
Alman
A Toye
Corranto
Ladye Riche
Corranto
A Toye
Allemanda
Dalling Alman

Doctor John Bull

Walsingham
Galliarda to my Lorde Lumlyes Pavan
Pavana
Galiarda
The Quadran Pavan
Variation of the Quadran Pavan
Galiard to the Quadran Pavan
Pavan
Galiard to the Pavan
Sainte Thomas Wake
Praeludium
Fantasia
Praeludium
Gloria tibi trinitas
Salvator Mundi
Galliarda
Variatio
Galliarda to the Pavan
In Nomine
Christe Redemptor
The Kynges Hunt
Pavana
Galiarda
Dr Bulls Juell
The Spanyshe Paven
The Duke of Brunswykes Alman
Pypers Galiarde
Variatio ejusdem
Praeludium
Galiarda
Galiarda
A Gigge, Doctor Bulls My selfe
A Gigge
Praeludium
Praeludium
Ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la
The Duchesse of Brunswykes Toye
Miserere in three partes

Ferdinando Richardson

Pavana
Variatio
Galiarda
Variation
Pavane
Variatio
Galiarda
Variatio

Giles Farnaby

Pavana (Robert Johnson set by Giles Farnaby)
The K[ing's] Hunt
Spagnioletta
For tow virginals
Daphne
Pawles Wharfe
Quodlings Deligte
Putte upp thy Dagger, Jemy
Bony sweete Robin
Fantasia
Wooddy Cocke
Rosasolis
Alman (Robert Johnson set by Giles Farnaby)
The Nuwe Sa-Hoo
Giles Farnabyes Dreame
His Rest
His Humoure
A Maske
A Maske
Fantasia
A Maske
Fantasia
Loth to departe
Fantasia
Fantasia
Ay me, poore Heart
Fantasia
Walter Erles Pavan
The L. Zouches Maske
Grownde
Upp T[ails] all
Tower Hill
Praeludium
A Gigge
Galliarda
A Toye
Farnabyes Conceite
Telle Mee, Daphne
Mal Sims
Rosseters Galiarde
The Flatt Pavan
Why aske yow
Farmers Pavan
The Olde Spagnoletta
Meridian Alman
Fantasia

John Munday

Fantasia
Fantasia, Faire Wether, etc.
Robin
Go from my window
Mundays Joye

Peter Philips

Tirsi, di Luca Marenzio. Ia. Parte intavolata di Pietro Phillipi.
Freno
Cosi morirò
Fece da voi
Pavana Pagget
Galiarda
Passamezzo Pavana
Galiarda passamezzo
Chi fara fede al Cielo, di Alessandro Striggio
Bon Jour mon Cueur, di Orlando di Lasso
Pavana Dolorosa, Treg[ian set by]
Galiarda Dolorosa
Amarilli, di Julio Romano (Giulio Caccini)
Margott laborez
Fantasia
Pavana
Le Rossignuol, (Lasso set by)
Galliardo
Fantasia

Thomas Morley

Goe from my window
Nancie
Fantasia
Alman
La Volta (Set by William Byrd)
Pavana
Galiarda

William Byrd

Fantasia
Jhon come kisse me nowe
Praeludium
Fantasia
Passamezzo Pavana
Galliardas Passamezzo
The Carmans Whistle (also catalogued in My Ladye Nevells Booke)
The Huntes upp (also catalogued in My Ladye Nevells Booke)
Treg[ian's] Grownde
Monsieurs Alman
Variatio
Alman
Sellengers Rownde (also catalogued in My Ladye Nevells Booke)
Fortune
O Mistris Myne
Will Yow Walke the Woods soe Wylde (also catalogued in My Ladye Nevells Booke)
Have With Yow to Walsingame (also catalogued in My Ladye Nevells Booke)
The Bells
Pavana, Bray
Galiarda
Pavana, Ph. Tr.
Galiarda
Praeludium to the Fancie
Ut, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La (also catalogued in My Ladye Nevells Booke)
Ut, Re, Mi
Fantasia
All in a Garden Grine
Pavana Lachrymae (By Thomas Tallis, set by William Byrd)
The Maydens Songe
The Quadran Pavian
Galiarde to the Quadran Pavian
Malt's come downe (doubtful attribution)
La Volta
Alman
Wolsey's Wylde
Callino Casturame
La Volta (T. Morley set by William Byrd)
Rowland
The Goste
Alman
Galliard
Pavana
Galiarda
Pavana
Galiarda
The Queene's Alman
A Medley
Pavana
Galliarda
Miserere in three partes
Miserere in fore partes
A Gigg
Sir Jhon Grayes Galliarde
Gipsies Rownde
Coranto
Pavana
Galiarda
Pavana
Galiarda
Pavana
Pavana Fant[asia]
Galiarda
The Earle of Oxford's Marche
Fantasia
Pavana, Canon
Pescodd Tyme
Pavana deligte (Edward Johnson, set by William Byrd)
Galiarda (Edward Johnson, set by William Byrd)
Ladye Montegles Pavan.

The Other Pieces

Pavana - M. S.
The Woods so Wilde - Orlando Gibbons
Praeludium - Thomas Oldfield
In Nomine - William Blitheman (see John Blitheman)
Fantasia - Nicholas Strogers
Alman - Nicholas Strogers
Toccata - Giovanni Picchi
Praeludium, Toccata - Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck
Pavana - Thomas Warrock (see also organists of Hereford Cathedral)
Galiarda - Thomas Warrock
Praeludium - Galeazzo
Heavene and Erthe - Fre - Francis Tregian
Felix namque 1 - Thomas Tallis
Felix namque 2 - Thomas Tallis
Ut, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La a 4 voci - Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck
Pavana Lachrymae - John Dowland (set by William Byrd)
Galiarda - James Harding (set by William Byrd)
Pavana - Thomas Tomkins
A Grownde - Thomas Tomkins
Barafostus' Dreame - Thomas Tomkins
The Hunting Galliard - Thomas Tomkins
In Nomine - John Parsons
Psalme - Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck
Nobodyes Gigge - Richard Farnaby (son of Giles Farnaby)
Pipers Pavan - Martin Peerson
Allemanda - Marchant
Fayne would I Wedd - Richard Farnaby
Worster Braules - Thomas Tomkins
Almand - William Tisdall
Pavana Chromatica - William Tisdall
Fantasia - Jan Pieterzoon Sweelinck
Pavana, Clement Cotton - William Tisdall
Pavana - William Tisdall
Alman - Hooper (perhaps Edmund Hooper)
Corranto - Hooper
Jhonsons Medley - Edward Johnson
A Galiarde Grownde - William Inglot (see also organists of Hereford Cathedral)
The Leaves bee greene - William Inglot
Galiarda - Jehan Oystermayre
The Primerose - Martin Peerson
The Fall of the Leafe - Martin Peerson
Pavana Delight - Edward Johnson (set by William Byrd)
Lachrymae Pavan - John Dowland (set by Giles Farnaby)
Pavana - Orlando Gibbons
Galiarda - William Tisdall
Hanskin - Richard Farnaby

References

↑ Ruby Reid Thompson, Francis Tregian the Younger as music copyist: A legend and an alternative view. Music and Letters 2001 82: 1-31; doi:10.1093/ml/82.1.1
↑ Kah-Ming Ng, liner notes to The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book: Transcriptions for a Mixed Consort, charivari agréable, Signum Records SIGD009
↑ A few of the pieces presuppose an instrument arranged with a short octave in the bass, since they contain large intervals for the left hand that cannot be reached on the modern keyboard. The short octave was widely employed in all four instruments mentioned in the main text.

External links

The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
Fitzwilliam Virginal Book, c.1610 – c.1625, information by the Fitzwilliam Museum
Lynda Sayce and Kah-Ming Ng: The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book, Signum Records, 1999
Holt, Greg (June 2007). Fawcett, Pat, ed. "Francis Tregian and the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book". The Cornwall Family History Society. Truro: CFHS. 124: 32–33. ISSN 0141-7614. OCLC 62597632.

Recordings

Complete Recording performed on digital piano/harpsichord by Claudio Colombo
FitzWilliam Virginal Book, Vol. I, recorded by Dutch harpsichordist Pieter-Jan Belder on Brilliant Classics
Allman

From the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book. Performed by Ulrich Metzner on a harpsichord of the type used in the early 20th century

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Renaissance music manuscript sources

Anne Cromwell's Virginal Book Clement Matchett's Virginal Book Dublin Virginal Manuscript Elizabeth Rogers' Virginal Book Fitzwilliam Virginal Book The Mulliner Book My Ladye Nevells Booke Parthenia Parthenia Inviolata Priscilla Bunbury's Virginal Book Susanne van Soldt Manuscript

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