MS Mus. 1177

MS Mus. 1177. Daniel Purcell: ‘Begin the noble song’, ode for St Cecilia’s Day; 1698. Copy of full score, in ink. ‘A Song on the Feast of St Caecilia 1698 By Mr Dan. Purcell.’ In D major, for tenor and alto solo, chorus, oboes, trumpets, strings and timpani. The only other known manuscript is Guildhall Library Gresham Ms. 458, which is written in the same hand. Published by PRB Productions, edited by Richard Charteris (Albany, California, 2007). The text, by Samuel Wesley (b. 1662, d. 1735), was published in The Gentleman’s Journal in 1694: see ‘Index to the songs and musical allusions in “The Gentleman’s Journal”, 1692-4’, The Musical Antiquary, July 1911, p. 234. The text is also printed in W. H. Husk: Musical Celebrations on St. Cecilia’s Day (1857), but this setting is not mentioned. Singers’ names - ‘Mr Leveridge’, ‘Mr Freeman’, ‘Mr Dan. Williams’, ‘Mr Pate’, ‘Mr Howell’, ‘Mr Church’, ‘Mr Robart’, ‘Dr Turner’ - are written at the beginning of each vocal solo. All but Williams, Robert and Church are known to have performed in works by Henry Purcell in the 1690s. Howell, Church and Turner were all members of the Chapel Royal in 1698. The title on f. 1r has an ink, pen and brush decorative border of leaves and ribbons. The music is written on twelve-stave paper. Purchased at Sotheby’s, 20 May 2005, part of lot 129 (with MS Mus. 1524).

ff. i + 38. 310 x 200mm. Quarter-leather binding with marbled boards, very worn.