MS Mus. 151

MS Mus. 151. CHARLES DIBDIN: music manuscripts; circa 1763-73, n.d.

ff. 48. 245 x 305mm.

1. ff. 1-26. Two airs from ‘The Wedding Ring’ (afterpiece, words after C. Goldoni, first performed at Drury Lane, 1 Feb 1773). For the overture, see Add. 30950. Published in The Songs, &c. in the Wedding Ring (J. Johnston, [1773]).

i. ff. 1-14. Air, ‘How happy the Nymph who never can know’, with deleted words, ‘Ye Pow’rs, if any Pow’rs exist’.

ii. ff. 15-26. ‘Humourous [Air]’, ‘Of woman to tell you my mind’. Copy. The melody and bass only are written.

2. f. 27. Air, ‘If helmet and spear, arrow and bow’, for voice and piano. Incomplete. With sketches for another piece on the verso.

3. ff. 28-9. Last four bars of an air, ‘… badly hang together’, with the words to the second and third verses written out. Followed by a trio, ‘Lying sure thy sphere is / This matter pretty clear is / Master Domingo queer is’, for the characters ‘Fabio’, ‘Domingo’ and ‘Gil Perez’. Incomplete. From ‘The Islanders’ (see also MS Mus. 149, ff. 7-8).

4. ff. 30-5. Duet, ‘My heart’s a forge where beauty’s son’, for the characters ‘Goose Cass’ and ‘Betty’, with piano accompaniment. Copy.

5. f. 36. Chorus, ‘Tho’ in indignant chains confined’. ‘First voice’ part only.

6. f. 37. ‘London cries’, arranged for piano. The cries are ‘Come buy, come buy my fine roses’, ‘Come buy my water cresses’ and ‘All a-blowing’. Inscribed ‘Plate 14’.

7. ff. 38-47. Thomas Augustine Arne and others: airs from ‘Love in a Village’ (words, Isaac Bickerstaff, after Charles Johnson’s The Village Opera); after 1763. Vocal score. Copied, not in Dibdin’s hand, from the printed vocal score, Love in a Village: a Comic Opera (I. Walsh, [1763]). Inscribed ‘Frances A. Shaw, Great-grandaughter of Charles Dibdin’ (f. 38). The movements are as follows:—

i. ff. 38v-9. Air, ‘Hope! thou nurse of young desire’ (adapted from ‘Let Ambition’ in Weldon’s ‘The Judgment of Paris’). For another arrangement, see Add. 25078, f. 17.

ii. ff. 39v-40. Air, ‘When once Love’s subtle poyson gains’ (adapted from ‘The generous distress’d’ in Arne’s Lyric Harmony).

iii. ff. 40-1. Air, ‘Cupid, God of soft persuation’ (adapted from ‘Voi amante’ by Giardini).

iv. ff. 41-2. Air, ‘We women like poor Indians trade’ (adapted from ‘Quel ruscelletto’ in Paradies’ La Forza d’amore).

v. ff. 42-3. Air, ‘Believe me, dear Aunt’ (newly composed by Arne).

vi. ff. 43-4v. Duet, ‘Let Rakes and Libertines resign’d’ (adapted from ‘Ask if yon damask rose’ in Handel’s Susanna).

vii. ff. 44v-6v. Trio, ‘Well come, let us hear what the swain’ (newly composed by Arne).

viii. f. 47. Air, ‘If ever a fond inclination’ (adapted from Geminiani’s Concerto grosso in C minor, op. 2, no. 1).

8. f. 48. ‘Secondo’ part of a movement for piano duet.

includes:

• ff. 1-26 Carlo Goldoni, writer of plays: Airs from 'The Wedding Ring', afterpiece by C. Dibdin based on a play by C. Goldoni: [1773].
• ff. 28-9 Germain-François Poullain de Saint-Foix, writer of plays: Airs from 'The Islanders', opera by Dibdin based on a play by G.-F. P. de Saint-Foix: [1780].
• ff. 38-47 Thomas Augustine Arne, composer: Charles Johnson, dramatic writer: Isaac Bickerstaff, writer of plays: Movements from 'Love in a Village', opera by T. A. Arne and others , with words by Isaac Bickerstaff after 'The Village Opera' by Charles Johnson: after 1763: Copies.