MS Mus. 152

MS Mus. 152. CHARLES DIBDIN AND OTHERS: album of songs and keyboard music; circa 1800. Partly autogr., partly copies, partly printed. ff. 1-11 are in the same hand. The printed items have been trimmed and pasted into the volume, and no publication details are retained. Inscribed ‘A. Dibdin’ (perhaps Anne Dibdin, his wife) and ‘Frances Anne Shaw, Great grandaughter of Charles Dibdin’. Bookplate of M. D. Carnelley, of Kenya.

ff. iv + 79. 228 x 295mm. Full mottled calf binding with plain gilt border.

1. ff. 1v-3. ‘Fairy’s Song in the Prelude’, ‘Magnanimous Madam Hazzard see’, for voice and piano. Copy, with the words of three further verses added in autograph. For a score, see Add. 30952, f. 162-3.

2. ff. 3v-4. Henry Harington: Round, ‘Look, Neighbours, look, here lies poor Thomas Day’, for three voices and bass. Copy, not in Dibdin’s hand. From ‘The Genius of Nonsense’, pantomime first performed at the Little Theatre, 2 Sept. 1780. For other copies, see Adds. 31806, f. 155v and 30273, f. 33.

3. ff. 4v-5. Air, ‘Stray not to those distant scenes’, for voice and piano. Copy. A second verse is written after the score. ‘Sung by Mrs Kennedy in the Comedy of Errors’ (in the 1765-6 season). Published in this arrangement as Tarry Here with me and Love (S[amuel] A[nn and] P[eter] T[hompson], [1780]).

4. ff. 5v-6. Thomas Linley the elder: air, ‘Young Lubin was a Shepherd Boy’ (words, Richard Tickell), for voice and piano. Copy. Two further verses are written after the score. ‘Sung by Mrs Cargill in the Carnival of Venice,’ comic opera first performed at Drury Lane, 13 Dec. 1781.

5. ff. 6v-7. Chorus, ‘Give round the word, dismount’, for two-part chorus and piano. Copy. ‘Sung by Mr Doyle in the Medley’. From the pantomime ‘The Medley’, first performed at Covent Garden, 14 Oct. 1778, and revised as The Mirror, 30 Nov. 1779. Published as Give Round the Word: the Favourite Hunting Song (S[amuel] A[nn and] P[eter] T[hompson], [1779]).

6. ff. 7v-8. Thomas Linley the elder: air, ‘In my Pleasant Native Plains’ (words, Richard Tickell), for voice and piano. Copy. ‘Sung by Mrs Cargill in the Carnival of Venice.’ See item 4.

7. ff. 8v-9v. ‘Sigr. Ferdinando Bertoni’: aria, ‘La verginella come la rosa’ (words, C. F. Badini, after R. B. Sheridan), for voice and piano. Copy. From ‘La Governante’, dramma giocoso, first performed at the King’s Theatre, 15 May 1779.

8. ff. 10v-11. Air, ‘A verdant bed I’ll straight prepare’, for voice and piano. Copy. ‘In the Grases’, i.e. ‘The Graces’, intermezzo, first perfomed at the Royal Circus, 1782. Libretto published by G. Kearsly, 1782.

9. ff. 11v-12. Air, ‘When William at eve meets me down at the stile’, for voice (Phoebe) and piano, with a cue for a flute part. Autograph, the introduction in another hand. A second verse is written after the score. ‘Sung by Mrs Martyr.’

10. ff. 12v-13. ‘Sweet Tally Ho’, air, ‘With Hound and Horn each rosy morn’, for voice and piano. Autograph. Two further verses are written after the score.

11. ff. 13v-14. ‘A Song’, ‘The ling’ring hour seems as a day’, for voice and piano. Autograph. For a score, see Add. 30954, f 74v.

12. ff. 14v-15. ‘Song by Mr Dibdin’, ‘Ye Jobbers, under writers, ye tribe of pen and ink’, for voice and piano. Autograph. Published in the same setting as Ye Jobbers, Under Writers: a Favorite Song Sung by Miss Romanzini ... at the Royal Circus (J. Welcker, [1784]).

13. ff. 15v-17v. ‘A Song’, ‘I’m up to all your tricks, my Dear’, for voice and piano. Autograph. In two verses. From ‘The Cestus’, serenata first performed at the Royal Circus, 1783. Published in this arrangement in The Cestus (S., A. & P. Thompson, [1783]).

14. f. 18. James Oswald: air, ‘Thy fatal shafts unering move’ (words, Tobias Smollet), for voice and piano. Copy, not in Dibdin’s hand; the first three bars are repeated after the air in Dibdin’s hand, and subsequently deleted. Published in two different arrangements, one printed for the author, [c. 1760], the other Broderip, [1785?].

15. f. 19. Air in G major, for piano solo. Autograph.

16. ff. 19v-20. Air, ‘Parents may fairly thank themselves’, for voice (Colombine) and piano. Autograph. ‘Sung by Miss Brown.’ From ‘The Touchstone’, pantomime, first performed at Covent Garden, 4 Jan. 1779. Published in this arrangement in The … New Speaking Pantomime called the Touchstone (S. and A. Thompson, [1779]).

17. ff. 20v-1. Pierre Alexander Monsigny: air, ‘Somehow my spindle I mislaid’ (words Dibdin, after M.-J. Sedaine), for voice and piano. Copy, in Dibdin’s hand. From ‘The Deserter’, afterpiece to music by Monsigny, Dibdin and François-André Danican Philidor, first performed at Drury Lane, 2 Nov 1773. ‘Sung by Mrs Wrighton.’ Published in this arrangement in The Songs, &c. in the Deserter (Dublin: Printed for W. Gibson, [1774?]).

18. ff. 21v-2. Air, ‘Good night, good night, thou noble youth’ (words Dibdin, after Marmontel), for voice and piano. Autograph. From ‘The Chelsea Pensioner’, afterpiece, first performed at Covent Garden, 6 May 1779. Four further verses are written after the score. Published in the same arrangement in The Lyrist or Family Concert, vol. i (S. A. & P. Thompson, [1781]).

19. f. 22v. [Jig] in G major, for keyboard. Autograph.

20. ff. 22v-3. [Air] in G major, for keyboard. Autograph.

21. f. 23v. [Prelude] in D major, for keyboard. Autograph.

22. ff. 24v-5. [Variations on ‘For he’s a jolly good fellow’] for keyboard. . Autograph.

23. f. 25v. Air, beginning ‘Re…’, for voice and piano. The introduction and first line of melody only. Autograph. Inscribed ‘Major Andre’.

24. ff. 26-7. The Miller’s Wedding Day, air, ‘The prospect how charming’, for voice and piano. Printed.

25. ff. 28-9. Rural Content, air, ‘Away, let nought to Love displeasing’ (words, G. Cooper), for voice and piano. Printed.

26. f. 30. George Frideric Handel: To a Favourite Aire in Alcina by Mr Handel, ‘Bird of May, leave the Spray’ (words, J. Lockman), for voice and piano; [1740?]. Printed. To the tune of the musette in the overture to ‘Alcina’. Another copy of G.306.(252.).

27. ff. 31-2. Laura, air, ‘When Phœbus’ beams at noon of day’, for voice and piano. Printed.

28. f. 33. A New Additional Song: sung by Mrs Baddely in As you like it, ‘Then is there mirth in Heaven’ (words, Shakespeare). Printed.

29. ff. 34-6. The General Lover: sung by Mr Kear at Finches Grotto Gardens, air, ‘Let my fair only one be’, for voice and piano. Printed. From ‘Britons Strike Home’, table entertainment first peformed at the New Sans Souci, 17 Sept 1803. Published in another arrangement, I. R. [J. Rutherford], [1775?].

30. ff. 37-8. Do if you Dare: sung by Mr Kear at Finchs Grotto Gardens, air, ‘Beneath yonder Hawthorn that blooms in the shade’, for voice and piano. Printed. Also published in The Universal Magazine, December 1768, p. 321.

31. ff. 39-40. Autumn: sung by Mr Kear at Finches Grotto Gardens, air, ‘Tho’ the Season must alter’, for voice and piano. Printed.

32. f. 41. Handel: A Favourite Aire by Mr Handel in Ariadne, ‘How is it possible’, for voice and piano. Printed. To the tune of the minuet in the overture to ‘Arianna’. Another copy of G.306.(253.).

33. ff. 42-4. [Anonymous]: Song: the words by Mr Coleman, ‘Each hour, Mariana, each moment I prove’, for voice and piano. Also published in the same arrangement in The Universal Magazine, xxxix (1766), p. 316.

34. ff. 45-7. Thomas Arne: The new Song sung by Mrs Cibber in the Way to keep him, ‘Ye fair marri’d Dames’ (words, David Garrick), for voice and piano. Printed. Also published in other single-sheet folios.

35. f. 48. Song, the words by Mr Moore, ‘As Phillis the gay’, for voice and piano. Printed. Probably not by Dibdin.

36. ff. 49-52. My Heart was my Own: Sung by Mr Kear at Finch’s Grotto Gardens, air, ‘When the Vilets began’, for voice and piano. Printed.

37. ff. 53-8. The Tinker: a favorite Comic Song, ‘A Lea; But now a saucy Footman’, for voice and piano. Printed. Another copy of G.380.d.(6.).

38. ff. 59-67. God save the King, harmonized for four voices, adapted also for one voice, for the Pianoforte. Printed.

39. ff. 68-70. The Modern Coquet: Sung by Mr Kear at Finches Grotto Gardens, air, ‘The Life would you know of a Modern Coquette’, for voice and piano. Printed.

40. ff. 71-2. A New Additional Song: Sung by Mrs Baddely in As you like it, ‘Then is there mirth in Heaven’ (words, Shakespeare), for voice and piano. Printed.

41. ff. 73-5. A New Additional Song: Sung by Miss Rogers in Queen Mab, recitative ‘Sister, where now’ and air ‘Too long their pleasure’, for voice and piano. Printed.

42. ff. 74v, 76. Joseph Mazzinghi and William Reeve: air, ‘Happy were the days from infancy advancing’ (words, J. Cobb), for voice (Zelma) and piano. ‘Sung by Miss Waters in Ramah Droog.’ With a second verse written on f. 76v. From ‘Ramah Droog, or Wine Does Wonders’, comic opera, first performed Covent Garden, 12 Nov 1798. Published in the same arrangement, Goulding & Co, [1798].

43. ff. 77v-8. Domenico Corri: ‘The Bird in yonder cage confined, sung in the Cabinet by Signora Storace’ (words Thomas John Dibdin), for voice and piano. Incomplete: lacking a page from the middle. From ‘The Cabinet’, comic opera by several composers, first performed Covent Garden, 9 Feb 1802. Apparently copied from the publication by D. Corri, [1802].

44. ff. 78v-9v. Theodore Smith: ‘With soft, persuasive, guileful Strain’ (words ‘by the author of the Welch harper’, i.e. James Sheridan Knowles), for voice and piano.

includes:

• ff. 3v-4 Henry Harington, MD; composer: Round, 'Look, neighbours, look': circa 1800: Copy.
• ff. 5v-6, 7v-8 Thomas Linley, composer: Richard Tickell: Airs by Thomas Linley, to words by Richard Tickell: circa 1800: Copies.
• ff. 8v-9v Richard Brinsley Sheridan, MP; dramatist: Ferdinando Gasparo Bertoni, composer: Carlo Francesco Badini, writer of plays: Aria, 'La verginella come la rosa', by Ferdinando Gasparo Bertoni, to words by Carlo Francesco Badini after Richard Brinsley Sheridan: circa 1800: Ital: Copy.
• f. 18 Tobias Smollett, novelist: James Oswald, composer and publisher: Air, 'Thy fatal shafts' by James Oswald, to words by Tobias Smollett: circa 1800: Copy.
• ff. 20v-1 Michel-Jean Sedaine, writer of plays: Pierre Alexander Monsigny, composer: Air, 'Somehow my spindle I mislaid' , to words by C. Dibdin after Michel-Jean Sedaine: circa 1800: Copy.
• ff. 21v-2 Jean-François Marmontel, writer of plays: Air, 'Good night, thou noble youth', by C. Dibdin, words based on J.-F. Marmontel: circa 1800.
• ff. 28-9 G. Cooper, poet: Air, 'Rural content', set to music by C. Dibdin: circa 1800: Copy.
• ff. 30, 41 George Frideric Handel, composer: Songs, arranged from operatic overtures: circa 1740: Printed.
• ff. 45-7 Thomas Augustine Arne, composer: Song, 'Ye fair marri'd Dames': n.d.: Printed.
• ff. 74v, 76 William Reeve, theatre composer: Joseph Mazzinghi, composer: J. Cobb, librettist: Air, 'Happy were the days' from 'Ramah Droog' by Joseph Mazzinghi and William Reeve, to words by J. Cobb: circa 1800: Copy.
• ff. 77v-8 Thomas John Dibdin, actor and dramatist: Domenico Corri, composer and music publisher: Air, 'The Bird in Yonder Cage Confin'd' by Domenico Corri, to words by Thomas John Dibdin: circa 1800: Copy.
• ff. 78v-9v James Sheridan Knowles, dramatist: Theodore Smith, composer: Air, 'With soft, persuasive, guileful Strain' by Theodore Smith, to words by James Sheridan Knowles: circa 1800: Copy.