R.M.20.f.12

Fragments with English words. f. i was removed during recent conservation work; between ff. 17 and 18, 34 and 35 are single folios ruled with staves but otherwise blank, not foliated; between ff. 43 and 44 are 3 blank leaves, not foliated; ff. 4v, 17v, 21v, 34 and 48v are ruled with staves but otherwise blank.

1. ff. 1-2v. ‘May God, from whom all mercies’. Marked ‘NB’. The Alto solo passage in the chorus in the Occasional Oratorio (H-G. XLIII, p. 113, bar 2) (see R.M.20.f.12). It is followed immediately by ‘Amen Hallelujah’ for Soprano and figured bass (HWV 269). (H-G. XXXVIII, p. 166).

2. f. 3. ‘Amen’, for Soprano and figured bass (HWV 270). (H-G. XXXVIII, p. 168).

3. f. 3v. ‘Amen, allelujah’, for Soprano and figured bass (HWV 271). (H-G. XXVIII, p. 169).

4. f. 4. A movement without words, for Soprano and figured bass (HWV 275).

5. f. 5. ‘Allelujah amen’, for Soprano and figured bass (HWV 272). (H-G. XXXVIII, p. 170).

6. f. 5v. ‘Credo in unum Deum. Kyrie Eleison! Soli Deo Gloria’ (written across the top of the page). ‘Alleluja amen’, for Soprano and figured bass (HWV 273). (H-G. XXXVIII, p. 171).

7. f. 6. ‘Allelujah amen’, for Soprano and figured bass (HWV 274). (H-G. XXXVIII, p. 172).

8. ff. 7-10v. ‘Gentle Morpheus son of night’ ‘Calliope’s Song. Admetus sleeping’. ‘Mrs Arne’. From Alceste (HWV 45) (H-G. XLVIb, p. 30). See R.M.20.e.6. (ff. 21-36).

9. ff. 11-14v. ‘Come, Fancy’ ‘Calliope. Song to Admetus’. ‘Mrs Arne’. From Alceste (HWV 45) (H-G. XLVIb, p. 56). See R.M.20.e.6. (ff. 21-36).

10. ff. 15-17v. ‘Let’s imitate her notes above’. Duet (S.A.), from Alexander’s Feast (HWV 75). The ritornello (H-G. XII, p. 153, line 2) is omitted and a cue given for the immediate entry of the chorus (H-G., p. 157, bar 1). See also R.M.20.d.4.

11. ff. 18-21v. ‘O God who from the suckling’s mouth’ ‘For Sigre Guadagni’. Air (A.) from the Foundling Hospital Anthem (‘Blessed are they that consider the poor’) (HWV 268). (H-G. XXXVI, p. 169).

12. ff. 22-24. Part of the Foundling Hospital Anthem (HWV 268) (H-G. XXXVI), from p. 164, line 1, beginning of bar 2, to the end of p. 168. For copies of the anthem see R.M.19.g.1. vol.1 (ff. 199-252) and R.M.19.e.8. (ff. 1-55).

13. ff. 24v. ‘Comfort them O Lord’, from the Foundling Hospital Anthem (HWV 268) (H-G. XXXVI) p. 185 to the end of p. 199. ‘Segue Accomp. Elder Tyrannic Love’ is written at the end and crossed out.

14. f. 31v. A folio, ruled with staves but otherwise blank, headed: ‘Segue Chorus ex Messiah, Act 2, Halleluja for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth’.

15. ff. 32-34v. ‘The people will tell of their wisdom’. Duet, from the Foundling Hospital Anthem (HWV 268) (H-G. XXXVI, p. 200). Note [by V. Schoelcher].

16. ff. 35-38v. ‘Through the Land so lovely blooming’. Air (S.) for ‘Josab[eth]’ in Athalia (HWV 52) (see also R.M.20.h.1.). The setting is not that in H-G. V, p. 125. A second set of words (beginning: ‘Cease, oh Judah, cease thy mourning’) is written below the original text. The air with these latter words appears in a copy of Howard and Lampe’s ‘Vocal Musical Mask’ (circa 1740-5) in the Library of the Royal College of Music and is printed in the Appendix to Arnold’s edition of Deborah. The tempo in the MS. is marked ‘Andante’ (not in Arnold). f. 38v. Recitatives, with figured bass. (1). ‘What can the faithfull fear’, for ‘Joas’. (2). ‘O Queen, now let your Pow’r be known’, for ‘Mathan in Act 2., after Athalia’s Song. Hence I hasten’.

17. f. 39-42v. ‘The leav[ely] Honours of the field’. Air (S.) ‘Act 1. Nitocris’. A different setting from that in Belshazzar (HWV 61)(H-G. XIX, p. 83). See also R.M.20.d.10. The music is the same as ‘Fancy, empress of the brain’ in Alceste (H-G. XLVIb, p. 56).

18. ff. 44-48v. ‘Look down, Harmonious Saint’. Recitative, and ‘Sweet accents all your numbers grace’, air (T.) from The Praise of Harmony (HWV 124) (H-G. XXIII, p. 80-87) (for a copy of the vocal part and continuo see R.M.19.e.7., ff. 48-51). The air has Italian words (‘Sei cara, sei bella’, etc.) added above the English text.

19. ff. 49-51v. ‘Sacred raptures cheer my breast’. Air (T.) from Solomon (HWV 67) (H-G. XXVI, p. 63). See also R.M.20.h.4. At the top of the first page there is a name faintly written in pencil, probably ‘Lowe’.

Victor Schoelcher, French politician and writer on music: Handel's autograph manuscript with notes in the hand of Victor Schoelcher: circa 1735- circa 1750.

includes:

• f. 1 John Milton, poet: Edmund Spenser, poet: Newburgh Hamilton, author and librettist: Handel's 'Occasional Oratorio'(HWV62) to a libretto by Newburgh Hamilton, after texts by John Milton and Edmund Spenser: 18th cent.
• ff. 7-14 Tobias Smollett, novelist: Handel's 'Alceste' to a text by Tobias Smollett: circa 1750.
• ff.15-17 John Dryden, poet and dramatist: Newburgh Hamilton, author and librettist: Handel's 'Alexander's Feast' (HWV75) to a libretto by Newburgh Hamilton, after a text by John Dryden: 1736-circa 1750.
• ff. 35-38 Jean Racine, French poet: Samuel Humphreys, author and librettist: Selections from Handel's 'Athalia' (HWV52) to a libretto by Samuel Humphreys, after a text by Jean Racine: 18th cent.
• ff. 35-38 Samuel Humphreys, author and librettist: Selections from Handel's 'Deborah' (HWV51) to a libretto by Samuel Humphreys: 18th cent.
• ff. 39-42 Charles Jennens, author and librettist: Handel's 'Belshazzar' (HWV61) to a libretto by Charles Jennens: 18th cent.
• ff. 44-48 Newburgh Hamilton, author and librettist: Handel's Cantata 'Look down, Harmonious Saint'[The Praise of Harmony] (HWV124) to a text by Newburgh Hamilton: 18th cent.