EarlyMusicNews.Org

“The collection of 3,421 items was donated in 1969 by New York rare book dealer Hans P. Kraus. It consists primarily of texts of Italian opera, but also includes Italian cantatas, serenatas, oratorios, dialogues and Passions. Dating from the seventeenth through the twentieth century, the collection documents musical performances by Italian, French, German and Austrian composers given mostly in Italian cities, but also in Vienna and elsewhere.

The earliest item in the collection is the libretto by Ottavio Rinuccini for "La Dafne," performed in 1598, published in Florence in 1600, and generally considered to be the first opera. Also included is the first edition of Rinuccini's "L'Euridice," produced in Florence in 1600 for the marriage of Henry IV of France and Maria de' Medici, and the earliest opera for which the music survives.

Noted librettists represented in the collection in addition to Rinuccini are Apostolo Zeno, Pietro Metastasio, and Arrigo Boito. Composers include Giuseppe Verdi, Domenico Cimarosa, Giovanni Paisiello, Gaetano Donizetti, and Gioacchino Rossini.“

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Tags: opera, libretti, libretto

Added on: Jan 18, 2010 | Hits: 389

"The University of North Texas Music Library's Jean-Baptiste Lully Collection includes almost 30 rare 17th- and 18th-century scores of operas and ballets by the 17th-century French composer Jean-Baptiste Lully and his sons. Many of the volumes are 1st editions printed by Christophe Ballard, who held the privelège for music printing under King Louis XIV. Several are 2nd editions, printed by Henri de Baussen or Jean-Baptiste Christophe Ballard. The Collection also contains manuscript copies of operas and one ballet that were probably offered for sale, like the prints, at performances." Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Oct 05, 2008 | Hits: 356

“Welcome to J & J Lubrano Music Antiquarians LLC, dealers for over 30 years in rare materials relating to Music and Dance dating from the 15th to the 21st centuries including autograph musical manuscripts and letters of composers; first and early editions of printed music; rare books on music and dance; and original prints, drawings and ephemera relating to music and dance. Our firm has a clientele including private collectors, scholars, and major libraries and museums worldwide.“

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Added on: Jun 01, 2011 | Hits: 443

"The Project Gutenberg EBook of Italian Harpsichord-Building in the 16th
and 17th Centuries, by John D. Shortridge

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or o­nline at www.gutenberg.net


Title: Italian Harpsichord-Building in the 16th and 17th Centuries
Author: John D. Shortridge
Release Date: November 4, 2008 [EBook #27149]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 "

Released by the Gutenberg project. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 01, 2009 | Hits: 345

“The Internet Archive is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that was founded to build an Internet library. Its purposes include offering permanent access for researchers, historians, scholars, people with disabilities, and the general public to historical collections that exist in digital format. Founded in 1996 and located in San Francisco, the Archive has been receiving data donations from Alexa Internet and others. In late 1999, the organization started to grow to include more well-rounded collections. Now the Internet Archive includes texts, audio, moving images, and software as well as archived web pages in our collections, and provides specialized services for adaptive reading and information access for the blind and other persons with disabilities.“

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Added on: May 16, 2011 | Hits: 187

“ Our publishing mission is to seek out and publish compositions by women composers which display the highest level of excellence and musical merit. Because works by women composers have been historically overlooked and undervalued, our hope is to make these gems more widely available for concert performance. Our publishing mission reaches to all centuries including the present day and extends to a wide range of musical forms and genres. ..“

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Added on: Jun 17, 2010 | Hits: 613

Why I give away Free Tablature and Free Music I am hoping it's sort of like a drug addiction. You play the free tune, think it's sort of nice maybe, and then dismiss it. But then a while later, you find yourself humming a tune, and can't figure out what it is. You finally figure out it's something I wrote, then you play it more and more often, as you get better at it, you become addicted, you need more. You are then forced to send me money for new pieces to supply your new habit. You start to come to the page every week hoping to see new tunes. It's all an insidious plot.

Website by Allan Alexander.

Tags: lute, mandolin, guitar, GuitarAndLute.com

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Added on: Feb 15, 2010 | Hits: 345

“Back in the 1970's I was Microfilm Librarian for the Lute Society of America, and the keeper of the largest collection of lute music in the world. Ever since then I have enjoyed copying music from the original sources, fixing andy mistakes I found, and arranging it for cittern, lute/orpharion or ensembles. These days I am particularly interested in wire-strung instruments, and I play mostly English music on orpharions, bandora and cittern. I have enjoyed music I copied from Sarge Gerbode's web site and now inspired by it, I would like to share my music with other musicians. -- Nancy Carlin“

Tags: manuscript

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Added on: Jun 29, 2010 | Hits: 243

“The FTCO provides free public access to a thematic catalogue and database of all the known works of Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583-1643), including works of uncertain or mistaken attribution, along with all their early sources (up to approximately 1800), principal modern editions, and associated literature.

It is a work-in-progress, and may remain so for some time to come. We hope that with ongoing contributions and comments from the international musical and scholarly community, we will continue to improve the comprehensiveness, accuracy, and usefulness of the database.  …”

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Added on: May 24, 2011 | Hits: 277

“Welcome to the world’s most complete encyclopedia of organ stops!”

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Added on: Sep 09, 2011 | Hits: 185

" Editions Dolcimelo specializes in publishing high quality performing editions and transcriptions of instrumental and vocal music from the Renaissance and Baroque eras, as well as original contemporary works and arrangements for early and modern instruments. We also provide customized music typesetting services by special arrangement. Our catalog features sheet music (score and parts) for recorder and viol (viola da gamba) ensemble.

All Editions Dolcimelo publications include background and editorial notes and are printed on high-quality, acid free papers. Our publications are produced and edited by Charles Coldwell, who brings many years of experience as a professional performer and teacher on recorders and other early music instruments to the task. " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Feb 26, 2008 | Hits: 380

"Thank you for visiting Dover Publications. Since our founding in 1941, we’ve built our reputation by offering remarkable products at amazing prices. Everyone in the Dover family wants you to be delighted with your purchase. When you shop at Dover, you may do so with complete confidence. We stand behind every product we sell with our unconditional guarantee. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 11, 2008 | Hits: 314

"Founded by Boston-area recorder teacher Sheila Beardslee in 1995, CONCORDIA CONSORT is the performance ensemble representing Recorders/Early Music Metrowest, the metroWest’s participatory early music program. For over a decade, Concordia has contributed period music for over 200 services at churches throughout New England. Concordia has been heard in live broadcast on for WCRB, WHRB and WGBH Radio and has performed in concerts historic King’s Chapel in downtown Boston, for the Concord Museum, at Middlesex Community College, MIT Chapel, Williams College and other venues. " ...

Added on: Aug 17, 2007 | Hits: 322

“EarlyPianos.org is dedicated to the worldwide cataloging of historic pianos from before 1860. The project furthers the work first published by Oxford University Press in  Makers of the Piano, 1700-1820 and  volume II (1820-1860) by Martha Novak Clinkscale.

The database of early pianos has been continually updated since its publication in 1993 and 1999. It now contains over 6350 historic pianos, with more being added daily. Various options for future publication of the material are under review.

The database tells piano historians about instruments for their research. It also helps owners get in touch with people who have specialized expertise in piano history and preservation.

If you have a piano, or know of one that is not already included in the database, please use this link for several ways to register your piano.

EarlyPianos.org results from a collaboration between Martha Clinkscale and John R. Watson, illustrator of volume 2. This website was launched in May, 2007.

Questions or comments? Please contact us and tell us if you would like occasional email updates about the database and our publications.“

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Added on: May 14, 2009 | Hits: 657

"Special page for early music, with over 1200 MIDI and MP3 files for pieces by over 220 composers. [requires JavaScript]. " (You must also register as member to make use of the midi files. Ed.)

Added on: Aug 20, 2007 | Hits: 678

“

The Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library contains the principal rare books and literary manuscripts of Yale University and serves as a center for research by students, faculty, and other scholars, whether affiliated with Yale or not. Materials do not circulate, but may be used in the Reading Room on the court level after researchers register with the Beinecke.

One of the largest buildings in the world devoted entirely to rare books and manuscripts, the library has room in the central tower for 180,000 volumes and in the underground book stacks for over 600,000 volumes; it now contains about 500,000 volumes and several million manuscripts. Temperature and humidity controls ensure that stored materials are protected for future generations. ..”

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Added on: Jun 29, 2010 | Hits: 225

"Welcome to the American Institute of Musicology. Founded by Armen Carapetyan in 1946, AIM supports interest in Medieval, Renaissance, and early Baroque music. The publications of the Institute are used by scholars and performers alike and constitute a major core collection of early music and theoretical writings on music. Since its founding, the Institute has published more than 650 scholarly volumes including the yearbook Musica Disciplina.

The publications of the Institute are wide-ranging and comprise scholarly editions, books, and treatises. The scholarly editions include the complete works of major composers who lived up until the seventeenth century, composers such as Machaut, La Rue, Dufay, Willaert, Clemens, Rore, Compère, Crecquillon, Romero, and others. (See CMM for sacred and secular music and CEKM for keyboard music). Significant research findings resulting from the edition-making efforts are published in the series MSD. Published treatises include the works of influential writers from Guido of Arezzo to Jean Philippe Rameau. (See CSM and MISC). Significant collections of papers appear in MISC. Reference works are published in the series RMS. The Institute is continually accepting new book and edition proposals.

The Haenssler-Verlag, Neuhausen-Stuttgart, Germany, assumed responsibility for the publication program of the American Institute of Musicology in 1976, and in July 2002, the Institute's assets were acquired by Paul L. Ranzini. " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 11, 2008 | Hits: 389

"A-R Editions is the leading U.S. publisher of modern editions of early music. Six series within Recent Researches in Music span the history of Western music, while a seventh series explores oral traditions in music. We also publish Collegium Musicum: Yale University and Music of the United States of America (MUSA). Browse our on-line catalog, or read the Recent Researches newsletter, Embellishments. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 11, 2008 | Hits: 330

"York Early Music Press was founded to disseminate high quality scholarly performing editions of music composed pre-1800.

Its editors, both in-house and guest, are leading scholars in their fields. All the editions are computer set, and available as sheet music or on CD-ROM. ...

York Early Music Press was launched in July 2001 in association with the Department of Music, University of York, the Heslington Foundation and York Early Music Foundation " ...

Added on: Aug 19, 2007 | Hits: 346

“The Voltaire Foundation is a world leader for eighteenth-century scholarship, publishing the definitive edition of the Complete Works of Voltaire (Œuvres complètes de Voltaire), as well as SVEC (Studies on Voltaire and the Eighteenth Century), the foremost series devoted to Enlightenment studies, and the correspondences of several key French thinkers.”

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Added on: Dec 02, 2011 | Hits: 158

"The Chaplet, being a collection of Twelve English Songs, was published anonymously by John Walsh of Catherine Street, the Strand in 1738 though is now known to be the work of Maurice Greene. Greene held most of the important musical posts in England before his 40th birthday. He was appointed Organist of St Paul's Cathedral, Organist and Composer of the Chapel Royal, Doctor of Music at Cambridge University and Master of the King's Musick. Maurice Greene's life nowadays may be defined through the mighty task he embarked on in collecting all the written church music up to that time and through a colossal falling out with Handel, the man he spent the best part of his life in the shadow of. He is, nevertheless, still prominent in the Cathedrals of England today through anthems such as "Thou visitest the earth" and "Lord, let me know mine end". He was, however, just as involved in the secular music of London and so 'The Chaplet' contains the bawdy drinking song as well as the plaintive ballad. The only songs to have been recorded are 'Ye Purple Blooming Roses', 'Fair Sally' and 'Sweet Annie' and these may be heard on this site. The text to all of the songs is the work of Greene's sometime librettist, John Hoadly. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 10, 2008 | Hits: 374

Scholarly and authoritative performing editions of sacred music from the 16th & 17th centuries 

“The Cantiones Press was founded in 1996 to provide attractive and authoritative editions of Renaissance choral music. The majority of works in our catalogue have either not previously been published at all, or cannot be obtained in formats which are financially viable for choirs and consorts. Each work is presented in a clear, uncluttered style, along with an introduction which gives valuable background to the music and a guide to the editorial processes by which the edition has been shaped. Our publications are therefore welcomed both by professional and amateur groups; by those with a specialist interest in the repertoire, and those who simply want to investigate exciting and intriguing new areas of choral music.”

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Added on: Feb 28, 2012 | Hits: 157

"This website exists to share the music of Alessandro Scarlatti and his contemporaries through editions, recordings, and discussion. It is based largely on the research of Rosalind Halton, Kate Eckersley, and James Sanderson. All of us are performer/researchers dedicated to turning manuscripts of long forgotten music into experiences of music and poetry interwoven.

Most of the music in the catalogue has never before been available in modern editions or recordings - we invite you to enter the world of this great vocal music. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 30, 2008 | Hits: 410

“The Royal Society, the national academy of science of the UK and the Commonwealth, is at the cutting edge of scientific progress.

We support many top young scientists, engineers and technologists, influence science policy, debate scientific issues with the public and much more. We are an independent, charitable body which derives our authoritative status from over 1400 Fellows and Foreign Members.“

Visit website for more information on the Royal Society. Also visit their Trailblazing site and online articles.

Added on: Dec 01, 2009 | Hits: 220

"Rondo Publishing is owned and run by Jacqui Robertson-Wade, one of the Midlands' foremost viol players and teachers. She initially studied at Trinity College with Edgar Hunt and Gwyneth George, and recently returned to Trinity to do postgraduate work on late French viols and the pardessus de viole. She has performed extensively on the professional concert scene, as a soloist and with her trio, "Musica Leonarda", playing with leading early musicians such as Ibi Aziz, Jenny Bullock and the counter-tenor, Joseph Schlesinger. In 2003, she gave the world premiere of Christopher Wood's "Chantry Suite" for pardessus de viole, written for Cecile Dolmetsch. She has also worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company and professional dance groups such as Saltarello.

As a teacher, Jacqui has been hugely influential in promoting the viol in schools. Since 1998, she has built up an extensive tuition programme for Warwickshire County Music Service. Around 40 pupils a year now study viol. Jacqui also gives workshops and demonstrations for children, and runs a number of childrens' viol consorts, which have played at major festivals throughout Britain. She is a regular tutor at the annual Norvis Summer School in Durham.

Jacqui is now applying her extensive experience to create musical editions which enable students and performers alike to get the most from the music. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 15, 2008 | Hits: 352