EarlyMusicNews.Org

“This website is a portal to information about and images of worldwide collections of medieval polyphonic music manuscripts (the resource does not include plainchant). The music and the manuscripts date from approx 800 to 1550 but we do have images from a few prominent later sources. This website includes detailed information for all the known sources of European polyphonic music (which is almost entirely vocal) and high-quality colour images of some manuscripts.“

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Added on: Dec 27, 2011 | Hits: 196

"Francesco Durante

born in Frattamaggiore 31st March 1684
died Naples 30th September 1755

Francesco Durante was a highly respected composer and teacher during the first half of the 18th century in Naples. He chose to concentrate on sacred music rather than the more fashionable opera composition favoured by other Neapolitans and his works became examples of 'good composition' used for teaching.

Durante was primo maestro at the two major Conservatorii in Naples S Onofrio and S Maria di Loreto and taught composers ranging from Sacchini to Piccini and Paisiello. Not a composer of a large quantity of work, his music exhibits great skill and invention and a dramatic flair well suited to the style of music he chose to write. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 30, 2008 | Hits: 418

“Early Music Online

Early Music Online is a pilot project in which 300 of the world’s earliest surviving volumes of printed music, held in the British Library, have been digitised and made freely available online. You can browse the digitised content in Royal Holloway's digital repository.

You can also explore detailed descriptions of the content via the British Library Catalogue. Included are in the catalogue are full details of each digitised book, with an inventory of the contents of each, searchable by composer name, title of composition, date and subject, and with links to the digitised content. (Click 'I want this' in the Library catalogue to access the digitised content.)

Full descriptions of each volume, with links to the digitised content, have also been included in the RISM UK database and COPAC, enabling researchers to locate and access this digitised content by several different means.

You may use the digitised content on Early Music Online in any way and for any such purposes that are conducive to education, teaching, learning, private study and/or research as long as you are in compliance with the terms and conditions of our licence.“

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Added on: Oct 16, 2011 | Hits: 159

"This is an information service for Restorers, Players, Owners and Researchers into Pianos built BEFORE 1837 and similar important historical instruments.

The main reason for this website it to publish the Register of Extant Broadwood Grands

Any relevant information will be considered for inclusion - especially research information for which there is no other suitable vehicle for publication or which ideally is regularly updated. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Feb 24, 2008 | Hits: 304

“

The principal goal of ECOLM is to store and make accessible to scholars, players and others, full-text encodings of sources of music for the Western-European lute (and other relevant sources), together with graphical images from manuscripts and printed music, such codicological and paleographical detail as is helpful to the potential users, and bibliographical data, including, if possible, the texts of important studies where necessary permissions can be obtained.

Relevant ‘other’ sources might include keyboard versions of lute pieces, but would where possible also be full-text encodings. They would typically comprise music for keyboard, wind or string instruments, especially the viola da gamba, or vocal ensemble.

The technical resources of ECOLM will include facilities for online searching of the bibliographical and musical material, and complete access via the World Wide Web (with suitable restrictions according to the classes of material and user). Also viewing, playing (via computer sound-system or MIDI) of lute music, and printing (again subject to relevant permissions). ..“

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Added on: May 18, 2009 | Hits: 350

“From the first book published in English through the age of Spenser and Shakespeare, this incomparable collection now contains about 100,000 of over 125,000 titles listed in Pollard & Redgrave's Short-Title Catalogue (1475-1640) and Wing's Short-Title Catalogue (1641-1700) and their revised editions, as well as the Thomason Tracts (1640-1661) collection and the Early English Books Tract Supplement. Libraries possessing this collection find they are able to fulfill the most exhaustive research requirements of graduate scholars - from their desktop! - in many subject areas, including: English literature, history, philosophy, linguistics, theology, music, fine arts, education, mathematics, and science. ..“

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Added on: Sep 20, 2009 | Hits: 314

“English Lute Manuscripts and Scribes 1530-1630
Book version of a doctoral dissertation by Julia Craig-McFeely, awarded by Oxford in 1993

An examination of the place of the lute in 16th- and 17th-century English Society through a study of the English Lute Manuscripts of the so-called 'Golden Age', including a detailed catalogue of the sources.

Web publication by
Julia Craig-McFeely
Oxford, 2000“

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Added on: Jun 29, 2010 | Hits: 364

"Johann Adolph Hasse Il Sassone (1699 - 1783) was for a number of decades the most prolific and popular composers of opera seria in Italy and German-speaking countries. He was '...a German with the musical passions of an Italian...' A close association with Metastasio and a series of important positions in the musical world meant that his works were presented in an appropriate manner in some of the major theatres of the time from London through Italy and Germany to Vienna.

The Hasse Project plans to make more of his music available through invaluable access to both autograph and copy scores of Hasse's works.

The emphasis will be on his vocal works, initially cantatas and arias, but hopefully we will include some of his major works at a later date. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 30, 2008 | Hits: 610

"Based in an 18th century farm complex in the Yorkshire Pennines, we supply the needs of early music enthusiasts world-wide. We hold large stocks of sheetmusic in facsimile and modern editions, books and CDs Anything we do not have in stock, will be obtained on demand. Look in the Catalogues page for publishers' catalogues."

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Added on: Apr 17, 2008 | Hits: 364

“John Dowland is without question the most famous lute player and composer of all time, arguably more popular now than at any time in the past, including his own time. His fame is justifiable. Whatever musical genre he turned to, whether solo lute, song, vocal or instrumental ensemble, he created something without precedence and set the path for others to follow.

This website aims to celebrate his genius, record his complete works for free download, and provide thoughtful analyses of his oeuvre. Here you will find recorded performances by both professional and amateur lute players, singers and viol consorts, and possibly other instrumentalists and ensembles as well. You will also find essays by renowned academics and by performers moved to describe the experience of performing Dowland's works.

The existence of the site depends on contributions - in all areas: performances, videos, essays, scores, etc. If you feel you have something to contribute, please go to the Contributions page in the first instance. I particularly hope to hear from viol players and singers. ..“

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Added on: Dec 27, 2009 | Hits: 333

"King's Music specialises in the provision and publication of facsimile or Urtext performing editions. Most of our output has originated from the requirement of professional baroque orchestras and ensembles. " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 11, 2008 | Hits: 379

"This new site is devoted to this incredibly diverse repertoire. Songs and cantatas that astound both performer and audience alike! Much of this repertoire has been unavailable since its original publication and we aim to change that and bring the music to a wider audience. Each song will be available in single form or as part of a larger collection. We have just made it possible to 'pick & mix' your own song volume. Use the 'Song Selector' link on the left to create your own customised collection (at a discount!). ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 30, 2008 | Hits: 376

"Welcome to the new Lute Song website.

The lute song, particularly the English lute song is the passion of those involved with this website. Composers from Dowland to Rossiter and Campion wrote songs for solo voice accompanied by the lute which have become immortal.

Join our quest to make this art form more accessible and to encourage discussion and debate on matters pertaining to the lute song. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 30, 2008 | Hits: 792

"Nicola Antonio Porpora Born Naples 17th August, 1686 Died Naples 3rd March, 1768

A celebrated composer and singing teacher, Porpora's ability to set the Italian language to music was internationally acknowledged during his lifetime.

"...The Cantatas of Nicolo (sic) Porpora have been always much esteemed, on account of the excellence of their Recitatives, and the good taste and truly vocal style of the airs…Porpora's Cantatas particularly the Recitatives, are still regarded in Italy as models of perfection for narrative Music…"

He numbered among his students Metastasio, Farinelli, Caffarelli, Antonio Uberti (known as "Porporino"), Regina Mingotti and the composer Franz Joseph Haydn.

The Porpora Project has been established in order to display and support the investigations into the life and music of Nicola Porpora by performer and musicologist James Sanderson.

Through his fascination with the vocal music of this much-neglected composer and singing teacher, Sanderson intends to create an accurate portrayal of the depth and breadth of Porpora's work and the effect it had on music-making in the 18th century.

As new transcriptions and research become available, you will be able to access them through this site and add your comments and suggestions for further or different research angles. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 30, 2008 | Hits: 346

“We produce performing Urtext editions of early music, based on original sources. We are constantly adding new titles to our catalogue, but don't worry if you can't find something - let us know and we'll try to produce a new edition for you! ..“

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Added on: Jun 17, 2010 | Hits: 267

"Recorder MusicMail supplies an extensive range of sheet music from around the world to recorder players in the UK and overseas. We are also agents for the fine Dolmetsch Nova recorder range. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 17, 2008 | Hits: 391

“This database holds details of pre-1850 music sources preserved in libraries and archives in the UK and Ireland. It includes manuscripts from national, public and academic libraries, county and city record offices, cathedral and chapel libraries and some private collections.  It also now includes more than 300 printed anthologies from the 16th century, with links to digitised originals in the Early Music Online collection at Royal Holloway. We estimate that about two-thirds of surviving manuscript sources in the UK have now been documented. “

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Added on: Oct 16, 2011 | Hits: 192

"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: 333

“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: 206

"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: 394

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: 142

"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: 361

“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: 146

"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: 333

"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: 320