A study of music for bass viol written in England in the seventeenth century
Keywords: library collections
compositions
bass viol
England

Preface
The aim of this study is to make as complete a record as possible of the compositions for bass viol found in the main library collections in England, to examine these compositions, and to trace in them the development of the bass viol as a solo instrument.
This study comprises three volumes. The first introduces the bass viol and analyses and discusses works by English composers of the seventeenth century, the second is a collection of transcriptions illustrating the text, and the third is a thematic catalogue of all the known English works for one, two and three bass viols of that period.
The libraries consulted included the Bodleian and Christ Church Libraries, Oxford; the British Museum; Durham Cathedral Library; the Henry Watson Library at Manchester; St. Michael's College, Tenbury; the Boteler Muniments, Bedford; the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge; King's College, Rowe Music Library, Cambridge; Trinity College Library and the University Library, Cambridge.
Undated manuscript sources supply the bulk of the music for bass viol and since biographical details of the composers are frequently lacking, the chronology may not always be accurate. The printed sources give a better indication of the date, but even here, the possibility of a lapse of time between the composition, copying and compiling has to be taken into account.
Both manuscripts and printed books have been referred to by symbols which are explained in Appendix B (see p.261 ff.). The system adopted is identical with that used by the editors of Musica Britannica IX, "Jacobean Consort", so that one symbol refers to the same manuscript in the above volume and in the present study. The symbols are continued in the sequence OCy, OCz, OCaa, OCab, etc., for manuscripts not included in Musica Britannica. The abbreviation of bass viol to B.V. is used in sections containing analysis.
This study has been confined mainly to works by the major composers for one, two and three bass viols, but it also refers to some by lesser-known men. In Vol.I, compositions are discussed; in Vol. II, some are transcribed, but the two volumes must be used in conjunction with each other.
In certain cases, the complete works of composers are discussed and transcribed in full. These composers are Giovanni Coperario, Michael East, Simon Ives, William Lawes, Matthew Locke, Thomas Lupo, John Ward and John Withy. In other cases, only certain specimens which may be the best of unequal works have been chosen to illustrate different styles and to represent various composers. These composers are Henry Butler, Benjamin Hely, John Hingston, Tobias Hume, John Jenkins, Daniel Norcome, Christopher Simpson, William White and William Young.
An attempt has been made to present these composers and their works chronologically, but as few sources for bass viol are dated, all suggestions in this study must remain provisional. The musical characteristics and style may indicate the period of composition, though it is necessary to make some allowances for a composer's progressiveness or conservatism. The works of each composer have been numbered twice in order to facilitate cataloguing and analysis. Each bass viol part of every work has a thematic catalogue number which refers the reader to Volume III. In addition, each work within a given Composer's output is allotted a list number. The list numbers given to the complete works of a composer are written after his name in the Catalogue, Vol. III, Column 2; some are also included in the contents list of Vol. II, Column 2.
In Volume I, there are two appendices, A and B.
Appendix A: Title and Composer Index. This index is a complete list of all the seventeenth century English compositions for one, two and three bass viols in the above-mentioned libraries. It falls into three sections: (i) forms, (ii) varied titles, (iii) no titles, which refer the reader by number to the incipits in the catalogue. Anonymous works are always placed first.
(i) Forms. These are placed in alphabetical order: alman, ayre, etc., with the composer's name followed by catalogue number(s).
(ii) Varied titles. Some additional, varied titles are listed in alphabetical order. The composer's name and the catalogue number are also stated.
(iii) No titles. All works without titles are listed here under anonymous, or under the composer's name.
Appendix B: Bibliography. The bibliography lists the sources by symbol. It includes a few that are not mentioned in this study but have been consulted. It falls into three sections: (i) abbreviations of names of periodicals, (ii) general bibliographt, (iii) sources. The sources are divided into: I Manuscripts and II Printed Books, and the symbols are explained. In the case of manuscripts, the reader is referred to the library locations and shelf-marks.
There are certain compositions for bass viol which have neither been examined nor included in the thematic catalogue as they are probably by foreigners (See OBy, pp. 26-29; Obt, pp. 69-72), or are incomplete and anonymous (see CFd, pp. 3-23 and CFf). The lessons for bass viol by John Moss which are written in tablature (Ckc), the bass parts (Ba) which may be for whole consort, and the works by William Gorton of 1701 (CFe) have also been omitted because they are beyond the scope of the present dissertation. The Lyra viol is excluded from this study; there is so much music for it in British Libraries, that it provides a field for research in itself.