View source for Fitzwilliam Virginal Book

{{Short description|Music book}}
{{More footnotes|date=January 2021}}
{{italic title}}
{{use dmy dates|date=March 2016}}
{{use British English|date=March 2016}}
[[File:Virginal.jpg|thumb|Virginal made by [[Ruckers]]]]
{{listen|filename=Alman Byrd Fitzw Metzner2008.ogg|title=Allman|description=From the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book. Performed by Ulrich Metzner on a harpsichord of the type used in the early 20th century|format=[[Ogg]]}}
The '''''Fitzwilliam Virginal Book''''' is a primary source of keyboard music from the late [[Elizabethan]] and early [[Jacobean era|Jacobean]] periods in [[England]], i.e., the late [[Renaissance music|Renaissance]] and very early [[Baroque music|Baroque]]. It takes its name from [[Richard FitzWilliam, 7th Viscount FitzWilliam|Viscount Fitzwilliam]] who bequeathed this manuscript collection to [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge University]] in 1816. It is now housed in the [[Fitzwilliam Museum]] at Cambridge. The word [[virginals]] does not necessarily denote any specific instrument and might refer to any instrument with a [[keyboard instrument|keyboard]].

==History==
It was given no title by its copyist and the ownership of the manuscript before the eighteenth century is unclear. At the time ''The'' ''Fitzwilliam Virginal Book'' was put together most collections of keyboard music were compiled by performers and teachers: other examples include ''Will Forster's Virginal Book'', ''[[Clement Matchett's Virginal Book]]'', and ''[[Anne Cromwell's Virginal Book]]''. It is possible that the complexities of typesetting music precluded the printing of much keyboard music during the late Renaissance and it was not until the advent of engraving music plates that pieces for keyboard were published. The first known example of this in England is ''[[Parthenia (music)|Parthenia]],'' which was published in ''c''. 1612.

The FVB was once given the nomenclature of ''[[Queen Elizabeth I|Queen Elizabeth's]] Virginal Book'', although the title cannot be correct since much of its contents were written after her death in 1603. 
Another hypothesis, which still has supporters, is that it belonged to [[Francis Tregian the Younger]], a [[recusant]] and amateur musician. It has been argued that Tregian may have copied the entire collection while imprisoned in the period leading up to his death in 1614. The nature of Tregian's contribution to the book has been disputed.<ref>Ruby Reid Thompson, Francis Tregian the Younger as music copyist: A legend and an alternative view. Music and Letters 2001 82: 1-31; {{doi|10.1093/ml/82.1.1}}</ref> Although other scholarship suggested that, as compiler, it is unlikely that Tregian was imprisoned long enough to undertake the copying involved,<ref>Kah-Ming Ng, liner notes to ''The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book: Transcriptions for a Mixed Consort,'' charivari agréable, Signum Records SIGD009</ref> a closer inspection of the manuscript reveals two layers of copying, of which nos. 1-95 pieces form the first. This layer might have been done at any time previous to Tregian's 1612 incarceration.

The manuscript includes music dating from approximately 1562 to 1612 by [[John Bull (composer)|John Bull]], [[William Byrd]], [[Orlando Gibbons]], [[Giles Farnaby]] (51 of whose 52 known pieces are included), [[Thomas Tallis]], and Martin Peerson. Continental composers are also represented by the English composer in exile [[Peter Philips]], whose music is largely arrangements of sacred music, madrigals and chansons. Other foreign composers are represented by, among others, [[Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck]], the elusive Jehan Oystermayre and [[Giovanni Picchi]]. There are 298 pieces which includes the eighth variation of 'Treg. Ground' (also Hugh Ashton's Ground in ''My Ladye Nevells Booke'') as a separate piece. It is found under a flap on which has written no. 276, 'Pescodd Time' and it is assumed that Tregian either did not recognise the variation or thought it worthy of inclusion; as it happens, it is incomplete. As with many keyboard manuscripts of the time, the pieces were not written for a specific instrument, and most sound happily on all contemporary keyboard instruments, including [[virginals]], [[harpsichord]], [[clavichord]] and [[chamber organ]].<ref>A few of the pieces presuppose an instrument arranged with a [[short octave]] in the bass, since they contain large intervals for the left hand that cannot be reached on the modern keyboard. The short octave was widely employed in all four instruments mentioned in the main text.</ref> Many of the pieces in the book are short, and many of them are character pieces with droll and memorable titles, including  "Put Up Thy Dagger, Jemy", "The New Sa-Hoo", and "Quodlings Delight" by [[Giles Farnaby]]; "Nobody's Gigge", by [[Richard Farnaby]]; "Pakington's Pownde" and "The Irishe Dumpe" (anonymous); "The Ghost" and "The Earle of Oxford's Marche" by [[William Byrd]]; "Worster Braules" by [[Thomas Tomkins]]; and the famous "[[Lachrymae Pavan]]" by [[John Dowland]], as arranged by [[Giles Farnaby]] and by [[William Byrd]].

In [[1899 in music|1899]], [[Breitkopf & Härtel]] published an edition in two volumes (the Maitland Squire edition, see the Sources below) with only a basic critical commentary, which has been reprinted by [[Dover Publications]] and is available inexpensively. A microfilm facsimile of the manuscript is included in ''The music collections of the Cambridge libraries'' (Woodbridge, Conn. : Research Publications, 1991). Musica Britannica is preparing a volume dedicated to the "Keyboard Music from Fitzwilliam Manuscripts" [http://www.musicabritannica.org.uk/volumes.html#further%20vols]. A new three-volume edition was published by [https://lyrebirdmusic.com Lyrebird Music] in 2020, edited by renowned English music scholars Jon Baxendale and Francis Knights.

[[Richard Strauss]] used several selections from the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book in his 1935 opera, ''[[Die schweigsame Frau]]'', and cited them accordingly at their appearances in the work. They appear at ritualized moments in the action to provide commentary and atmosphere in the Act 2 marriage scene (No. XIV and No. XC) and in the Act 3 courtroom scene (No. XXXVII).

The first recording of selections from the anthology was made by [[Joseph Payne (musician)|Joseph Payne]] in 1964. It was issued by Vox Box (i.e. [[Vox Records]]) as a three-LP boxed set and features Payne performing three album sides on harpsichord (a modern Eric Herz instrument) and three sides on organ.  Generally the more moderately paced and sustained pieces are performed on the organ.

==The pieces in the book==

(For each composer, the pieces follow the order in which they appear in the manuscript)

===Anonymous===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* Alman
* Barafostus' Dreame
* Muscadin
* Alman
* Galiarda
* Praeludium, El. Kidermisters (possibly a work of [[John Bull (composer)|John Bull]])
* Praeludium
* The Irishe Hoe-Hoane
* Veni
* Heavene and Erthe
* [Exercise]
* Praeludium
* Praeludium
* Why Aske Yow
* [''deest'' owing to an error in numbering]
* Pakingtons Pownde (possibly [[Benjamin Cosyn]])
* The Irish Dompe
* Watkins Ale
* Can Shee
* A Toye
* An Almain
* Corranto
* Alman
* Corranto
* Corranto
* Corranto
* Daunce
* Praeludium
* Martin Sayd to his Man
* Coranto
* Corranto
* Corranto
* Corranto
* Corranto
* Alman
* Nowels Galliarde
* The Kynges Morisco
* Alman
* A Toye
* Corranto
* Ladye Riche
* Corranto
* A Toye
* Allemanda
* Dalling Alman
{{colend}}

===Doctor [[John Bull (composer)|John Bull]]===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Walsingham (music)|Walsingham]]
* Galliarda to my Lorde Lumlyes Pavan
* Pavana
* Galiarda
* The Quadran Pavan
* Variation of the Quadran Pavan
* Galiard to the Quadran Pavan
* Pavan
* Galiard to the Pavan
* Sainte Thomas Wake
* Praeludium
* Fantasia
* Praeludium
* Gloria tibi trinitas
* Salvator Mundi
* Galliarda
* Variatio
* Galliarda to the Pavan
* In Nomine
* Christe Redemptor
* The Kynges Hunt
* Pavana
* Galiarda
* Dr Bulls Juell
* The Spanyshe Paven
* The Duke of Brunswykes Alman
* Pypers Galiarde
* Variatio ejusdem
* Praeludium
* Galiarda
* Galiarda
* A Gigge, Doctor Bulls My selfe
* A Gigge
* Praeludium
* Ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la
* The Duchesse of Brunswykes Toye
* Miserere in three partes
{{colend}}

===[[Ferdinando Richardson]]===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* Pavana
* Variatio
* Galiarda
* Variation
* Pavane
* Variatio
* Galiarda
* Variatio
{{colend}}

===[[Giles Farnaby]]===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* Pavana ([[Robert Johnson (English composer)|Robert Johnson]] set by Giles Farnaby)
* The K[ing's] Hunt
* Spagnioletta
* For tow virginals
* Daphne
* Pawles Wharfe
* Quodlings Deligte
* Putte upp thy Dagger, Jemy
* [[My Robin is to the Greenwood Gone|Bony sweete Robin]]
* Fantasia
* Wooddy Cocke
* Rosasolis
* Alman (Robert Johnson set by Giles Farnaby)
* The Nuwe Sa-Hoo
* Giles Farnabyes Dreame
* His Rest
* His Humoure
* A Maske
* A Maske
* Fantasia
* A Maske
* Fantasia
* Loth to departe
* Fantasia
* Fantasia
* Ay me, poore Heart
* Fantasia
* Walter Erles Pavan
* The L. Zouches Maske
* Grownde
* Upp T[ails] all
* Tower Hill
* Praeludium
* A Gigge
* Galliarda
* A Toye
* Farnabyes Conceite
* Telle Mee, Daphne
* Mal Sims
* Rosseters Galiarde
* The Flatt Pavan
* Why aske yow
* Farmers Pavan
* The Olde Spagnoletta
* Meridian Alman
* Fantasia
{{colend}}

===[[John Mundy (composer)|John Munday]]===
* Fantasia
* Fantasia, Faire Wether, etc.
* Robin
* Go from my window
* Mundays Joye

===[[Peter Philips]]===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* Tirsi, di [[Luca Marenzio]]. Ia. Parte intavolata di Pietro Phillipi.
* Freno
* Cosi morirò
* Fece da voi
* Pavana Pagget
* Galiarda
* Passamezzo Pavana
* Galiarda passamezzo
* Chi fara fede al Cielo, di [[Alessandro Striggio]]
* Bon Jour mon Cueur, di [[Orlando di Lasso]]
* Pavana Dolorosa, [[Francis Tregian the Younger|Treg]][ian set by]
* Galiarda Dolorosa
* Amarilli, di Julio Romano ([[Giulio Caccini]])
* Margott laborez
* Fantasia (Si me tenez, Thomas Crecquillon).
* Pavana
* Le Rossignuol, (Lasso set by)
* Galliardo
* Fantasia
{{colend}}

===[[Thomas Morley]]===
* Goe from my window
* Nancie
* Fantasia
* Alman
* La Volta (Set by William Byrd)
* Pavana
* Galiarda

===[[Thomas Tomkins]]===
* Pavana
* A Grownde
* Barafostus' Dreame
* The Hunting Galliard
* Worster Braules

===[[William Byrd]]===
BK numbers refer to Musica Britannica: William Byrd Keyboard Music, ed. Alan Brown (London: Stainer & Bell, 2 vols, 1969/71)
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*8.  Fantasia, BK63
*10. Jhon come kisse me nowe, BK81
*24. Praeludium, BK24
*52. Fantasia, BK13
*56. Passamezzo Pavana, BK2a
*57. Galliardas Passamezzo, BK2b
*58. [[The Carmans Whistle]], BK36 (also catalogued in ''[[My Ladye Nevells Booke]]'')
*59. [[The Huntes upp]], BK40 (also catalogued in ''[[My Ladye Nevells Booke]]'')
*61. Treg[ian's] Grownde, BK20
*61(sic.) Monsieurs Alman (I), BK87
*62. Variatio, BK88
*63. [Monsieur's] Alman [III], BK44
*64. Sellengers Rownde, BK84 (also catalogued in ''[[My Ladye Nevells Booke]]'')
*65. Fortune, BK6
*66. O Mistris Myne, BK83
*67. [[Will Yow Walke the Woods soe Wylde]], BK85 (also catalogued in ''[[My Ladye Nevells Booke]]'')
*68. [[Have With Yow to Walsingame]], BK8 (also catalogued in ''[[My Ladye Nevells Booke]]'')
*69. The Bells, BK38
*91. Pavana, Bray, BK59a
*92. Galiarda, BK59b
*93. Pavana, Ph. Tr., BK60a
*94. Galiarda, BK60b
*100. Praeludium to the Fancie, BK12
*101. Ut, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, BK64 (also catalogued in ''[[My Ladye Nevells Booke]]'')
*102. Ut, Re, Mi, BK65
*103. Fantasia
*104. All in a Garden Grine, BK56
*121. Pavana Lachrymae, BK54 (by [[John Dowland]], set by William Byrd)
*122. Galiarda, BK55 (by [[James Harding (lutenist)|James Harding]], set by Byrd)
*126. The Maydens Songe, BK82
*133. The Quadran Pavian, BK70a
*134. Galiarde to the Quadran Pavian, BK70b
*150. Malt's come downe, BK107 (doubtful attribution)
*155. La Volta, BK91
*156. An Almane, BK89
*157. Wolsey's Wylde, BK37
*158. Callino Casturame, BK35
*159. La Volta L. Morley, BK90
*160. Rowland (Lord Willobies welcome home), BK7 (also catalogued in ''[[My Ladye Nevells Booke]]'')
*162. The Goste, BK78
*163. Alman, BK11
*164. Galliard, BK53
*165. Pavana, BK4a
*166. Galiarda, BK4b
*167. [The first] Pavana, BK29a (also catalogued in ''[[My Ladye Nevells Booke]]'')
*168. Galiarda, BK29b (also catalogued in ''[[My Ladye Nevells Booke]]'')
*172. The Queene's Alman, BK10
*173. A Medley, BK111 (attribution doubtful)
*174. Pavana
*175. Galliarda
*176. Miserere [Clarifica me pater] in three partes, BK48
*177. Miserere [Clarifica me pater] in fore partes, BK49
*181. A Gigg, 'F.Tr.', BK22
*191. Sir Jhon Grayes Galliarde, BK104 (doubtful attribution)
*216. Gipsies Rownde, BK80
*218. [The French] Coranto, BK21a
*241. Corranto, BK45
*252. [The third] Pavana, BK14a (also catalogued in ''[[My Ladye Nevells Booke]]'')
*253. Galiarda, BK14b (also catalogued in ''[[My Ladye Nevells Booke]]'')
*254. Pavana, BK52a
*255. Galiarda, BK52b
*256. Pavana, BK101 (doubtful attribution)
*257. [The second] Pavana Fant[{{not a typo|asia}}], BK71a (also catalogued in ''[[My Ladye Nevells Booke]]'')
*258. Galiarda, BK71b (also catalogued in ''[[My Ladye Nevells Booke]]'')
*259 The Earle of Oxford's Marche [The march before the Battell], BK93 (also catalogued in ''[[My Ladye Nevells Booke]]'')
*261. Fantasia, BK62
*275. Pavana, Canon 2 in 1, 
*276. Pescodd Tyme [The Hunt's Up], BK40
*277. Pavana deligte (Edward Johnson, set by William Byrd), BK5a
*278. Galiarda (Edward Johnson, set by William Byrd), BK5b
*294. Ladye Montegles Pavan, BK75
{{colend}}

===[[William Tisdale|William Tisdall]]===
* Almand
* Pavana Chromatica
* Pavana, Clement Cotton
* Pavana
* Galiarda

===The Other Pieces===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* Pavana - M. S.
* The Woods so Wilde - [[Orlando Gibbons]]
* Praeludium - [[Thomas Oldfield (composer)|Thomas Oldfield]]
* In Nomine - William Blitheman (see [[John Blitheman]])
* Fantasia - [[Nicholas Strogers]]
* Alman - Nicholas Strogers
* Toccata - [[Giovanni Picchi]]
* Praeludium, Toccata - [[Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck]]
* Pavana - [[Thomas Warrock]] (see also organists of [[Hereford Cathedral]])
* Galiarda - Thomas Warrock
* Praeludium - [[Galeazzo]]
* Heavene and Erthe - Fre - Francis Tregian
* Felix namque 1 - [[Thomas Tallis]]
* Felix namque 2 - Thomas Tallis
* Felix namque: Alleluia (possibly a Thomas Tallis sketch); in Breitkopf, it has no title; elsewhere, it is called 'Præludium'.
* Ut, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La a 4 voci - Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck
* Pavana Lachrymae - [[John Dowland]] (set by William Byrd)
* Galiarda - [[James Harding (composer)|James Harding]] (set by William Byrd)
* In Nomine - John Parsons
* Psalme - Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck
* Nobodyes Gigge - Richard Farnaby (son of [[Giles Farnaby]])
* Pipers Pavan - [[Martin Peerson]]
* Allemanda - [[Marchant (composer)|Marchant]]
* Fayne would I Wedd - Richard Farnaby
* Fantasia - Jan Pieterzoon Sweelinck
* Alman - Hooper (perhaps [[Edmund Hooper (organist)|Edmund Hooper]])
* Corranto - Hooper
* Jhonsons Medley - [[Edward Johnson (composer)|Edward Johnson]]
* A Galiarde Grownde - [[William Inglott]] (organist at [[Hereford Cathedral|Hereford]] and [[Norwich Cathedral]]s)
* The Leaves bee greene - William Inglott
* Galiarda - [[Jehan Oystermayre]]
* The Primerose - Martin Peerson
* The Fall of the Leafe - Martin Peerson
* Pavana Delight - Edward Johnson (set by William Byrd)
* Lachrymae Pavan - John Dowland (set by Giles Farnaby)
* Pavana - Orlando Gibbons
* Hanskin - Richard Farnaby
{{colend}}

==See also==
{{div col}}
* [[The Mulliner Book]]
* [[The Dublin Virginal Manuscript]]
* [[My Ladye Nevells Booke]]
* [[Susanne van Soldt Manuscript]]
* [[Clement Matchett's Virginal Book]]
* [[Parthenia (music)|Parthenia]]
* [[Priscilla Bunbury's Virginal Book]]
* [[Elizabeth Rogers' Virginal Book]]
* [[Anne Cromwell's Virginal Book]]
* [[Francis Tregian the Younger]]
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Jon Baxendale and Francis Knights, ed., ''The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book'' (3 vols., Lyrebird Music, Tynset, 2020). [This contains a substantial preface covering background, bibliographical information and detailed notes on performance practice.]
*J.A. Fuller Maitland and W. Barclay Squire, ed., ''The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book'' (2 vols., Leipzig 1899; repub. New York 1963; rev. edn, 1979)
* [[Gustave Reese]], ''Music in the Renaissance''.  New York, W.W. Norton & Co., 1954.  {{ISBN|0-393-09530-4}}
* ''The New Harvard Dictionary of Music'', ed. Don Randel.  Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press, 1986.  {{ISBN|0-674-61525-5}}
* {{cite NewGrove1980|title=Sources of Keyboard Music|last=|first=|volume=|pages=}}
* Percy A. Scholes, ''The Oxford Companion to Music''.  London, Oxford University Press, 1970.  {{ISBN|9780193113060}}
* Harold Gleason and Warren Becker, ''Music in the Middle Ages and Renaissance'' (Music Literature Outlines Series I).  Bloomington, Indiana.
* Ruby Reid Thompson, ''Francis Tregian the Younger as music copyist: A legend and an alternative view.'' Music and Letters 2001 82: 1-31; {{doi|10.1093/ml/82.1.1}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Fitzwilliam Virginal Book}}
* {{IMSLP2|work=Fitzwilliam Virginal Book (Various)|cname=The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book}}
* [https://fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/explore-our-collection/highlights/Music-MS-168 Fitzwilliam Virginal Book, c.1610 – c.1625], information by the [[Fitzwilliam Museum]]
* [[Lynda Sayce]] and Kah-Ming Ng: [http://www.signumrecords.com/products/booklets/SIGCD009booklet.pdf The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book], Signum Records, 1999
* {{cite journal |last=Holt |first=Greg |date=June 2007 |title=Francis Tregian and the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book |editor-last=Fawcett |editor-first=Pat |journal=The Cornwall Family History Society |publisher=CFHS |location=Truro |volume=124 |pages=32–33 |issn=0141-7614 |oclc=62597632 }}
* Greg Holt: [http://www.gregholt.co.uk/tregian.htm ''Who wrote the Fitzwilliam Book?'']

===Recordings===
* [http://www.mp3classicalmusic.net/Composers/fitzwilliam.htm Complete Recording] performed on digital piano/harpsichord by Claudio Colombo
* [http://www.brilliantclassics.com/articles/f/fitzwilliam-virginal-book-vol-1/ FitzWilliam Virginal Book, Vol. I], recorded by Dutch harpsichordist [[Pieter-Jan Belder]] on [[Brilliant Classics]] (total is 15 CDs in 7 Volumes, 2011–2020)

{{Renaissance music manuscript sources}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Fitzwilliam Virginal Book| ]]
[[Category:English music]]
[[Category:Renaissance music]]
[[Category:Compositions for harpsichord]]
[[Category:Compositions for keyboard]]
[[Category:Renaissance music manuscript sources]]
[[Category:Manuscripts in the Fitzwilliam Museum]]