[Psalms and hymns]

This material is held atCardiff University Archives / Prifysgol Caerdydd

  • Reference
    • GB 1239 442/27
  • Dates of Creation
    • 1761
  • Physical Description
    • 25ff. (Blank: 2v, 25v); 293 x 236mm (4to)

Scope and Content

"No 1 / Harmonia Sacra / or / A Collection of Psalm & / Hymn Tunes. 1761".

Short score. A collection of 56 hymns and metrical psalm tunes "extracted from [Thomas] Butt's Harmonia Sacra, & Keiths Collectn:" (information taken from the "Index to ye Hymns" on f. 2r, which supplies page references for concordances). Title from pasted slip on front cover (green board).

"Butts" can be identified as: Harmonia-Sacra, or A Choice Collection of Psalm and Hymn Tunes, In Three Parts for the Voice, Harpsichord and Organ (London: Printed for Thomas Butts, [1754]). Sally Drage has confirmed that the Mackworth tune numbers match those in the 1754 edition of Harmonia Sacra (hereafter "Butts"), although there are several minor variants in terms of texts, keys and time signatures (any variants or additional information noted by Drage are given in square brackets in the title, or in the description). The next known edition of Butts has been dated to 1767, although an edition of circa 1760 had been postulated by Maurice Frost (Hymn Society Bulletin, vol. 3 no. 4, Autumn 1952).

According to a Cardiff Public Library Catalogue, "Keith" refers to William Keith's "Collection of Hymns". Temperley's Hymn Tune Index lists an imprint issued by Longman and Broderip [c. 1780], suggesting that this source provides: "Soloistic pieces, not tunes by HTI criteria" (vol. I, p. 267). Concordances to Butts and Keith supplied in the notes are generally derived from the headings in this manuscript. Most tunes are scored for two treble clefs plus bass ('bc' in individual catalogue entries indicates the presence of figures; 'B' suggests no figures). Apparently the tune is carried by the middle voice, while the top voice is actually sung an octave lower than written. Some of the hymns supply the full text, others give only the opening incipit. The standard versions of the Hymn Tune titles have been used in the index. The hymns are numbered, 1-55 (37 appears twice). 12-stave MS paper.

In a single, amateur hand, which appears to match that of 442/39l (Juliana Mackworth?).