Miscellaneous short compositions by Beckford, and sketches mainly in his hand

Title

Miscellaneous short compositions by Beckford, and sketches mainly in his hand

Shelfmark

MS. Beckford c. 62/1

Summary

Comprises:

(fols. 1-2v) 'Marche' in F major for 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns and 2 bassoons (a single line, but marked 'fagotti'), in the hand of an amanuensis, dated 'Fev. 1781'

(fols. 3-5) 'To the ocean now I fly', song for soprano/tenor, chorus and instruments (words by John Milton)

(fol. 5v rev.) 'Notturno', duet, beg. 'Ah che da me lontana', and (fol. 6 rev.) sketch for the 'notturno'

(fol. 6v rev.'Andante' in F major, keyboard sketch, 22 March 1781

(fols. 7-8v, 9-10v) two copies, the second not in Beckford's hand, of 'Care luce amati rai', aria for soprano and strings, April 1783

(fol. 11) 'Coplas al SSo —', song beg. 'Al rayo duna flexa', sketch, '14 del juglio 1788'

(fols. 12-13) 'Cinto il crin di Faustia', aria for soprano and instruments (2 violins and cello?), not in Beckford's hand (for a sketch of this aria, see MS. Beckford c. 62/2, fols. 1-2)

(fols. 14-34) a set of eleven 'Stroffe' for voice and piano, July 1789, lacking no.8, (fols. 14-15) 'Stroffa prima', beg. 'Grazie agli inganni tuoi', 1 July, (fols. 16-17) 'Stroffa seconda', beg. 'Mancó l'antico ardore', 2 July, (fols. 18-19) 'Terza stroffa', beg. 'Sogno ma fé non miro', 3 July, (fols. 20-1)'Quarta stroffa', beg. 'Di tua beltá', 7 July, (fols. 22-3) '5a stroffa', beg. 'Volgimi il guardo altera', 3 July, (fols. 24-5) 'Sesta stroffa', beg. 'Quel ch'or m'alletta ó spiace', (fols. 26-7v) '7 stroffa', beg. 'Odi sio son sincero', 9 July, (fols. 28-9) 'Stroffa nona', beg. 'Nel visco in cui s'avenne', 11 July, (fols. 30-1) 'Stroffa decima', beg. 'Io' che non credi estinto', 9 July, (fols. 32-3) 'Stroffa undecima', beg. 'Doppo il cruel [sic] cimento', and (fol. 34r & v) sketches for stroffe 10 and 11, no.11 dated 13 July

(fols. 35-6) 'Cavatina', beg. 'Digli ch'io son fedele', Sept. 1800

(fols. 37-41) 'Thou art worthy to take the book', anthem, organ part only, including solo vocal lines but not chorus lines, August 1800

(fol. 42r &v) adagio in F major for 4 clarinets, 2 horns and 2 bassoons, not in Beckford's hand, dated 'à Fonthil [sic] 1mr juliet [sic] 1793'

(fol. 44) unfinished keyboard piece in F minor, 6 Sept. 1806

(fol. 46) piano piece in D major, 27 bars

(fol. 46v) piano piece in D major, 10 bars, in Beckford's hand, but ascribed by him to 'WC' (William Courtenay?)

(fols. 47-52) 'Aria del Sigr. Guglielmo di Beckford alla Sigra. Augusta Wynne', beg. 'Ah del crudel momento', for soprano and strings

(fols. 53-6) part of a chorus in Italian, for S.A.T.B. and orchestra, lacking the opening

(fol. 58) a very inaccurate attempt to write down from memory, in F major, the 'Harmonious Blacksmith' theme from the harpsichord Suite no. 5 in E major by Handel (torn from a larger sheet)

(fols. 59-60) 'O Astra, O Coelum', Latin elegy for voice and keyboard, 27 Sept. 1800

(fols. 61-6) a different setting of 'O Astra, O Coelum', for voice and keyboard, Oct. 1800, with, added to the title page (fol. 62) a keyboard sketch of 'Ego dormo cor meum vigilate', dated 'Paris, 7th May 1803', with brown paper wrappers

(fols. 67-72) a revised version of the previous setting, scored for S.A.B., 2 oboes, 2 horns and strings, dated 'Fonthill, 1801'

(fol. 75) a fair copy of the keyboard sketch 'Ego dormo' almost identical to that in fols. 61-6, paper watermarked 1799

(fols. 36v, 45v, 57, 60v, 65v) miscellaneous sketches, the last dated 'Paris, 12 Decr. 1801'

Date

1781-1803

Language

English

Physical extent

75 Leaves