The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book is a primary source of keyboard music from the late Elizabethan and early Jacobean periods in England, i.e., the late Renaissance and very early Baroque. It takes its name from Viscount Fitzwilliam who bequeathed this manuscript collection to 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.
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, which was published in c. 1612.
The FVB was once given the nomenclature of 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.Ruby Reid Thompson, Francis Tregian the Younger as music copyist: A legend and an alternative view. Music and Letters 2001 82: 1-31; Although other scholarship suggested that, as compiler, it is unlikely that Tregian was imprisoned long enough to undertake the copying involved,Kah-Ming Ng, liner notes to The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book: Transcriptions for a Mixed Consort, charivari agréable, Signum Records SIGD009 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, 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.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. 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, 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" . A new three-volume edition was published by 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 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
Alman Barafostus' Dreame Muscadin Alman Galiarda Praeludium, El. Kidermisters (possibly a work of 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
Doctor John Bull
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
Ferdinando Richardson
Pavana Variatio Galiarda Variation Pavane Variatio Galiarda Variatio
Giles Farnaby
Pavana (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 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
John Munday Fantasia Fantasia, Faire Wether, etc. Robin Go from my window Mundays Joye
Peter Philips
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, 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
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)
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, 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[], 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. (Edward Johnson, set by William Byrd), BK5a 278. Galiarda (Edward Johnson, set by William Byrd), BK5b 294. Ladye Montegles Pavan, BK75
William Tisdall Almand Pavana Chromatica Pavana, Clement Cotton Pavana Galiarda
The Other Pieces
Pavana - M. S. The Woods so Wilde - Orlando Gibbons Praeludium - Thomas Oldfield In Nomine - William Blitheman (see John Blitheman) Fantasia - Nicholas Strogers Alman - Nicholas Strogers Toccata - Giovanni Picchi Praeludium, Toccata - Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck