Parthenia (music)
Encyclopedia
Parthenia or the Maydenhead of the first musicke that ever was printed for the Virginalls was, as the title states, the first printed collection of music for keyboard in England. 'Virginals
' was a generic word at the time that covered all plucked keyboard instruments – the harpsichord
, muselaar and virginals
, but most of the pieces are also suited for the clavichord
and chamber organ.
Although neither the first nor second editions bear a date, Parthenia was probably published around 1611, deduced by the dedication
This couple was betrothed in December 1612 and married in February 1613. Frederick and Elizabeth subsequently left England, and a further printing in 1613 promptly changed the dedication to read: Dedicated to all the Maisters and Louers of Musick. The last printing was made in 1659.
Parthenia contains, as the 1613 edition states, music Composed By three famous Masters: William Byrd
, Dr: John Bull
& Orlando Gibbons
, Gentilmen of his Ma[jes]ties most Illustrious Chappell
. The book is divided into three sections, each devoted to one of its composers. There are eight pieces by Byrd, seven by Bull and six by Gibbons. The pieces chosen are indeed representative of the finest compositions of these composers: pavan
s, galliard
s, fantazia
s and variation
s. There are no liturgical pieces. The music in Parthenia is written on staves
of six lines, but is peculiarly difficult to sightread as the notes are not positioned vertically in relation to their values, which has led some commentators to deduce that the work was published as a record rather than for practical performance.
The title Parthenia comes from the Greek parthenos meaning "maiden" or "virgin." The music is written for the Virginals, the etymology of which is unknown, but may either refer to the young girls who are often shown playing it, or from the Latin virga, which means "stick" or "wand", possibly referring to part of the mechanism that plucks a string in the harpsichord
family of instruments. The "Maydenhead" refers to the maiden voyage or, in this case, the first printing of Parthenia. The manuscript's dedication by the publisher William Hole (first edition) opens with the phrase: The virgin PARTHENIA (whilst yet I may) I offer up to your virgin Highnesses.
Another interesting aspect is the use of "E" and "F" in both the text and the music of Parthenia. "E" refers to Elizabeth Stuart, "F" to Frederick V. The dedication has the phrase
For this was created as a wedding present to Elizabeth and Frederick. More exciting is the Orlando Gibbons movement The Queenes Command in which he begins the piece with the notes E and F and uses these notes to start future measures or to tie measures together.
Parthenia Contents:
William Byrd
1. Preludium
2. Pavana Sir William Petre
3. Galiardo Sir William Petre
4. Preludium
5. Galiardo Mris Marye Brownlo
6. Pavana Earle of Salisbury
7. Galiardo Earle of Salisbury
8. Galiardo Secundo Earle of Salisbury
John Bull
9. Preludium
10. Pavana St. Thomas Wake
11. Galiardo St. Thomas Wake
12. Pavana
13. Galiardo
14. Galiardo
15. Galiardo
Orlando Gibbons
16. Galiardo
17. Fantazia of Foure Parts
18. The Lord Salisbury his Pavin
19. Galiardo
20. The Queenes Command
21. Preludium
Virginals
The virginals or virginal is a keyboard instrument of the harpsichord family...
' was a generic word at the time that covered all plucked keyboard instruments – the harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
, muselaar and virginals
Virginals
The virginals or virginal is a keyboard instrument of the harpsichord family...
, but most of the pieces are also suited for the clavichord
Clavichord
The clavichord is a European stringed keyboard instrument known from the late Medieval, through the Renaissance, Baroque and Classical eras. Historically, it was widely used as a practice instrument and as an aid to composition, not being loud enough for larger performances. The clavichord produces...
and chamber organ.
Although neither the first nor second editions bear a date, Parthenia was probably published around 1611, deduced by the dedication
- To the high and mighty Frederick, Elector PalatineFrederick V, Elector PalatineFrederick V was Elector Palatine , and, as Frederick I , King of Bohemia ....
of the Reine: and his betrothed Lady, ElizabethElizabeth of BohemiaElizabeth of Bohemia was the eldest daughter of King James VI and I, King of Scotland, England, Ireland, and Anne of Denmark. As the wife of Frederick V, Elector Palatine, she was Electress Palatine and briefly Queen of Bohemia...
the only daughter of my Lord the kingJames I of EnglandJames VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
.
This couple was betrothed in December 1612 and married in February 1613. Frederick and Elizabeth subsequently left England, and a further printing in 1613 promptly changed the dedication to read: Dedicated to all the Maisters and Louers of Musick. The last printing was made in 1659.
Parthenia contains, as the 1613 edition states, music Composed By three famous Masters: William Byrd
William Byrd
William Byrd was an English composer of the Renaissance. He wrote in many of the forms current in England at the time, including various types of sacred and secular polyphony, keyboard and consort music.-Provenance:Knowledge of Byrd's biography expanded in the late 20th century, thanks largely...
, Dr: John Bull
John Bull (composer)
John Bull was an English composer, musician, and organ builder. He was a renowned keyboard performer of the virginalist school and most of his compositions were written for this medium.-Life:...
& Orlando Gibbons
Orlando Gibbons
Orlando Gibbons was an English composer, virginalist and organist of the late Tudor and early Jacobean periods...
, Gentilmen of his Ma[jes]ties most Illustrious Chappell
Chapel Royal
A Chapel Royal is a body of priests and singers who serve the spiritual needs of their sovereign wherever they are called upon to do so.-Austria:...
. The book is divided into three sections, each devoted to one of its composers. There are eight pieces by Byrd, seven by Bull and six by Gibbons. The pieces chosen are indeed representative of the finest compositions of these composers: pavan
Pavane
The pavane, pavan, paven, pavin, pavian, pavine, or pavyn is a slow processional dance common in Europe during the 16th century .A pavane is a slow piece of music which is danced to in pairs....
s, galliard
Galliard
The galliard was a form of Renaissance dance and music popular all over Europe in the 16th century. It is mentioned in dance manuals from England, France, Spain, Germany and Italy, among others....
s, fantazia
Fantasia (music)
The fantasia is a musical composition with its roots in the art of improvisation. Because of this, it seldom approximates the textbook rules of any strict musical form ....
s and variation
Variation (music)
In music, variation is a formal technique where material is repeated in an altered form. The changes may involve harmony, melody, counterpoint, rhythm, timbre, orchestration or any combination of these.-Variation form:...
s. There are no liturgical pieces. The music in Parthenia is written on staves
Staff (music)
In standard Western musical notation, the staff, or stave, is a set of five horizontal lines and four spaces that each represent a different musical pitch—or, in the case of a percussion staff, different percussion instruments. Appropriate music symbols, depending upon the intended effect,...
of six lines, but is peculiarly difficult to sightread as the notes are not positioned vertically in relation to their values, which has led some commentators to deduce that the work was published as a record rather than for practical performance.
The title Parthenia comes from the Greek parthenos meaning "maiden" or "virgin." The music is written for the Virginals, the etymology of which is unknown, but may either refer to the young girls who are often shown playing it, or from the Latin virga, which means "stick" or "wand", possibly referring to part of the mechanism that plucks a string in the harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
family of instruments. The "Maydenhead" refers to the maiden voyage or, in this case, the first printing of Parthenia. The manuscript's dedication by the publisher William Hole (first edition) opens with the phrase: The virgin PARTHENIA (whilst yet I may) I offer up to your virgin Highnesses.
Another interesting aspect is the use of "E" and "F" in both the text and the music of Parthenia. "E" refers to Elizabeth Stuart, "F" to Frederick V. The dedication has the phrase
- ...these next neighbour letters E and F the vowell that makes so sweet a consonãt Her notes so linkt and wedded togeither seeme liuely Hierogliphicks of the harmony of mariage, the high and holy State wherinto you shortly must be incorporat.
For this was created as a wedding present to Elizabeth and Frederick. More exciting is the Orlando Gibbons movement The Queenes Command in which he begins the piece with the notes E and F and uses these notes to start future measures or to tie measures together.
Parthenia Contents:
William Byrd
1. Preludium
2. Pavana Sir William Petre
3. Galiardo Sir William Petre
4. Preludium
5. Galiardo Mris Marye Brownlo
6. Pavana Earle of Salisbury
7. Galiardo Earle of Salisbury
8. Galiardo Secundo Earle of Salisbury
John Bull
9. Preludium
10. Pavana St. Thomas Wake
11. Galiardo St. Thomas Wake
12. Pavana
13. Galiardo
14. Galiardo
15. Galiardo
Orlando Gibbons
16. Galiardo
17. Fantazia of Foure Parts
18. The Lord Salisbury his Pavin
19. Galiardo
20. The Queenes Command
21. Preludium
Sources
- Parthenia, The Harrow Replicas, Chiswick Press, London 1942
- Parthenia, edited by Kurt Stone, Broude Brothers, New York 1951
- A Reevaluation of Parthenia and its Contents, Janet Pollack, Duke University, 2001
- Manuscript Additions in Parthenia and other Early English Printed Music in America, David Greer. Music and Letters, 77 (1996), 169-82
- The Keyboard Music of John Bull, Walker Cunningham, UMI Research Press, Ann Arbor, 1984
- The Consort and Keyboard Music of William Byrd, Oliver Neighbour, University of California Press, Berkeley, 1978
- Orlando Gibbons and the Gibbons Family of Musicians, John Harley, Ashgate Publishing Company, Vermont, 1999
See also
- The Mulliner BookThe Mulliner BookThe Mulliner Book is a historically important musical commonplace book compiled, probably between about 1545 and 1570, by Thomas Mulliner, about whom practically nothing is known, except that he figures in 1563 as modulator organorum of Corpus Christi College, Oxford...
- The Dublin Virginal Manuscript
- My Ladye Nevells BookeMy Ladye Nevells BookeMy Ladye Nevells Booke is a music manuscript containing keyboard pieces by the English composer William Byrd, and, together with the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book, one of the most important collections of keyboard music of the renaissance.-Description:My Ladye Nevells Booke consists of 42 pieces for...
- Susanne van Soldt ManuscriptSusanne van Soldt ManuscriptThe Susanne van Soldt Manuscript is a keyboard anthology dated 1599 consisting of 33 pieces copied by or for a young Flemish or Dutch girl living in London...
- Clement Matchett's Virginal BookClement Matchett's Virginal BookClement Matchett's Virginal Book is a musical manuscript from the late renaissance compiled by a young Norfolk man in 1612. Although a small anthology, it is notable not only for the quality of its music but also for the precise fingering indications that reveal the contemporary treatment of...
- Fitzwilliam Virginal BookFitzwilliam Virginal BookThe 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...
- Priscilla Bunbury's Virginal BookPriscilla Bunbury's Virginal BookPriscilla Bunbury's Virginal Book is a musical commonplace book compiled in the late 1630's by two young women from an affluent Cheshire family. It is important more for its fingering indications than for the quality of the music it contains.-The Manuscript:...
- Elizabeth Roger's Virginal BookElizabeth Roger's Virginal BookElizabeth Rogers Virginal Book is a musical commonplace book compiled in the mid-seventeenth century by a person or persons so far unidentified...
- Anne Cromwell's Virginal BookAnne Cromwell's Virginal BookAnne Cromwell's Virginal Book is a manuscript keyboard compilation dated 1638. Whilst the importance of the music it contains is not high, it reveals the sort of keyboard music that was being played in the home at this time.-The Manuscript:...