Early Organ Composers’ Anniversaries in 2011

John Collins has been playing and researching early keyboard music for over 35 years, with special interests in the English, Italian, and Iberian repertoires. He has contributed many articles and reviews to several American and European journals, including The Diapason, and has been organist at St. George’s, Worthing, West Sussex, England for almost 26 years.

In 2010 there are several composers for organ from the 16th to 18th centuries whose anniversaries can be commemorated, albeit only some of the dates are certain. Many of the names listed here will not be well known, but their compositions are well worth exploring and many are suitable for both liturgical and recital use. Although the dances and variations were destined primarily for the harpsichord and clavichord, they would have also been played on the domestic chamber organ—even performance on a church organ can sound most effective when using carefully selected stops based on clarity, rather than thick diapasons. From the 16th century onwards, publishers had an eye for commercial exploitation and frequently included multiple instrumental possibilities on the title pages! This list makes no claim to completeness, but the compiler has copies of almost everything here, although it is entirely possible that some items are out of print and would have to be consulted in libraries.

Antonio de Cabezón (1510–66). Leading 16th-century Spanish composer for keyboard. Several of his works (including 14 tientos, some 15 hymns, and two short diferencias or variations) were published in Venegas de Henestrosa’s Libro de Cifra Nueva (1557), which includes important comments on performance practice, including ornaments and fingering; modern edition by Higinio Anglés in two volumes (Groen’s catalogue mentions a reprint in four volumes) for Monumentos de la Música Española. The posthumous Obras de Música para Tecla, Arpa y Vihuela, published by his son Hernando in 1578 (which also includes invaluable comments on performance practice), contains much liturgical music; after four duos and five pieces in three parts headed “for beginners,” there follow 11 hymns, sets of four versos, four fabordones, six (on the second, third and fifth tones) or seven verses on the Magnificats, and four Kyries on each of the eight tones, in addition to 14 tientos, nine diferencias, a setting of Duinsela, and over 40 glosadas (intabulations) in up to six parts, including four by Hernando, one by Juan de Cabezón, and one anonymous. A modern edition in three volumes excluding the glosadas is edited by Anglés and published by Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. A new edition is in preparation, edited by Claudio Astronio for Ut Orpheus. The glosadas have been edited by Maria Ester Sala for Union Musical Ediciones. A few pieces in MS 242 at Coimbra published in Portugaliae Musica Vol. XIX have tentatively been assigned to de Cabezón, although the ascription to A.C. may well have meant Antonio Carreira, the leading Portuguese organist of the 16th century.

Ercole Pasquini (ca. 1560–1620). Organist in Verona and Rome, from which post he was apparently dismissed in 1608. He left over 30 pieces in MSS (none autograph), including six toccatas (some with interesting rhythmic patterns in the note groupings), ten canzonas, one fuga, sets of variations including Ruggiero, two on Romanesca and two Pass è Mezzi, an intabulation of Ancor che co’l partire, a sonata, a gagliarda, and the earliest known examples of two durezze and two correnti. Collected edition by W. Richard Shindle, published by American Institute of Musicology, Corpus of Early Keyboard Music 12.

Peter Philips (ca. 1560–1628). Spent much time in Italy, Spain, France, and Belgium, where he died in Brussels. Left some 34 compositions, including pavans, galliards, three fantasias, 15 intabulations of madrigals, and a set of 10 verses on Veni Sancte Spiritus. Nineteen pieces, mainly dances and intabulations, are to be found in the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book Vol. 1. A further eight pieces, including an almande, pavana, fantasia, four intabulations, and the setting of Veni Sancte Spiritus, are edited by John Harley for Stainer & Bell’s Early Keyboard Music K40. The complete keyboard works, edited by David Smith, are in Musica Britannica, Vol. 75.

Hieronymus Praetorius (1560–1629) was organist of the Jakobikirche in Hamburg. He left a large corpus of organ music in the Visby MS, of which the eight Magnificat cycles bear his name. Ascribed to him with some certainty from the same MSS are 19 hymn cycles (of Latin hymns) and 10 Kyrie cycles as well as four sequence cycles, a setting of Psalm 113, of the German Magnificat using the Tonus Peregrinus, and two recently discovered lengthy chorale fantasias, on Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam and Wenn mein Stündlein vorhanden ist. All of these pieces have been edited by Klaus Beckmann in three volumes for Schott (ED 9581–9583).

Johann Benn (ca. 1590–1660) worked in Messkirch (Baden) and Lucerne, and left seven ricercars and two canzonas in a MS now in the BL. A modern edition by R. Schächer is published by Cornetto Verlag (CP342).

Pedro de Tafalla (1606–1660) was organist at El Escorial, Spain, where his three known compositions for organ are preserved. They include a Tiento lleno on the 2nd Tone, a Medio registro alto on the 2nd Tone, and a Tiento de dos tiples on the 7th Tone. They have been published recently by Ediciones Escurialenses in Música para órgano (siglo XVII) Volume 1-1, which also includes works by Diego de Torrijos and Cristóba1 de San Jerónimo, available from Tritó, Barcelona.

Henri Dumont (1610–84). Born in Belgium, Dumont became organist at St-Paul in Paris and left 17 pieces, including 11 allemandes, one courante, one pavane, and four préludes. Modern edition P. Bonfils, Editions Musicales de la Schola Cantorum et de la Procure Générale de Musique, L’organiste Liturgique 13.

Bernardo Pasquini (1637–1710). Organist in Rome and teacher of Zipoli, Casini, Georg Muffat, composer of over 200 pieces for keyboard conserved in four main MSS, covering all the main genres (17 suites, a few individual dance movements, about 30 short arias, over 35 toccatas, two capriccii, a fantasia, three canzone), one fuga, four ricercari (one of which runs to 345 bars), four sonatas, 22 variations (including four passacagli), and including over 300 versos and 14 sonatas for one and a further 14 for two instruments with just a figured bass. Available in seven volumes, edited by Maurice Brook Haynes, published by American Institute of Musicology, Corpus of Early Keyboard Music 5—this edition is unfortunately very unreliable but does group the works by genres. The far more accurate new Italian edition in seven volumes—which, after volume one that contains an Introduzione and Pastorale, and 60 versetti, all taken from a newly discovered MS in Bologna, follows the haphazard groupings of the (mainly autograph) MSS—is available from Libreria Musicale (www.libreria musicale.com). A facsimile edition of the Landsberg MS has been edited by Emer Buckley in two parts plus CD, published by Anne Fuzeau Classique (www.
editions-classique.com).

Alessandro Scarlatti (1660–1725). Better known for his sacred and secular vocal music, he left many toccatas in MSS, most of which are multi-movement (with some loose fugues as well as dance movements), including lengthy sets of variations on the Folia. Some toccatas are retrospective, others are forward-looking, with many dissonant clashes and lengthy passages of chords to be arpeggiated. An excellent new edition by Andrea Macinanti and Francesco Tasini with a most illuminating introduction on performance is published in five volumes by Ut Orpheus: Alessandro Scarlatti, Complete Works for Keyboard, Vols. 1–5, Ut Orpheus AS 01–AS 05; <www.utorpheus.com&gt;.

Johann Kuhnau (1660–1722) worked in Leipzig and published two sets of seven suites (the first set in major, the second in minor keys, also including a sonata in B-flat), seven sonatas in from three to seven movements, and a set of six sonatas that are multi-movement programmatic pieces entitled Biblical Histories. All are available in facsimile, published by SPES. The edition by Moser for Denkmäler deutscher Tonkunst volume 1/4 is out of print, but a new edition in two volumes has been edited by C. Harris in Art of the Keyboard Vol. 6 for Broude Brothers: Johann Kuhnau: The Collected Works for Keyboard, ed. C. David Harris; AOK 6, 2 volumes; Broude Brothers Limited (www.broude.us/Catalogues/EarlyMusic2006.pdf). The Biblical Sonatas are available separately, AOK 6C.

Christian Witte (ca. 1660–1717), organist in Altenburg, left about 20 pieces in MSS, including suites, preludes, fugues, three chorale preludes, and ciaconas; a passacaglia on D-C-Bb-A with 30 variations was formerly attributed to J. S. Bach. A modern edition of 12 pieces has been edited by Laura Cerutti for Armelin (www.armelin.it) in two volumes (AMM 026/053), of which the pieces best suited to organ are in volume 2. Three pieces from the Mylau Tablaturbuch are edited by John R. Shannon for American Institute of Musicology, Corpus of Early Keyboard Music 39. A capriccio in the Andreas Bach Book has been edited by Robert Hill for Harvard University Press: Keyboard Music from the Andreas Bach Book and the Moller Manuscript, ed. Robert Hill; Harvard University Press (www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog/HILMUS.html).

Georg Leyding (1665–1710) studied with Reincken and Buxtehude and became Jakob Bölsche’s successor at Braunschweig. He left three praeludia, a chorale prelude on Wie schön leucht uns, and a set of six chorale variations on Von Gott will ich nicht lassen, which have been edited by Klaus Beckmann for Breitkopf & Härtel: Georg Dietrich Leyding, Organ Works (EB 8405) (www.breitkopf.com).

Vicent Rodríguez (1690–1760) was organist at Valencia Cathedral, successor to the great Cabanilles. In MSS he left a Libro de Tocatas (30) for harpsichord and a few pieces for organ including a fantasia, six tocatas (several of these are pieces for the clarines or trumpet stops and are much lighter in style than those by Cabanilles), and a partido. New edition by Águeda Pedrero for Tritó edicions (www.trito.es). Ten versos sobre Pange Lingua have been edited by Vicente Ros and included in Música de Tecla Valenciana Vol. 5.

Thomas Arne (1710–78). Left Six favourite concertos for organ, harpsichord or piano-forte published ca. 1787, which may be performed without the accompanying parts; edited by Robin Langley for OUP; and Gwilym Beechey has edited the organ solos from the concerti for Peters (H 1544). Arne also published a set of Eight Sonatas or Lessons for the harpsichord in 1756, facsimile edition edited by Beechey and Dart for Stainer & Bell K27.

Thomas Gladwin (1710–99). Worked in London, where he published Eight Lessons for the Harpsichord or Organ, three of which have violin accompaniment, in the 1750s. Facsimile edition of these two-movement pieces has been published by Jacks, Pipes and Hammers; <www.
btinteret.com/~edjacksph/pub.htm>.

Giuseppe Paganelli (1710–63). Worked in Venice, Bayreuth, Munich, and Madrid, where he may have succeeded D. Scarlatti. He published XXX Ariae pro organo et cembalo in 1756, facsimile edition in Minkoff, and edited by M. Machella for Armelin AMM163. He also published in 1757 Amusement for the fair sex or Six sonatines for the harpsichord, modern edition by Laura Cerutti for Cornetto Verlag (CP388). Three further sonatas are included in volumes 2, 3, and 4 of the Haffner Raccolta. Facsimile edition of volumes 2 and 3 in Raccolta musicale… Bibliotheca Musica Bononiensis IV/56 Bologna.

Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (1710–84). Oldest son of Johann Sebastian, he left relatively few keyboard works, most of which sound best on the clavichord, including eleven sonatas, eight fugues, twelve polonaises, ten fantasias, seven chorale preludes, and eight fugues from isolated MSS, in addition to pieces in the Notebook for W F Bach compiled by Johann Sebastian. The eight fugues have been edited by Paul Simmonds and Mike Daniels (www.paulsimmonds.com/publications/php) and published by themselves. They are also included in volume 1 of the organ works edited by Traugott Fedke for Edition Peters in two volumes (vol. 2 includes the chorale preludes and some more fugues). A new complete edition of the keyboard music in two volumes (vol. 1 just published) is in progress for Carus Verlag (Carus 32.001, 32.002). Best suited to the organ are the fugues and chorale preludes.

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710–36) is better known for his operas and sacred music, but three organ sonatas are included in Splendori del ’700 Napoletano Vol 1. and one in Vol. 2, edited by Maurizio Machella for Armelin as AMM 161 and AMM 240 (www.armelin.it). Many pieces formerly attributed to him in 18th-century sources have now been identified as being by other composers—the one certain thing about Pergolesi is that he died young!

Many of the publishers mentioned have their own websites and accept orders from anywhere; the following would supply “one-stop shopping” for orders from more than one publisher, although they themselves would have to order titles from many of the smaller publishers, including the Spanish and Italian.
Jacks Pipes and Hammers: <www.jackspipesandhammers.com&gt;
Saul Groen: <http://saulgroen.nl&gt;
Sheetmusicplus: <www.sheetmusic plus.com>

Other individual publishers’ sites include:
Edicion Tritó: <www.trito.es&gt;; especially useful for Spanish scores
Corpus of Early Keyboard Music: <www.corpusmusicae.com/cekm&gt;. 

This article is a considerably expanded version of a list originally published in British Clavichord Society Newsletter 46.

In 2016 the anniversaries of several composers can be commemorated, albeit some of their dates are not known for certain. Some names need no introduction but there are also several lesser-known names here whose compositions are well worth exploring. No claim is made for completeness. Some composers with only a small number of surviving pieces have not been included, and there is no guarantee that every edition is in print; there may also be editions by other publishers. A search of online booksellers for copies may be worthwhile. 

An increasing number of pieces, ranging from complete original publications or manuscripts (which present the usual problems of multiple clefs as well as original printing errors) to modern versions of works, can be found on various free download websites, most notably IMSLP. However, the accuracy of some modern typesettings is highly questionable, and all should be used with caution. 

Antonio de Cabezón (1510–66) was organist to the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and one of the most important Spanish composers of the 16th century. Some 41 pieces of the 138 included in Venegas de Henestrosa’s 1557 anthology Libro de Cifra nueva were attributed to him, including 16 Tientos, six settings each of the Pange Lingua and the Ave Maris Stella, other hymn settings, and a few miscellaneous pieces. In 1578, his son Hernando published Obras de Musica, also in Spanish number tablature, a compilation of his father’s works plus five of his own and one by his uncle Juan (who also died in 1566). This large compendium includes nine Duos for beginners, hymn settings in two, three, and four voices, three Kyries in three voices, eight sets of four-voice Versos, Fabordones, Kyries, and Magnificats, 12 Tientos, 15 Canciones glosadas in four voices, 23 in five voices, six in six voices, two Fugas, and ten sets of Diferencias. The non-canción pieces have been edited by Higinio Anglés in three volumes for the Instituto Español de Musicología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, with the Canciones edited by Maria Ester Sala for Unión Musical Ediciones (S.L. 21945). The Tientos and Fugas have been edited by M. S. Kastner for Schott (4948). A new edition in four volumes (a fifth volume will offer a facsimile and a sixth studies) edited by several eminent Spanish scholars was published in 2010 by the Institución Fernando el Católico. The Venegas print has been edited by Higinio Anglés as volume two of the series Monumentos de la Música Española for the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Barcelona, in two volumes. The first is a study of the music at the court; the second volume, containing a transcription of the pieces, has now been reprinted in four volumes by The Well-Tempered Press, Boca Raton, Florida (an imprint of Kalmus). An excellent anthology in four volumes containing pieces selected from the two prints has been edited by Gerhard Doderer and Miguel Bernal Ripoll for Bärenreiter (BA 9261–4). Charles Jacobs has edited the collected works in five volumes, for the Institute of Mediaeval Music, mixing pieces from the two prints in volumes 1–4, and in volume five including only the incipits of the Canciones as well as about 16 pieces from Portuguese sources, which he attributes to Cabezón instead of to Antonio Carreira. Numerous pieces have appeared in anthologies, the quality of editing being of a somewhat variable standard. 

Johann Steffens (1559 or 1560–1616), organist in Luneburg, published some instrumental pieces, and his son published some of his father’s vocal music. Steffens left three chorale settings and a lengthy Fantasia on the Fourth Tone that have survived in various manuscripts and have been edited by Klaus Beckmann, published by Schott as Volume IV of the series Masters of the North German School for Organ (ED9584). 

Paul Siefert (1586–1666), a pupil of Sweelinck, became organist in Danzig (Gdansk), with spells at Konigsberg and Warsaw. He published vocal and theoretical works as well as a few keyboard compositions that have survived in manuscripts, including a setting of John Dowland’s Paduana La mia Barbara, which is included in Dowland keyboard music edited by Christopher Hogwood for Edition HH and also in Lied und Tanz variationen der Sweelinck-Schule, edited by Werner Breig for Edition Schott (6030), and sets of variations on Nun komm der Heiden Heiland and Puer Natus in Bethlehem, a setting of the motet Benedicat Dominum by Lassus, a Fantasia a 5 and 13 Fantasias a 3 (tentatively ascribed to Siefert by Max Seiffert), all of which have been edited by Klaus Beckmann as Volume XX in the series Masters of the North German School for Organ (ED20518). The two chorale variation sets have been edited by Hans Moser and Traugott Fedtke in Choralbearbeitungen und freie Orgelstücke der deutschen Sweelinck-Schule aus der Lübbenauer Tabulatur, Band 1, published by Bärenreiter (BA2815).

Johann Erasmus Kindermann (1616–55) was an organist in Nuremberg; he published vocal and instrumental works, including Harmonia Organica in 1645. One of the last two prints in German organ tablature (the other being Christian Michael’s Tabulatura also printed in 1645), its 25 pieces comprise 14 praeambula in the church tones (which are also included in the Brasov Tablature) arranged in six pairs (each praeambulum serving two tones), then repeated transposed up a fourth, followed by two more transposed praeambula, five chorale preludes (four of which are fugal including one based on three Passiontide/Easter chorales), four fugues, and two Magnificat settings, one of which is an intonation with one verse, the other on the eighth tone having five verses (one is in echo format requiring two manuals). A modern edition by Rudolf Walter was published as Volume IX of the series Süddeutsche Orgelmeister des Barock by Musikverlag Alfred Coppenrath. A set of 30 dances has survived in manuscript, edited by Felix Schreiber and Bertha Wallner and included in Denkmäler der Tonkunst in Bayern XXI-XXIV, vol.30, published by Gesellschaft für Bäyerische Musikgeschichte.

Johann Jakob Froberger (1616–67). Froberger spent much time as court organist in Vienna and can be regarded as the most influential keyboard composer of the second half of the 17th century. His travels took him to France, England, and Italy. His large output comprises free-form and contrapuntal pieces as well as over 50 dance suites, surviving in many sources including four autograph volumes (a recently discovered one is not accessible, and two have been lost). The three surviving autographs of 1649, 1656, and 1658 contain 12 toccatas, 12 ricercars, 12 capricci, six fantasias, six canzonas, and 12 suites of dance movements, with several more pieces in each category as well as single dances, tombeaux, and lamentations from other manuscripts being reliably attributed to the canon. Pieces were included in publications from 1693 onwards, but many contain a corrupt and unreliable presentation of the text. Siegbert Rampe has edited the keyboard pieces in six volumes, of which the first is devoted to the 1649 autograph, the second to the 1656 and 1658 autographs, volumes 3 and 4 to partitas (suites) from copied sources, volume 5 to toccatas and polyphonic works from copied sources, and volume 6 to new readings and new pieces from newly discovered sources (volumes 3–6 are each in two parts) for Bärenreiter. A seventh volume includes the vocal music and a catalogue of Froberger’s output. 

Matthias Weckmann (1616–74)studied with Heinrich Schütz in Dresden and with Jacob Praetorius and Heinrich Scheidemann in Hamburg, where he became organist. His surviving works include much vocal, some chamber, and some keyboard music. He left eight sets of chorale variations ranging from three to seven verses each and a Magnificat on the 2nd Tone with four verses, which have been edited by Werner Breig and published by Bärenreiter (BA6211). His free-form pieces comprise a Praeambulum a 5, a fantasia, and a Fuga on the 1st Tone, each of which has a pedal part, and six toccatas and five variation canzonas (one in C minor), for manuals. Preserved in manuscripts are six partitas of dance movements and one set of variations. It is now accepted that Weckmann compiled the Hintze manuscript, which contains a further 28 dance movements, 16 of which are anonymous. Composers represented in this manuscript include Tresure, Chambonnières, Froberger, La Barre, Erben, and Cousteaux. A set of variations on Lucidor hat einst ein Schaf included as an appendix is of dubious attribution. The free-form pieces have all been edited by Siegbert Rampe as Sämtliche Freie Orgel- und Clavierwerke and published by Bärenreiter (BA8189). Hans Davidsson edited the free works as A practical edition of the free organ works for Gehrmans Musikförlag, which included a doubtfully attributed Praeluium a 5 in G.

Sebastian Durón (1660–1716), a pupil of Andrés de Sola and organist at Seville, Burgo de Osma, and the Chapel Royal at Madrid, composed much sacred and secular music, but left only three organ pieces, all for divided keyboard. Two treat the same subject, one with the solo in the left hand, one in the right hand; the third piece, Gaitilla, has lively writing in the left hand. All have been edited by Lothar Siemens-Hernandez and published by Scola Cantorum as volume 74 in the series Orgue et Liturgie, which also contains the three tientos composed by his teacher Andrés de Sola. Gaitilla has been edited by Gerhard Doderer and included in the volume dedicated to Spain in the Vox Humana series, published by Bärenreiter (BA8233). 

Johann Heinrich Buttstedt (1666–1727) was an organist in Erfurt and, according to Walther’s Lexicon, published three sets of pieces, of which the 1705 and 1706 sets of chorale variations have not survived; however, manuscript copies by Walther have come down to us. Fortunately copies of the far more extensive Musicalische Clavier-Kunst und Vorraths-Kammer of 1713 have survived. This collection contains seven groups of pieces including four praeludia. The groups are coupled with, respectively, a capriccio, a ricercar in three stanzas, a fuga, and a canzona in six parts followed by two minuets, an aria with 12 variations, and two suites of dances in D major and F major. Attributed to Buttstedt in manuscript sources are four fugues in C, D, E minor, and G minor, and a Praeludium et Fuga in G. Two fugues in G minor are tentatively ascribed to him by Beckmann, one of which is generally accepted as being by Jan Adam Reincken. An extensive collection of some 28 chorale preludes and variations specifically marked with Buttstedt’s name has survived, and an additional 16 chorale-based pieces have tentatively been ascribed to him by Klaus Beckmann, whose modern edition has been published by Schott as volumes 3 (non-chorale-based works) and 4 (chorale-based works) of the series Middle German Organ Masters (ED9923/4).

Nicolaus Vetter (1666–1734) was an organist in Erfurt and Rudolandstadt after studying with Georg Wecker and Johann Pachelbel. Some 28 pieces have been definitely attributed to him in the modern edition, with a further eight chorale preludes and variation sets tentatively assigned to him from anonymously transmitted works. His pieces comprise 13 chorale preludes and variations including a set of 17 variations on Allein Gott in der Höh’ sei Ehr’ and seven variations on Jesu, meine Freude. Nine fugues and a parthie, which is actually a set of six alternating praeludia and fugues in B-flat (including one fugue by Wecker and one by Pachelbel), complete the contents. A modern edition by Klaus Beckmann has been published by Schott as volume 5 of the series Middle German Organ Masters (ED9925). 

Thomas Roseingrave (1690–1766), organist of St. George’s, Hanover Square, London, from 1725, was rendered incapable of playing by an unfortunate love affair (John Keeble was appointed in 1744). In the 1750s he went to live with his family in Dublin. He published 12 Solos for the Flute, and his keyboard pieces include Eight Suits of Lessons for the harpsichord or spinnet (1725), a Celebrated Concerto for solo organ published in 1770, a set of Voluntarys and Fugues made on purpose for the organ or harpsichord (1728), which show the influence of his friend Scarlatti (whom he met in Rome), and six Double Fugues to which is added Sig. Domenico Scarlatti’s Celebrated Lesson, hpd, with addns by Roseingrave (1750), which show Handel’s influence. The complete keyboard music, edited by H. Diack Johnstone and Richard Platt, has been published as volume 84 in the Stainer & Bell series Musica Britannica. Individual editions include the Concerto edited by Laura Cerutti, published by Armelin (CM038), the Voluntarys and Fugues edited by Greg Lewin for Greg Lewin Music (OM117), and the Double Fugues (omitting the Scarlatti lesson) edited by David Patrick for Fitzjohn Music. There are facsimiles by Broude Europa in the Performers’ Facsimiles series of the Voluntaries (PF5) and Double Fugues (PF105).

Giovanni Battista Pescetti (1704–66) was born in Venice and collaborated with Galuppi in writing operas. In 1736 he became director of Covent Garden and King’s Theatre in London where he published a set of 10 Sonate per gravicembalo in 1739 in two to four movements; its final piece was an arrangement of the overture to his opera La Conquista del vello d’oro. The complete volume has been published in facsimile by Arnaldo Forni, and the nine sonatas have been edited by Francesco Dilaghi and published in the series Maestri italiani della tastiera by Ricordi (133412). Dilaghi has also edited a further six sonatas from manuscript sources also published by Ricordi (133083). Many of the movements, especially the loosely fugal forms, sound well on the organ. Four sonatas specifically marked da Organo are included in the extensive anthology Musiche per gli organi della Serenissima edited by Maurizio Machella and published by Armelin AMMXCII, and have also been edited by David Patrick for Fitzjohn Music. 

Josef Norbert Seger (1716–82) studied organ with B. M. Černohorský and counterpoint with Jan Zach and František Tůma. He was appointed organist of the Týn Church (c. 1741) and the Crusaders’ Church (1745) in Prague. The most prolific Czech composer of keyboard music of his time (one manuscript’s title is 148 Praeludien, Fantasien und Fugen, though at least 28 are by other authors), none of his many preludes, toccatas, and fugues were published in his lifetime.  Some manuscripts and 19th-century printed editions ascribe the same piece to different composers, rendering a reliable list of his compositions even more difficult. Available modern editions include two volumes edited by Vratislav Belsky for the series Musica Antiqua Bohemica, Editio Supraphon, Prague. Volume 51 contains 34 pieces including the eight toccatas and fugues published by Türk in 1793, 20 preambulae and six fugas, volume 56 contains a further 21 pieces (16 preludes and fugues, three preambulae, and two chant settings). Three fugues and two praeambulae are included in volume 12 of this series alongside pieces by other Czech composers. These editions have arbitrarily consigned the bass voice to a third stave. Nicolas Gorenstein has edited 47 pieces in two volumes for Editions Chanvrelin, Paris. A scholarly modern edition of this excellent music in which all sources have been fully evaluated and the music restored to two staves, while indicating the pedal as the source does, is very much needed.

Rafael Anglés (1730–1816) succeeded Vicente Rodriguez as organist of the cathedral of Valencia. A complete edition of his surviving keyboard works is still lacking, but his Salmodia, a collection of 33 versos (four are on Tones 1–7 and five on Tone 8), has been edited by Dionisio Preciado for Unión Musical Española (22320). A set of five pasos has been edited by Jose Climent, published as Serie B: Musica de Camera, 12 by the Instituto Español de Musicología Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; a collection of 20 one-movement, binary-form sonatas has been edited by Climent and published by the Real Academia de Cultura Valenciana Seccion de Musicologia as volume 3. Two one-movement sonatas in E minor and F have been edited by Climent and published by Unión Musical Española. A further nine sonatas and a pastorela have been edited by Dionisio Preciado and included in his excellent anthology Doce Compositores Aragoneses de tecla (s. XVIII) published by Editora Nacional, Madrid. 

Samuel Wesley (1766–1837) composed a large amount of sacred and secular vocal music and also chamber and orchestral pieces, in addition to a large corpus of keyboard music for organ, and for pianoforte or harpsichord. Very little of the latter has been made available in other modern editions. A great admirer of J. S. Bach, Wesley made arrangements for piano or harpsichord of the Well-Tempered Clavier as well as organ works. His organ works from both published and manuscript sources have been edited by Geoffrey Atkinson and published by Fagus Music in 12 volumes. Volumes 1 and 2 contain the 12 published voluntaries of op. 6, volumes 3–8 include sets of voluntaries in manuscripts, apart from the six fugues in volume 5, volume 9 contains the 12 short pieces with a full voluntary and three sets of variations, volume 10 contains 34 short pieces, volume 11 contains 12 miscellaneous longer voluntaries, and volume 12 contains the Grand Duet. 

Basilio de Sesse (1756–1816), the son of Juan de Sesse y Balaguer (whose 1773 set of fugues were the first keyboard pieces published in Spain after Correa’s Facultad Organica), served as organist of the cathedral of Toledo. He left 12 pieces in manuscripts, including two pasos, seven intentos with a length of a mere 82 bars up to 346 bars (the fourth is an extended treatment of the hymn Ave Maris Stella, the fifth and seventh open with a preludio, the seventh has two subjects worked separately and then combined), and three piezas (the second is a light rondo and the third is a shorter sonata with passages for crossed hands), which have been edited by Patricia Rejas Suarez and published as volume XIII of the series Tecla Aragonesa by the Institución Fernando el Católico.

Publishers’ websites 

Associated Board of the Royal School of Music:

http://gb.abrsm.org/en/home

American Institute of Musicology—CEKM series:
www.corpusmusicae.com/cekm.htm&nbsp;

Armelin Musica: www.armelin.it

Bärenreiter: www.baerenreiter.com  

Broude Bros: www.broude.us&nbsp;

Carus Verlag: www.carus-verlag.com&nbsp;

Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas:

www.csic.es

Doblinger Verlag: www.doblinger-verlag.at

Fitzjohn: www.impulse-music.co.uk/fitzjohnmusic

Greg Lewin Music: www.greglewin.co.uk

IMSLP: www.imslp.org

Institute of Medieval Music: http://medievalmusic.ca/english/index.htm

Institución Fernando el Católico: http://ifc.dpz.es/&nbsp;

Institute Medieval Music: http://medievalmusic.ca/english/index.htm

Kalmus: www.efkalmus.com

Real Academia de Cultura Valenciana:

www.racv.es

Schott Music: www.schott-music.com&nbsp;

Stainer & Bell: www.stainer.co.uk&nbsp;

Unión Musical Española: www.musicsalesclassical.com/companies/unionmusicalediciones

John Collins has been playing and researching early keyboard music for over 35 years, with special interests in the English, Italian, and Iberian repertoires. He has contributed many articles and reviews to several American and European journals, including The Diapason, and has been organist at St. George’s, Worthing, West Sussex, England for over 26 years.

In 2014 there are several composers whose anniversaries can be commemorated, albeit some of the dates are not known for certain. Some of the names need no introduction but there are also several lesser-known names listed here whose compositions are well worth exploring. No claim is made for completeness, and there is no guarantee that every edition is in print—there may well also be editions by other publishers.  

Giaches Brumel (ca. 1510–64).French composer who worked at the court in Ferrara from 1532. Ascribed to Brumel are two ricercars (one imitative and one chordal) and a Missa de la Dominica in the manuscripts at Castell Arquato, edited by Knud Jeppesen for Norsk Musikforlag, Oslo, in Die italienische Orgelmusik am Anfang des Cinquecento and more recently, albeit in halved note values, by H. Colin Slim for American Institute of Musicology Corpus of Early Keyboard Music 37, volume 3, which contains a wider selection from the manuscripts. It has been postulated that 14 of the set of 17 ricercars known as the Bourdeney Codex may also be by Brumel. These lengthy contrapuntal works have been edited by Anthony Newcomb for A–R Editions (R89).

Francisco de Peraza (1564–98).Organist in Seville, he left a Medio Registro alto de 1 Tono, the earliest known surviving example of this genre, which became popular in the Iberian repertoire. This has appeared in several anthologies, including American Institute of Musicology’s Corpus of Early Keyboard Music 14: Spanish Organ Music after Antonio de Cabezon, edited by Willi Apel. 

Gregor Aichinger (1564–1628).Organist in Augsburg to the Fuggers, six ricercars and four motet intabulations have been edited by Eberhard Kraus in Cantantibus organis, vol. 7, for Verlag Friedrich Pustet. A further motet intabulation is included in Altbaierische Orgelmusik, vol. 1, edited by Eberhard Kraus for Noetzel. 

Giovanni de Macque (ca. 1550–1614). Born in Flanders, he came to Naples ca. 1585, becoming head of the vice-regal chapel in 1599. He was the teacher of Ascanio Mayone and Giovanni Maria Trabaci, both of whom published two volumes of highly influential pieces. De Macque published copious amounts of madrigals but no keyboard works; however, almost 40 pieces survive in manuscripts. These include eight canzonas, four capriccios, two stravaganzes, a consonanze stravaganti, a durezze e ligature, an intrata, a toccata a modo di Trombetta and a set of variations on Ruggiero, which have been edited by Liuwe Tamminga (vol. 1), and 14 ricercars (the first book of 12 published ricercars set for keyboard together with a further two thought to be from the second book), edited by Armando Carideo (vol. 2); both volumes are published by Il Levante (available through La Stanza della Musica). The first set of 12 ricercars has also been edited by Christopher Stembridge for Zanibon. This edition includes a comprehensive discussion of the modes and their affects, along with the registration prescribed by Diruta. The ricercars are the first to present the different subjects at the beginning of the piece. The durezze and stravaganze are highly chromatic compositions. The older edition by Watelet and Piscaer for Monumenta Musica Belgae also contains Partite sopra Zefiro de Rinaldo attributed by the editor to de Macque; this, however, is almost certainly a set of partite on Zefiro composed by Rinaldo dell’Arpa. 

Hans Leo Hassler (1564–1612). Primarily known today for his vocal music, he studied organ in Venice with Andrea Gabrieli and became a leading player in Augsburg. He left a substantial corpus of keyboard works of considerable scope and length, most of it preserved in the Turin manuscripts, including eight toccatas, 18 ricercari, 18 canzone, fourteen Magnificats, an organ Mass, four fugues, and two sets of variations. Problems of attribution have occurred with pieces variously ascribed to Sweelinck, Christian Erbach, and Giovanni Gabrieli. A good selection, as well as the variations on Ich ging einmal spazieren, was edited by Georges Kiss for Schott and Sons. The toccatas were edited by S. Stribos for the American Institute of Musicology, and the Magnificats by A. Carpene for Il Levante Libreria. A few other pieces from other manuscript sources have been included in various anthologies, including 25 of the 39 intabulated songs from his Lustgarten of 1601, edited by M. Böcker for Breitkopf & Härtel. The complete works from the Turin manuscripts are available in two volumes, edited by W. Thein and U. Wethmüller for Breitkopf & Härtel. A further volume containing the complete remaining keyboard works from other sources has been in preparation for some time. These supersede the edition of a small selection of pieces by Hassler and Erbach, edited by Ernst von Werra ca. 1903 for Denkmäler der Tonkunst in Bayern, second series, vol. IV, no. 2. 

Franz Tunder (1614–67). Organist of the Marienkirche, Lübeck, he left about 17 compositions in manuscripts, including five praeludia exemplifying early use of the Stylus Phantasticus and a canzona, along with 11 chorale settings, of which six are fantasias. Auf meinen lieben Gott is set for two manuals without pedal, Jesus Christus, wahr Gottes Sohn is for single manual and pedals, and Jesus Christus, unser Heiland has three separate variations, of which the first includes much use of double pedal. Two further chorale settings in the Pelpin manuscripts originally attributed to Scheidemann have now been tentatively attributed to Tunder. All pieces have been edited by Klaus Beckmann for Breitkopf & Härtel.  

Benjamin Rogers (1614–98). Organist at Eton and Oxford, he left sacred and secular vocal music, consort music, and 17 keyboard works of which the great majority are dances better suited to stringed keyboard instruments. Two, however, are voluntaries and are more suited to performance on the organ. All pieces have been edited by Richard Rastall for Stainer & Bell. 

Charles Racquet (1597–1664). Organist in Paris, he left 12 versets de psaume en duo, which was printed in Mersenne’s Harmonie universelle, Paris, 1636–37, and a large–scale Fantasie in manuscript. All have been edited along with works by De Bourges, N. de la Grotte, and D. Gaultier by Jean Bonfils in L’Organiste Liturgique, xxix–xxx for Schola Cantorum et de la Procure générale de musique.

Georg Leyding (1664–1710). He had lessons with Buxtehude and became organist in Brunswick. Although Walther mentions his many keyboard pieces, only five organ compositions have survived in manuscripts, including three praeludia with demanding pedal parts (C, B-flat and E-flat), a set of variations on Von Gott will ich nicht lassen and a prelude on Wie schön leucht uns der Morgenstern. These have been edited by Klaus Beckmann for Breitkopf & Härtel.

Johann Speth (1664–1720). Organist in Augsburg, he published Ars Magna Consoni et Dissoni… in 1693, which contains ten toccatas, Magnificats on the eight tones that include a praeambulum, five verses, and a finale (some verses are actually by Poglietti, Kerll, and Froberger), and three sets of partitas for manuals only, each with six variations. Although the preface states that these pieces are all playable on the clavichord, the toccatas and Magnificats contain an obbligato pedal part, although this is either octave doubling or long held notes. All were edited (alas, without the original preface) by Traugott Fedke for Bärenreiter and there is a facsimile published by Early Music in Facsimile, Edition Helbling, Innsbruck, with a preface by Rupert Frieberger.  

Pablo Nassarre (1664–1724). Blind from infancy, he was organist in Zaragoza, and is best known today for his theoretical works, Fragmentos músicos and Escuela música, según la práctica moderna, which are available in facsimile. He also left five organ pieces, including three tocatas [sic] edited by José Llorens for Diputación Provincial de Barcelona and a tiento partido and two versos from a manuscript in Astorga, edited by José Alvarez in Colección de obras de órgano de organistas españoles del siglo XVII for Union Musical Española. 

Pierre Dandrieu (1664–1733). Organist and priest in Paris, he left a book of 36 noëls with variations, similar in style to those in Lebègue’s third book, and five other pieces including a carillon. Pierre’s book appeared in several editions from 1714 up to 1759, and 37 pieces were reworked by his nephew Jean-François for a publication that also included 11 of the latter’s noëls. Edited by Roger Hugon for La Sociéte Française de Musicologie and published by Heugel. A facsimile edition of the prints of 1729/59 has been published by Fuzeau.

Guillaume Gabriel Nivers (1632–1714). Organist of St. Sulpice, Paris, his Livre d’orgue contenant cent pieces de tous les tons de l’église of 1665 is the earliest known of such volumes presenting a group of pieces by tone (12 in this case, the first two having 10 verses, the rest eight), with highly individual and specific registrations. There is a comprehensive explanation of the tempi, registration, and ornament signs. He published two further volumes: 2e livre d’orgue contenant la messe et les hymnes de l’église in 1667, which contains a Mass and 25 hymn settings, and 3e livre d’orgue des huit tons de l’église in 1675. He also published some vocal and much liturgical music. The first two Livres d’orgue have been edited by Norbert Dufourcq for Editions Bornemann and the third Livre by him for Heugel. All three Livres are available in facsimile from Fuzeau. The third Livre is also published by Societé Française de Musicologie (EZ.SFM20). 

Franz Matthias Techelmann (ca. 1649–1714). Two sets of pieces (in A minor and C major) comprising Toccata, Canzona, Ricercar, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, and Gigue (or Minuet in C major set) survive in an autograph manuscript, of which the non-dance elements work well on the organ. Between the ricercar and the dances in the A minor set there is an aria (with 30 variations). The non-dance movements in A minor have been edited by Laura Cerutti for Edizione Carrara, and a complete edition by Herwig Knaus for Denkmäler Tonkunst Osterreich vol. 115 also includes 13 dance suites, which may be by Techelmann or possibly Kerll. 

Diego Xarava (1652–ca. 1714). Nephew of Pablo Bruna and organist of the Capilla Real, Madrid, he left two pieces in the extensive Martin y Coll Manuscript 1357: an Ydea Buena y fuga por a la mi re (the fuga occurs separately in the Jaca manuscript), and an Obra en lleno de 3 Tono. These have been edited by Carlo Stella and Vittorio Vinay for Zanibon, available through Armelin, and by Julián Sagasta in vol. 2 of Tonos de Palacio y Canciones Comunes for Union Musical Española.  

Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach (1714–88). Fifth child and second surviving son of Johann Sebastian, he is well known today for his many sonatas, fantasias, rondos, and miscellaneous pieces for stringed keyboard instruments, as well as his important treatise on playing keyboard instruments (Versuch über die wahre Art…). He left only a few pieces specifically for organ, including a set of six sonatas for Princess Amalie, edited by Peter Hauschild and Gerhard Weinberger and a Prelude in D, six fugues, a trio, two chorale preludes, and five chorale arrangements edited by Jochen Reutter and Gerhard Weinberger, both volumes published by Wiener Urtext. The edition of the organ works as part of the complete C. P. E. Bach edition has been edited by Annette Richards and David Yearsley as volume 1/9 for Packard Humanities Institute (this volume omits the sonata Wq 70/1). Four further fugues have been edited by Wilhelm Poot for Interlude Music Productions. 

Gottfried Homilius (1714–85) studied with J. S. Bach and became organist in Dresden in 1742. In addition to Passions, a cantata cycle, Magnificat settings and motets, he left 41 chorale preludes, of which 38 have been edited by Christoph Albrecht and published by Breitkopf & Härtel, and five organ pieces from a privately owned manuscript in Dresden have been edited by Christoph Albrecht and published by Leutkirch: Pro Organo. Thirty-eight chorale preludes for organ and melody instrument have been edited by Ellen Exner and Uwe Wolf for Carus Verlag. 

Johann Anton Kobrich (1714–91).  Organist in Landsberg, in addition to vocal music he left several sets of Parthien better suited to stringed keyboard instruments, although the two sets of Der clavierspielende Schäfer are described as “Welche sowohl in der Kirche als auch zu Hause können producirt and gebraucht werden.” Of his organ collections unfortunately most, including 20 toccatas, six sonatas, and pieces suitable for Offertory, Elevation, and Communion, remain unpublished in modern editions. Selected pieces from these sets have been edited by A. Maisch and published by Albert J. Kunzelmann. Figuralische Choral–Zierde, his collection of preludes and versets in the eight church tones was edited by Rudolph Walter for Alfred Coppenrath, Alttötting and is now available from Carus Verlag. Several pastorales that were appended to the first set of Der clavierspielende Schäfer have been edited by Gerhard Weinberger and published by Anton Böhm & Sohn.

Johann Mattheson (1681–1764). Better known today for his numerous theoretical works, he left a small collection of keyboard works, mainly for stringed keyboard instruments, but Die wolhklingende Fingersprache (containing 12 fugues, some with dances) of 1735 and 1737 is also suited to the organ. Edited by Lothar Hoffman-Erbrecht for Breitkopf & Härtel. 

John Reading (ca. 1685–1764). Organist at Lincoln and various London churches and an influential teacher, he compiled several volumes of keyboard music for organ and harpsichord, in addition to vocal music, of which three containing organ pieces (voluntaries and psalm settings) are preserved at Dulwich College, one at Tokyo, and one at Manchester. They are unique sources for many pieces, including his own compositions. A comprehensive selection of the Dulwich volumes has been edited by Robin Langley as volume 3 of the ten-volume series of English organ music for Novello; it includes early versions of voluntaries by Stanley. 

Johann Xavier Nauss (ca. 1690–1764). Organist in Augsburg, he published several volumes of keyboard music, of which the two parts of Die spielende Muse—consisting of preludes, verses, finale, aria (1st to 6th tones) or pastorella (7th and 8th tones) and fugue on the 8 tones, plus a set in E major—have been edited in one volume by Rudolph Waters for Alfred Coppenrath, Alttötting, which is now available from Carus Verlag. 

Wilhelm Hieronymus Pachelbel (1686–1764). Son of Johann, and organist in Nuremberg, he left two Praeludia und Fugen, a toccata, and two chorale settings, which have been edited by Hans Möseler and Traugott Fedke for Bärenreiter. 

Charles Burney (1726–1814). Also better known today for his numerous writings on music including The Present State of Music in France and Italy, The Present State of Music in Germany, the Netherlands and the United Provinces, and his monumental General History of Music in four volumes, which just beat the similar publication by Sir John Hawkins. He also wrote articles for Rees’s Cyclopaedia. Burney left some vocal music, a set of concerti, and several sets of sonatas for harpsichord solo and duet, along with chamber pieces, and a set of VI Cornet Pieces and a Fugue (1751), which comprises an Introduction in E minor followed by six Cornet movements and concludes with a fugue in the still-rare key of F minor. Around 1787, Burney published Preludes, Interludes and Fugues Book I, which includes pieces in keys from A to C; no trace of the second book survives, if indeed it was ever printed. These two publications have been edited by David Patrick and published by Fitzjohn Music. 

Abbé Georg Vogler (1749–1814). Widely traveled with the electoral court, organ designer and teacher, he left theater productions, symphonies, and concerti, and several collections of organ music, which remain largely unpublished in modern editions. 112 Petites preludes pour l’orgue ou le clavecin, op. 16, has been edited by Joachim Dorfmüller for Rob Forberg. A collection of 32 preludes has been edited by Armin Kircher for Carus Verlag, and, together with his Pièces de clavecin of 1798, by Floyd Grave for A–R Editions (C24).

Nicolò Moretti (1764–1821) left some 29 organ works; 17 (including 13 sonatas, a pastorale, two rondos, and an adagio) have been edited by A. Aroma, the others (including four sonatas, a sinfonia, Elevazione, versets, concertino, rondo, marcia, pastorale, and polacca) by Aroma, S. Carmelos and G. Simionato. Both volumes were published by Paideia Brescia for Bärenreiter, and are now available from Armelin.

Matthew Camidge (1764–1844). After time as a chorister at the Chapel Royal under Nares, he returned to York, where he became organist of the Minster. He published mainly church music, a set of instructions for the pianoforte or harpsichord, and left a set of six multi-movement (including a fugue) concertos for the organ or pianoforte in (ca.) 1815, in which he endeavored to imitate the styles of Handel and Corelli. Edited by Greg Lewin and published by Greg Lewin Music. 

An increasing number of pieces, ranging from complete original publications/manuscripts (which present the usual problems of multiple clefs as well as original printer’s errors) to selected individual works, are to be found on various free download sites, most noticeably IMSLP; however, the accuracy of some modern typesettings is highly questionable, and all should be treated with caution before use. Publishers’ websites include: 

Schott Music: www.schott-music.com&nbsp;

Breitkopf & Hartel: www.breitkopf.com

Bärenreiter: www.baerenreiter.com&nbsp;

Armelin: www.armelin.it

Carus Verlag: www.carus-verlag.com&nbsp;

Butz Verlag: www.butz-verlag.de&nbsp;

Edizioni Carrara: www.edizionicarrara.it

American Institute of Musicology—Corpus of Early Keyboard Music series: www.corpusmusicae.com/cekm.htm&nbsp;

Fitzjohn Music: www.impulse-music.co.uk/fitzjohnmusic.htm&nbsp;

Wiener Urtext: www.wiener–urtext.com  

Denkmäler Tonkunst Osterreich: 

www.dtoe.at

C.P.E. Bach complete works (Packard): www.cpebach.org&nbsp;

Interlude Publications: www.interlude.nl&nbsp;

A–R Editions: www.areditions.com&nbsp;

Editions Bornemann: 

www.alphonseleduc.com&nbsp;

Fuzeau: www.editions-classique.com&nbsp;  

Société française de musicology: 

www.sfmusicologie.fr&nbsp;

Verlag Friedrich Pustet: 

www.verlag-pustet.de&nbsp;

Greg Lewin Music: www.greglewin.co.uk

Heinrichshofen Verlag and Noetzel: www.heinrichshofen.de  

Norsk Musikforlag: 

www.norskmusikforlag.no  

Stainer & Bell: www.stainer.co.uk&nbsp;

Schola Cantorum: 

www.schola-editions.com

Helbling Verlag: 

www.helbling-verlag.de&nbsp;

In 2015 there are several composers whose anniversaries can be commemorated, albeit some of the dates are not known for certain; some of the names need no introduction but there are also several lesser-known names listed here whose compositions are well worth exploring. No claim is made for completeness and there is no guarantee that every edition is in print—there may well also be editions by other publishers.

Christopher Gibbons (1615–76).Eldest surviving son of Orlando Gibbons, he was organist of the Chapel Royal and Westminster Abbey; only a few compositions for keyboard survive in various manuscripts, comprising two short pieces (corrente and saraband) for harpsichord, four verses or voluntaries and three verses or double voluntaries (i.e. requiring two manuals for their execution), with passages for solos on Cornet, Sesquialtera, and Trumpet. Some versions of these double voluntaries seem to have been considerably amended and elongated by the scribe. All nine pieces have been re-edited by John Caldwell for American Institute of Musicology’s Corpus of Early Keyboard Music series (CEKM 18). 

Spiridionis a Monte Carmelo (1615–85). German organist, who traveled widely in Belgium, Germany, and Prague before taking a position in Bamberg in 1664. He composed sacred music and also published a two-volume keyboard tutor, Nova instructio pro pulsandis organis, spinettis, manuchordiis, in Bamberg, of which the first part, which appeared in 1670, contained a very large number of cadences, 35 canzonas, and 15 dances including corrente, and the second part, which appeared the following year, contains mainly cadenzas, as well as ten canzonettas, seven toccatinas, two gagliardas, and four corrente. Part three contains more formulas for cadentiae followed by ligaturae and trilli; part four contains the actuarium for parts one and two, an aria, allemanda, sarabanda, and modus variandi. A modern edition by Edoardo Bellotti of parts one and two has been published by Andromeda. Parts three and four have also been edited by Bellotti and published by Il Levante, obtainable via La Stanza della Musica, Rome (www.lastanzadellamusica.com).

Gregorio Strozzi (ca. 1615–after 1687). Organist in Naples and doctor in both civil and canon law, in addition to sacred works he left a Capricci da sonare cembali et organi, published in open score in Naples in 1687, which is indebted to Trabaci, Mayone, and Frescobaldi, its 31 pieces covering the main compositional genres of the time including three capriccios, three ricercatas, three sonatas, four toccatas, two balletti, three gagliardas, three sets of variations, eight correntes, a mascara, and a Toccata de passacagli. This important print has been re-edited by Barton Hudson for American Institute of Musicology in the Corpus of Early Keyboard Music series (CEKM 11).

Heinrich Bach (1615–92). Great uncle of Johann Sebastian and organist in Arnstadt, almost all of his compositions in various genres have unfortunately been lost. He was the father of Johann Christoph and Johann Michael Bach, who also became composers. For keyboard he left a Chaconne in A, edited by Laura Cerutti for Armelin, and two chorale preludes, on Erbarm dich mein and Da Jesu an dem Kreuze stund, included in Organ Works by the Bach Family, edited by Diethard Hellmann for Edition Peters.

Tarquinio Merula (ca. 1594–1665). Organist and violinist active mainly in Cremona, he published a number of sacred concertos, Mass and psalm settings, as well as madrigals and ensemble canzonas. Fourteen keyboard works have survived in manuscripts, including a chromatic Capriccio and Sonata, the former based on the chromatic tetrachord, the latter on a figure covering a major ninth by semitone (!), although many subsequent entries are limited to the tetrachord. There are three intonazioni cromatiche (which may well be incorrectly attributed), a toccata (which contains a fugal section sandwiched between sections akin to Merula’s toccatas but lacking his inventiveness), a capriccio with an insistent rhythmic figure and much sequential writing, and five canzonas, of which the first, an arrangement of his ensemble piece La Loda, has basic similarities to the capriccio, and the second is based on an intriguing sequence of four descending broken triads. The next three canzone have been attributed tentatively to Merula, no. 3 being a version of his ensemble Canzona La Marca. All of these pieces together with a cromatica by Soncino and a  canzona by Fasolo have been edited by Alan Curtis and published by L’Organo, Brescia, as Monumenti di Musica Italiana Series 1, Organo e Cembalo, vol. 1, available from Armelin. There is also a reprint by Kalmus, which lacks the introduction. 

Wolfgang Ebner (1612–1665). Organist of St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna, and court organist, contemporary with Froberger. Three works certainly by him include three toccatas, a courante, a Capriccio sopra L’aria Pergamasco, the Partite sopra l’Aria Favorita with seven variations, and the 36 variations divided into three groups of 12 (the second and third groups being in the form of a courante and sarabande) on an Aria in A Minor composed by Ferdinand III. Works of uncertain authenticity include 56 versets encompassing various forms (i.e. toccata, capriccio, fugue in the eight church modes), eight of which are variants of pieces by Froberger and one by Frescobaldi, two preludes, a partita in A, and eight individual dance movements. Published by Bärenreiter in 2 volumes, edited by Siegbert Rampe, the publication also includes keyboard works by Georg Muffat. 

Nikolaus Bruhns (1665–97). Pupil of Buxtehude, he became organist in Husum in 1689. Comparatively well known to players today, particularly for his preludes in E minor, Bruhns was also a highly skilled violinist who, according to undoubtedly reliable contemporary accounts, accompanied his violin playing at the organ by a bass played with great dexterity on the pedals. None of his organ works were printed in his lifetime, and no autograph manuscripts have survived. His small opus survived in a virtually unbroken transmission in both manuscripts of the 18th century and printed editions from the 19th forward. He wrote chamber music, which regrettably has not survived, and 12 cantatas, and left four brilliant praeludia for organ in manuscripts—multi-sectional, and clearly showing the influence of his teacher as well as echo devices. A highly ornamented Chorale Fantasia on Nun komm der Heiden Heiland also shows continuation of the North German tradition of Scheidemann, Reincken, and Tunder. Modern editions, which also include an adagio and a praeludium, of which only fragments survive, have been prepared by Klaus Beckmann, published by Schott in the series Masters of the North German School vol. 13, and also edited by Harald Vogel for Breitkopf & Hartel.

Johann Hanff (1665–1712). Organist in Hamburg and Schleswig, only three of his cantatas and six chorale preludes survive in manuscripts. Five of the preludes are in a similar style to Buxtehude’s, with highly ornamented melodies in the right hand, but in Erbarm dich mein two verses are set, the second verse opening with a fugue based on the descending chromatic fourth before reverting to a right hand solo of the ornamented melody. They have been edited by Ewald Kooiman for Harmonia Uitgave, Incognita Organo Part 7. 

Johann Fischer (ca. 1665–1746). Kapellmeister to Ludwig Wilhelm of Baden, he published chamber and vocal music. His keyboard works include four sets of pieces, comprising two sets of suites for harpsichord/clavichord in 1696 and 1738, which show the French influence, and two sets of pieces for the organ, which show a more Italianate influence. Musikalischer Blumenstrauss of 1732 is a collection of pieces on the eight tones comprising a praeludium, six fugues, and finale for each tone. Ariadne Musica, of 1702 and 1715, contains 20 short preludes and fugues, each in a different key (including B, E-flat, and A-flat major, B, F#, and C# minor), which were known to J. S. Bach, who used some of the subjects in his Well-Tempered Clavier, and five ricercars on hymns for Advent, Christmas, Quadragesima, Passiontide, and Easter. 

The complete keyboard music has been edited by Ernst von Werra for Breitopf & Hartel. The Ariadne has been edited by Ernst Kaller for Schott as Liber Organi vol. 7 and the Musikalischer Blumenstrauss by Rudolph Walter for Musikverlag Alfred Coppenrath, Altötting as Süddeutsche Orgelmeister des Barock vol. 1, available through Carus Verlag. Facsimile editions have been published by Broude Bros in the Performers’ Facsimiles series nos. 197 (Ariadne) and 199 (Musikalischer Blumenstrauss). 

Johann Molter (1696–1765). German organist in Eisenach and Karlsruhe whose comprehensive works embrace all genres. Six chorale arrangements have been edited by Siegbert Rampe for Bärenreiter in German Organ and Keyboard Music from Bach’s Period.

Xarava y Bruna (ca. 1640–1715).Nephew of Pablo Bruna. Two pieces by him, an Ydea Vuena por a la mi re and fuga, and an Obra en lleno de 3 Tono (a tiento accidental found in the Jaca manuscript is a short version of the fuga), are to be found in one of the Martín y Coll manuscripts, and have been edited by Julian Sagasta for Union Musical Española in Tonos de Palacio y Canciones Communes vol. 2, and by Carlo Stella and Vittorio Vinay for Zanibon in Composizioni Inedite dal ‘Flores de Musica’ di Antonio Martin y Coll. 

Georg Wagenseil (1715–77). Organist and composer to the court in Vienna, he composed operas, chamber music, concerti, and organ and harpsichord music. Although considered as one of the most important Viennese composers of the 18th century, very few of his many keyboard works have been published, and conspicuous by their absence are the organ works, including 97 versets in various tones, a cycle of Praeambula and Versets on the Eight Tones, and numerous other individual pieces. Five pieces have been edited by Erich Benedikt and included in Viennese Organ Music from around 1750 published by Doblinger as DM1335 in the Diletto Musicale series, including a praeludium on the 1st and on the 2nd tones, a Fuga in D Minor, a piece titled Das Glockengeläut zu Rom dem Vatican (in C minor), and an Andante in D minor taken from the third Divertimento of opus 1, better perhaps suited to stringed keyboard instruments. 

James Nares (1715–83). Became organist of York Minster in 1735. In addition to much sacred music including services and secular vocal music, he left several publications for keyboard including two sets of lessons for harpsichord and a set of six fugues with introductory voluntaries for organ or harpsichord, which are available in a modern edition by Greg Lewin as well as in facsimile from Oxford University Press. Only nos. 1, 3, and 5 are preceded by an introduction. Also available in facsimile from Oxford University Press is Il Principio, or A Regular Introduction to Playing on the harpsichord or Organ, which gives basic information on ornamentation and fingering followed by a graduated series of pieces.

Georg Reichardt (1715–89). Pupil of Jakob Adlung. His Sechs fugierte Orgeltrios have been edited by Rudolph Walter for Hänssler Verlag and are available from Carus Verlag. 

Charles-Joseph van Helmont (1715–90). Organist in Brussels, he composed a large quantity of sacred vocal music including Masses and motets and a much smaller amount of secular vocal music. His keyboard works comprise the Pièces de clavecin of 1737, which include two suites, the pieces of which have French titles. The first suite and four fugues have been edited by J. Watelet and published by Vereniging voor Muziekgeschiedenis te Antwerpen in 1948 as Monumenta Musicae Belgicae vol. 6 (also contains pieces by Dieudonné Raick), with the second set edited by Laura Cerutti for Armelin, with a facsimile edition published by Anne Fuzeau. The complete set of Six Fugues has been edited by Jan Vanmol for Calcant.

Johann Doles (1715–97). Pupil of Bach in Leipzig, where he became Kantor, he composed much sacred and secular vocal music, harpsichord sonatas, and some chorale preludes, of which four pieces from the fifth volume of Singbare und leichte Choralvorspiele has been edited by Eberhard Hofmann for Musica Rinata in Orgelpräludien vom Barock zur Klassik. 

John Alcock Sr. (1715–1806). Organist at Lichfield Cathedral from 1750 until 1765, and thereafter at Sutton Coldfield and Tamworth, he composed sacred choral music, numerous secular vocal works, Six Suites of Easy Lessons and a Trumpet Tune for the harpsichord, which has been edited by Richard Jones and published by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, as Easier Piano Pieces (vol. 15), and a set of Ten Voluntaries for the Organ or Harpsichord, a new edition of which has been edited and published by Greg Lewin.

Carlmann Kolb (1703–65). Organist of the community of Asbach and priest, he left a sinfonia for harpsichord and strings and the Certamen aonium published in 1733, a set of pieces on the eight tones, including a fairly expansive prelude, 3 fugal verses in a variety of styles and meters, and a toccata-like cadenza. Some of the preludes, particularly the third, are almost extravagantly eccentric in their modulations and dramatic rests. Modern editions by Rudolf Walter for Musikverlag Alfred Coppenrath, Altötting as Süddeutsche Orgelmeister des Barock vol. 5, available through Carus Verlag, and by Gregor Klaus for Willy Müller Süddeutscher Musikverlag, available from Bärenreiter.

Jose Ferrer (1745–1815). Organist in various Spanish cathedrals, including Oviedo, he composed mainly secular and chamber music. Seven sonatas for keyboard by him are preserved in a manuscript now in Zaragoza, and a further six have been attributed to him on stylistic grounds, although as no. 8 is by Domenico Scarlatti, it may well be that further pieces are by other composers. Many of the sonatas are far better suited to stringed keyboard instruments but nos. 9–11 sound well on the organ. All 13 sonatas have been edited as Sonatas para Clave by Dionisio Preciado and published by Real Musical, Madrid, as Teclado Espanol Siglo XVIII, vol. 1. No. 2 in G minor and a further Sonata in C Minor, both taken from MS 1665 at Montserrat, are included in Early Spanish keyboard music: an anthology—Vol. 3, The eighteenth century, edited by Barry Ife and Roy Truby for Oxford University Press.

Pietro Morandi (1745–1815). After studying with Padre Martini in Bologna he worked in Pergola and Senigallia cathedrals. He composed sacred and secular vocal and damatic music and also left 12 Concerti per L’Organo solo, with instructions for registration, and twenty sonatas and sinfonias, all of which have been edited in four volumes by Maurizio Machella for Armelin. 

Giuseppe Gherardeschi (1759–1815). Organist in Pistoia, first of S. Maria dell Umiltà and then the cathedral, he composed much sacred vocal music and several sonatas for harpsichord or fortepiano plus violin and also concerti. His numerous organ compositions, which include versetti, offertorios, elevazioni, sonatas, and rondos, contain precise instructions for registration, including drum pedals and toy stops such as the Uccello. Many have been edited by Umberto Pineschi in Musiche pistoiesi per organo (Biblioteca Classica dell’Organista, vol. M05 and M06), Antologia del Settecento organistico pistoiese (Biblioteca Classica dell’Organista, vol. 19), Musiche d’organo a Pistoia (Biblioteca Classica dell’Organista, vol. 30); Letteratura organistica toscana dal XVII al XIX secolo (Accademia di musica italiana per organo, Pistoia). Some twenty pieces have been edited by Maurizio Machella in two volumes for Armelin as L’organo Italiano nell’Ottocento (OIO 222 and OIO 223). An official download of Gherardeschi’s complete organ works, together with many other pieces from the Pistoia cathedral archives, is available from www.accademiagherardeschi.it/eng-partiture.php?id_sezione=6 for a payment of 10 Euros.

Domenico Puccini (1772–1815). organist in Lucca and grandfather of the famous opera composer, he composed both sacred and secular vocal music, as well as operas. He left 42 one-movement sonatas for organ in manuscripts, which have been edited in four volumes by Maurizio Machella for Armelin. A further volume contains sonatas for violin with accompaniment for organ or fortepiano. 

An increasing number of pieces, ranging from complete original publications/manuscripts (which present the usual problems of multiple clefs as well as original printer’s errors) to modern versions of complete or individual works, are to be found on various free download sites, most noticeably IMSLP; however, the accuracy of some modern typesettings is highly questionable, and all should be treated with caution before use. 

Publishers’ websites 

American Institute of Musicology—CEKM series:
www.corpusmusicae.com/cekm.htm&nbsp;

Armelin: www.armelin.it

Associated Board: shop.abrsm.org

Bärenreiter: www.baerenreiter.com  

Breitkopf & Hartel:  www.breitkopf.com  

Broude Bros: www.broude.us&nbsp;

Calcant: www.janvanmol.be&nbsp;

Carus Verlag: www.carus-verlag.com&nbsp;

Doblinger Verlag: www.doblinger-verlag.at

Fuzeau: www.editions-classique.com&nbsp;    

Greg Lewin Music: www.greglewin.co.uk

Monumenta Musicae Belgicae: www.dbnl.org&nbsp;

Musica Rinata: www.berliner-chormusik-verlag.de

OUP: ukcatalogue.oup.com/category/music.do 

Schott Music: www.schott-music.com&nbsp;

An overview of 15th–18th century repertoire, sources, and modern editions

Despite the combination of carelessness and wars over the past 400 years, an exceptionally large corpus of keyboard music compiled during the 16th and 17th centuries has survived in manuscript form in Poland. It is extremely rich in liturgical organ music, but secular forms are also prominent. To the best of my knowledge, it is a great lacuna that no treatises on performance practice (such as registration, ornamentation, fingering) with or without examples have survived, if indeed any were produced. I am also not aware of any keyboard music being printed in Poland during the 16th and 17th centuries, unlike the many volumes produced in southern Germany and Italy. The following list, in chronological order as far as dates are known, details many of the manuscripts surviving in libraries in Poland. It should be noted that some places now in Poland were previously under the rule of a different country such as the former Bohemia or Germany. This list cannot claim to be complete, but is at least a starting point for further exploration; modern editions published in the past 40 years, where known, are included, although their ready availability, particularly those published in Poland itself, cannot be guaranteed. It should also be noted that music in these manuscripts is not necessarily by Polish composers; indeed, many pieces that are anonymous in the sources may well be by foreign composers who were active in Poland or whose compositions were known there. 

Much research remains to be done in cataloguing and evaluating sources, particularly those from the 18th century, which have been preserved in manuscripts in Polish and German archives. Many of the pieces that have been made available show this repertoire to be fully deserving of being played today, either as part of the liturgy or in concerts. Although many modern editions are on two staves, because of large stretches in the left hand and sometimes-awkward crossing of inner parts, the use of the pedals will aid clarity.

Ca. 1425: Sagan Tablature 

Breslau Staatsbibliothek (Wrocław, Biblioteka Uniwersytecka), I Qu 438. A single leaf in Old German organ tablature containing three movements from the Gloria has survived; each piece is in two voices only, the lower outlining the chant with the upper consisting of florid figuration based on octave doubling of the chant tones. These pieces have been edited by Willi Apel, in Keyboard music of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries (Corpus of Early Keyboard Music, vol. 1, American Institute of Musicology). 

Ca. 1450?: 

Dominican Monastery, Breslau 

Breslau Staatsbibliothek (Wrocław, Biblioteka Uniwersytecka), I Qu 42. A fragment in Old German organ tablature containing two short pieces has survived. The first piece is untitled, the second carries the heading Incipit Fundamentum bonum p(edaliter) in c d a. As with the previous manuscript, each piece is predominantly in two voices with the upper voice occasionally containing up to three, the lower outlining the chant with the upper consisting of florid figuration. A further fragment now in Breslau Staatsbibliothek (I F 687) contains five pieces, of which one is a sequence of clausulae. The other four contain a melody in the lower voice beneath a florid upper voice with occasional extra notes added. These pieces have been edited by Willi Apel in Keyboard music of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries (Corpus of Early Keyboard Music, vol. 1, American Institute of Musicology).

1520 

Warsaw, Biblioteka Publiczna m. st. Warszawy, akc.3141. Fragments, 19 ff. Old German Tablature. See Brzezińska, 1987.

1528

Warsaw, Biblioteka Narodowa mus. 2081. One folio in Old German Tablature; see Brzezińska, 1987, facsimile plate 12.

Ca. 1537–48: Johannes of Lublin Tablature

Kraków, Biblioteka Polskiej Akademii Nauk, 1716. This enormous tablature of 260 folios in Old German organ tablature contains pieces across all genres. There is a modern edition 1964–67 by John Reeves White for the American Institute of Musicology, volume six in the Corpus of Early Keyboard Music series, divided into a further six volumes. Volume one: 21 preambula, three organ Masses, and 13 Mass ordinary sections; volume two: 20 introits and sequences and 11 hymn settings; volume three: 38 motet intabulations; volume four: eight German, 13 Italian, and six French intabulations of secular songs; volume five: 36 dances, 11 Polish compositions, and 13 works of uncertain origin; volume six: 19 short compositions based on the tones of the psalms and Magnificat, and a further 26 short examples of fundamentum and clausulae. A facsimile edited by Wydala Krystyna Wilkowska-Chominska was published in 1964 as Tablatura organowa Jana z Lublina by Monumenta musicae in Polonia, Seria B, Vol. 1.

Ca. 1548: KrakЧw Tablature 

Warsaw, Biblioteka Narodowa, 564. This manuscript in Old German tablature, from the monastery of the Holy Spirit in Kraków, has been lost but a photocopy survives. It contains some 98 compositions in 362 pages, predominantly intabulations of pieces of a sacred nature, comprising preludes (1–9), fugues (10–15), Mass ordinary compositions (16–24), introits and sequences (25–29), hymns and antiphons (30–40), motets (41–57), and psalms (58–65). The remaining pieces are Polish songs (66–70), compositions of German origin including chorale settings (71–78), of Italian origin (79–82), French origin (83–85), and of uncertain identity (86–98). The great majority of pieces are for manuals only and a number are also included in the Lublin Tablature. Modern edition in two volumes edited by Wyatt Insko for Ludowy Institut Muzyczny, Łódż, 1992.

Ca. 1565

Wrocław, Biblioteka Uniwersytecka contained Magnificat settings and psalm tones but is now presumed lost.

Ca. 1580: Martin Leopolita or Warsaw Musical Society Tablature

Warsaw, Biblioteka Warszawskiego Towarzystwa Muzycznego I/220, now known as the Łowicka tabulature, from the town with which it is associated. This tablature contains some 74 compositions in New German organ tablature, mainly intabulations of motets, antiphons, and introits, but including Magnificats on the eight tones. Pedals are required for several pieces. A modern edition by Jerzy Gołos, published by the Akademia Muzyczna im. Fryderyka Chopina w Warszawie (1993) is a revised and corrected version of the edition previously published as Antiquitates Musicae in Polonia vol. XV (1967). Three intabulations and the Magnificat on the Eighth Tone were edited by Jerzy Gołos and Adam Sutkowski in volume 10, part four, of the Corpus of Early Keyboard Music series, American Institute of Musicology. See Gołos. 

Ca. 1591: Gdańsk Tablature

Gdańsk, Wojewódzkie Archiwum Panstwowe, 300, R (Vv, 123). This tablature contains 45 pieces in Italian keyboard notation on two staves, comprising 17 fantasias, followed by intabulations of hymns, motets, and secular songs. Modern edition by Jerzy Erdman (Polski Institut Muzyczny, Łódż, 1993). The 17 fantasias (broadly similar to extended Italian intonazioni, although some open with imitation that soon dissolves into figuration) have been edited by Jerzy Gołos and Adam Sutkowski in volume 10, part three in the Corpus of Early Keyboard Music, American Institute of Musicology. The manuscript is also included in Franz Kessler’s 1988 edition of Danziger Orgelmusik des 16 bis 18 Jahrhunderts (Hänssler Verlag, now available through Carus Verlag), although with a third stave for pedals that is not a feature of the original manuscript (the great majority of the pieces can be performed as manuals only). Cajus Schmiedtlein (or Schmedecke) (1555–1611), organist of the Marienkirche, Danzig, has been considered as a possible author of this tabulature. 

Ca. 1593: Organ Tablature “A F M B”

Kraków, Biblioteka Jagiellońska 40115 (formerly in Berlin Staatsbibliothek). Although the great majority of the approximately 80 pieces in this manuscript in New German organ tablature are of German provenance, one piece, a Polish dance, is included in Musica Antiqua Polonica, Renesans 7: Dances, edited by Piotr Poźniak, published by Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne, 1994. This anthology contains 41 pieces, of which 17 are for lute, with seven organ pieces taken from the Lublin tablatures.

Ca.1595: Toruń Tablature

Toruń Archiwum Wojewódzkie, XIV 13a. Tablature

Compiled by Johannes Fischer of Morąg, it contains motet settings and fantasias in New German organ tablature. Two pieces ascribed to Diomedes Cato (Muteta and Fuga) were edited by Jerzy Gołos and Adam Sutkowski in volume 10, part four of the Corpus of Early Keyboard Music series, American Institute of Musicology, and a fuga and fantasia by Cato were included in Musica Antiqua Polonica: Renesans 4: Keyboard music, edited by Piotr Poźniak, published by Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne, 1994, but the tablature still awaits a complete modern edition. 

Ca. 1618: Adam z Wągrowiec or Samogitian Tablature

Now preserved in Jesuit College, Kroże in Samogitia, Lithuania (Ms LT-Vn 105-67), contains some 35 pieces by Adam z Wągrowiec (d. 1629), including cadences in different tones or modes, several free pieces including a prelude with obligatory pedal part indicated on a separate stave, nine fantasias, four ricercars, and several liturgical paraphrases that show the influence of Frescobaldi. Three canzonas attributed to Adam are preserved in the Pelplin tablatures (see below). Modern edition by Irena Bieńkowska and Mirosław Perz, published by Neriton, Warsaw, 1999.

Ca. 1619: Oliwa Tablature

Vilnius, Bibliotece Litewskiej Akademii Nauk (Library of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences), F 15-284 and a fragment F 15-286. This tablature, originating in the Cistercian Monastery at Oliva, near Gdańsk, contains some 329 pieces (the largest portion consists of transcribed unembellished vocal music including motets, mass movements, madrigals, chansons, and lieder, with only four praeambulas, six fugues, five canzonas, and a wide variety of dances), on at least 180 folios, the bulk of which was written by Jacobus Apfell in New German organ tablature. Unfortunately only two slim volumes of the contents have been published to date. The first volume contains 12 pieces, five of which are ascribed to Piotr Drusiński including two praeambula, and settings of Veni Redemptor Gentium, Resonet in laudibus, and Deus in adiutorium. A canzona is ascribed to Diomedes Cato, and the remaining pieces are anonymous (Lemma, two fugues, Melos, and a fantasia). The second volume contains intabulations of pieces by Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli, Antegnati, Hassler, and anonymous dances. Both volumes edited by Jan Janca (Gdańsk: Wydawnictwo Organon, ca. 1992). 

Ca. 1620-30: Pelplin Tablature

Pelplin, Biblioteka Seminarium, 304–8, 308a Pelplin, Cistercian monastery. Among them the six tablatures in New German tablature contain 797 intabulations of vocal works and 91 instrumental compositions by composers from across Europe. A supplement with organ works was copied ca. 1650–80, including chorale settings by Scheidemann, Hasse, and Tunder (these are available in modern editions of the composers’ keyboard works, and some have been edited by Jerzy Gołos and Adam Sutkowski in parts one and two of volume 10 of the Corpus of Early Keyboard Music series, American Institute of Musicology). A small part of the intabulations has been edited in modern transcriptions and published in the series Antiquitates Musicae in Polonia (Graz: Akademische Druck und Verlag), including Hieronim  Feicht’s 1970 edition of the 91 instrumental works (volume 8), Jan Węcowski’s 1970 edition  of the intabulations of 54 motets by Andrzej Hakenberger (volume 9), and Jerzy Golos and T. Maciejewski’s 1970 edition devoted to the vocal works by Peter Phillips and Melchior Vulpius (volume 10). A catalogue (volume 1) and facsimile of the complete tablatures (volumes 2–7) is included in the series Antiquitates Musicae in Polonia.

Early 17th century

Warsaw, Biblioteka Narodowa, 327 (olim 4577, olim 5229; olim Legnica, Ritter-Akademie 98) [microfilm no. 19, 581]). New German tablature. An intabulation of Schadaeus’s Promptuarium musicum (Strasbourg 1611–17) with a few chorale settings added. No modern edition known. See Gołos. 

Warsaw, Biblioteka Narodowa 326 (olim 4579, olim 5231 and D 590–114; olim Legnica, Ritter-Akademie 100) (early 17th century). 328 ff. New German organ tablature. 298 intabulations of vocal works, mostly in skeletal form for accompanimental purposes. No modern edition known. See Gołos.

Kraków, Biblioteka Jagiellońska, 24 (olim Legnica, Ritter-Akademie, 101) (early 17th century). 185 ff. New German organ tablature. Intabulations of secular works by Lassus, Marenzio, Gastoldi, Crecquillon, etc. on ff.137v–142v, 160r–165r. No modern edition known. See Gołos.

Ca. 1626: Vilnius or Sapieha Tablature 

Vilnius, Bibliotece Litewskiej Akademii Nauk (Library of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences), F-30-119. In Italian keyboard notation, in addition to organ works, it includes four vocal works for one or two voices and continuo, as well as 25 engravings that portray the life of St. Francis, with captions in Latin and Polish.

Modern edition 2004 by Piotr Pózniak, Album Sapieżyńskie. Sub Sole Sarmatiae, Volume 9: Wileńska tabulatura organowa z XVII wieku obrazami żywota św. Franciszka zdobiona. Published by Musica Iagellonica, Kraków.

Ca. 1644: Ostrameczew or Polotsk Tablature

Kraków, Biblioteka Jagiellońska Ms 10002 (originally 127.56). In Italian keyboard notation, this tablature contains pieces by many composers including Marcin Mielczewski, and the single preserved piece by Piotr Żelechowski, a Fantasia sopra Primo Tono, edited by Jerzy Gołos and Adam Sutkowski in volume 10, part four of the Corpus of Early Keyboard Music series, American Institute of Musicology, and also by Jan Stęszewski for Polskie Wydawn, Muzyczne 73, Warsaw. No complete modern edition known.

Ca. 1680: The Warsaw Tablature

The original, in Italian keyboard notation, is now considered lost during the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, and its provenance remains unknown, although Aleksander Poliński surmised its origin to be in the Polish province of North Masovia. Originally housed in the National Library, Warsaw (hence its name), a fair copy was made by Adolph Chybiński, which in its turn has disappeared, leaving only a partial copy made by his student Czesław Sikorski. This contains 71 pieces, comprising 19 preambula, 13 toccatas, 17 fugues, three fantasias, a capriccio and its proportio, four canzonas, 12 settings of Christmas pieces, and two untitled pieces; excerpts from Pachelbel and Frescobaldi have been identified. A modern edition by Jerzy Gołos ca. 1990 for Ludowy Institut Muzyczny, Łódż, is a revised and corrected version of Chybiński’s copy. Thirteen pieces were edited by Jerzy Gołos and Adam Sutkowski in volume 10, part four of the Corpus of Early Keyboard Music series, American Institute of Musicology.

1768: Arie z rЧżnych autorЧw zebrine anno 1768

Clarist convent archives Stary Sącz 26. This manuscript on 49 leaves is a collection of arias, which was handed down to a nun in the convent in 1768. Originally comprising 102 compositions, two pages are missing, leaving 97 complete and two incomplete compositions. It is a rare example of an 18th-century compilation that has been made available in a modern edition. In one movement in binary or ternary form, a few have been identified as pieces by Hasse and Zipoli. New edition by Jan Chwałek (Lublin: Polihymnia, 1994). 

An in-depth discussion of the 16th century tablatures can be found in Willi Apel’s History of Keyboard Music to 1700, pp. 100ff. An excellent book, in English, is The Polish Organ, which is in two volumes (Warsaw: Sutkowski Edition, 1993). Volume one, The instrument and its history, by Jerzy Gołos, covers the Middle Ages to the 20th century and contains selected documents and comprehensive lists of organ builders, places, location of manuscript sources, and a bibliography of some 36 pages (the majority of the entries are, understandably, in Polish). There is also a map and some 90 black and white illustrations, mainly of consoles and actions. 

Volume two, Organ cases in Poland as works of art, originally by Ewa Smulikowska and thoroughly revised by Jerzy Gołos, discusses in detail the organ case in the church, the symbolic and conceptual meaning of the carved subjects according to medieval and Renaissance metaphysics, organbuilders and wood carvers in the regional centers, evolution of the case, and iconographical themes. Part II of the volume deals with many cases by location; over 200 photographs are included, several in color. 

Bibliography

Unfortunately, very little material about this repertoire has been published in English, but there are articles in Italian in certain volumes of L’Organo as listed below.

Apel, Willi. The History of Keyboard Music to 1700. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1972.

Brzezińska, Barbara. Repertuar polskich tabulatur organowych z pierwszej połowy xvi wieku. Kraków: Polskie Wydawn. Muzyczne, 1987.

Caldwell, John. “Sources of Keyboard Music to 1660.” New Grove Dictionary of Music, 2001, 24:19–39. 

Gołos, G. “Il manoscritto 1/220 della Società di Musica di Varsavia, importante fonte di musica organistica cinquecentesca.” L’Organo ii (1961), 129–46. 

———. “Tre intavolature manoscritte di musica vocale rintracciate in Polonia.” L’Organo iii (1962), 123–48.  

Sutkowski, A. and O. Mischiati: “Una preziosa fonte manoscritta di musica strumentale: L’Intavolatura di Pelplin.” L’Organo ii (1961), 53–72.

White, John R. “The Tablature of Johannes of Lublin.” Musica Disciplina 17 (1963), 137–162.

The booklets included with The complete Warsaw Tablature and Adam z Wągrowca, Piotr Żelechowski and Petrus de Drusina (Acte Préalable APO164 and APO165, reviewed in The Diapason, September 2014, 18–19) recorded by Rostislaw Wygranienko contain valuable information about the Warsaw and Ostrameczew or Polotsk Tablatures. 

For further information: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_organ_tablatures . 

Photo credit: Marijim Thoene

John Collins has been playing and researching early keyboard music for over 35 years, with special research interests in the English, Italian, and Iberian repertoires. He has contributed many reviews and articles on repertoire and performance practice, including translations and commentaries on treatises in German, Spanish, and Portuguese, to European and American journals, including The Diapason. After serving as organist at St. George’s Church, Worthing, UK, for 33 years, in June 2017 he began service for Christ Church, Worthing.

In 2018 there are several composers whose anniversaries can be commemorated, albeit some of the precise birth and death dates are not known for certain. Several names below need no introduction, but there are also quite a few lesser-known names listed here whose compositions are well worth exploring. No claim is made for completeness, and there is no guarantee that every edition is readily available and in print­—there may well also be editions by other publishers.    

An increasing number of pieces, ranging from complete, original publications or manuscripts (which present the usual problems of multiple clefs as well as original printer’s errors) to modern versions of complete or individual works, are to be found on various free download sites, most noticeably IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (http://imslp.org); however, the accuracy of some modern typesetting is highly questionable, and all should be treated with caution before use.

Jacob Arcadelt (ca. 1505–1568) was a Franco-Flemish composer who wrote both sacred and secular vocal music. He is perhaps best known for his motet setting of Ave, Maria. His principal legacy is his collection of madrigals. Three intabulations for keyboard, perhaps made by Claudio Veggio, have survived in the manuscripts at Castell’ Arquato, tentatively dated as mid-sixteenth century (although possibly earlier), and have been edited by H. Colin Slim in Keyboard Music at Castell’ Arquato (American Institute of Musicology, CEKM 37-3). In addition to an organ Mass, this volume contains some excellent ricercars and other intabulations.

Caspar Hässler (1562–1618) was the elder brother of Hans Leo Hassler and worked in Nuremberg. Only one piece by him has survived, a Fantasia a 4 in C in three repeated sections. Originally edited by Ernst von Werra in 1903, it is included as no. 14 in German Organ and Keyboard Music of the 17th Century II, edited by Siegbert Rampe (Bärenreiter BA8427). The two volumes in this series contain much little known music and are well worth investigating. 

Adriano Banchieri (1568–1634) was an Italian theorist and composer from Bologna. He composed much vocal music, but his main achievements were in the field of providing instructions and pieces for organ. The theoretical treatise Conclusioni del suono dell’organo published in 1609 is available in facsimile from Arnaldo Forni. His most useful work for today’s player, L’Organo suarino, which gives vast amounts of useful information as well as short pieces suited to the non-professional player, has gone through several editions. The first, in 1605 (op. 13), contained 19 pieces (13 Sonatas, four Capricci, and two Ripieni); the second  edition of 1611, op. 25, contained a further 18 pieces of various genres. The third  edition (of 1622 and 1638) contained a further five new pieces including four Sonatas and a Gloria, resulting in 42 pieces in total in the three editions. A facsimile with introduction by Giulio Cattin has been published by Frits Knuf, Amsterdam. The 1605 edition has been edited by Edoardo Bellotti for Il Levante Libreria (TA31). Thirty-nine  pieces have been edited by Raimund Schächer (Cornetto Verlag, CP128). A volume of Canzone alla Francese Libro Segundo of 1596 contained 14 pieces, of which the 11 in four parts have been intabulated for keyboard by Alessandro Bares (Musedita, BA 1 20). The Moderna Harmonia, op. 26, contained 15 Canzonas in 2 parts, 2 Fantasias in 4 parts, and a Magnificat in concerto à 4 voci, of which the Canzonas and Fantasias have been edited in open score by Alessandro Bares (Musedita, BA 1 OR). Banchieri also contributed two Ricercars to the second part of Diruta’s 1609 Il Transilvano; they are included in the modern edition of the pieces from the two parts, edited by Tamás Zászkaliczky  (Editio Musica Z8608, Budapest). One further Ricercar Tertii Tono is in manuscript from 1581, Munich, and has been edited by Clare Rayner as no. 69 in München, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek  Ms. Mus 1581 for American Institute of Musicology, Corpus of Early Keyboard Music, volume 40, part III. This piece was printed originally as “Fantasia Decima Nona” in Fantasie ovvero canzone alla francese per suonare all’organo et altri stromenti musicali, a Quattro voci, in 1603, which collection was edited by André Vierendeels for Schott’s Söhne, Mainz (ANT12). Twenty-two pieces have been edited by Enrico Capaccioli in 22 Composizioni per organo (Edizioni Carrara, EC3187).

Abraham van den Kerckhoven (ca. 1618–1702) served organist of St. Catherine’s Church, Brussels, from ca. 1632, and also chamber and court organist to Archduke Leopold Wilhelm. His surviving keyboard pieces are contained in a large manuscript now at the Bibliothèque Royale Albert I in Brussels; this manuscript is dated 1741 and was signed by Jacobus Cocquiel. It contains some 364 pieces, comprising a large number of versets on the eight tones, settings of Salve Regina and an organ Mass along with Fantasias and separate Fugas. Many pieces were left unascribed, and a few were ascribed to other composers, some from the same circle or later. A partial edition with selected items was edited by Jos Watelet as Monumenta musicae Belgicae II which has been reprinted and published by B-Note Musikverlag (BM14876). A facsimile edition of the complete manuscript has been produced by Godelieve Spiessens. A selection of 5 Fantasias, Versus 1 Toni, and 2 Fugas has been edited by Ewald Kooiman for Harmonia in the series Incognita Organo, no. 32 (HU3699). The complete contents of the manuscript have been made available on IMSLP with tables of analysis and an introduction. 

Albertus Bryne (ca. 1621–1668) was organist of both St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, London. Some 30 keyboard pieces attributed to Bryne, all but one Voluntary being dance movements, have survived in ten manuscripts. The modern edition edited by Terence Charlston for Norsk Musikforlag contains invaluable information about performance practice of the period including fingering, ornamentation, rhythm, tempo, and ties which can be applied to Bryne’s successors Blow and Purcell, as well as the anonymous pieces by the post-Restoration composers. The edition includes an audio CD with exemplary recordings of the pieces by Terence Charlston and an interactive CD-ROM containing the full edited text, transcripts, and images of all ten  manuscripts and printed sources.

François Couperin “Le Grand” (1668–1733) is best known for his four books of harpsichord works published between 1713 and 1730 and his treatise,  L’Art de toucher le clavecin. He  also published two organ Masses in 1690, Pièces d’orgue consistantes en deux messes, l’une à l’usage des Paroisses pour les Festes Solennelles, L’autre propres pour les Couvents des Religieux et Religieuses. They contain verses for the Kyrie, Gloria, Offertoire, Sanctus, Benedicus, Agnus Dei, and Deo Gracias. The volume has been edited by Paul Brunold, Kenneth Gilbert, and Davitt Moroney for Oiseau Lyre as Oeuvres complètes III. There are other editions edited by Norbert Dufourques for Schola Cantorum (two volumes). A facsimile has been published by Anne Fuzeau. 

José de Nebra (1702–1768) was born in Calatayud and worked in Madrid. He left operas, zarzuelas, and dramas as well as Masses and vocal music. Like many of the Spanish composers of the eighteenth century, a complete edition of his keyboard music is much needed. Modern editions include the following three volumes in the series Tecla Aragonesa published by the Institución Fernando el Católico Zaragoza. Volume I (Joseph Nebra Tocatas y Sonata para órgano ó clave) edited by Roman Escalas includes three Tocatas, a Sonata, and a Grave; volume III (Joseph Nebra Obras inéditas para tecla) edited by María-Salud Álvarez includes three Sonatas, three Tocatas, and an Obra para órgano. In Volume VII (Músicos Aragoneses en Valencia en el siglo XVIII) edited by Vicente Ros, there is a Pange Lingua setting. 

Friedrich Wilhelm Marpurg (1718–1795) was a German composer, theorist, and critic. He published several important treatises including Abhandlung von der Fuge, and Die Kunst das Klavier zu spielen. His numerous compositions for keyboard include Sei Sonate per Cembalo, 1755, edited by Raimund Schächer for Carus Verlag (CV18.002/00) and by Laura Cerutti for Armelin, Padua (AMM10). Being very similar to C. P. E. Bach’s organ sonatas, they would also sound well on the organ. The Fughe e Capricci, 1777, which contains a prelude, 2 Capricci, and 7 Fughe, has been edited by Martin Weyer (Forberg, F25048) and is available as a facsimile from Anne Fuzeau and from Broude Brothers, New York (PF 142). The Versuch in figurirten Choräle sowohl für die Orgel als für das Clavichord I, which contains 21 pieces, and the Zweiter Versuch in Figurirte Choräle . . . , Part II, ca. 1792, which contains a further 15 pieces, are available as facsimiles from  Broude Brothers, New York (PF136 and 137). Other works best suited to stringed keyboard instruments appeared in prints and anthologies, several of which are also available in modern editions.

Joseph Aloys Schmittbaur (1718–1809), born in Bamberg, Germany, worked in Rastatt and Karlsruhe. He composed operas, symphonies, concertos, vocal music, and some 50 pieces for keyboard. His Vierundzwanzig Vor- und Nachspiele—Für Orgel have been edited by Rudolph Walter (Carus Verlag, CV91.088/00).

Fedele Fenaroli (1730–1818), a pupil of Francesco Durante, became Maestro di Cappella of the Santa Maria in Loreto conservatory in Naples in 1762. He wrote mainly sacred vocal music, but a few organ pieces have survived and have been edited in four volumes by Maurizio Machella, published by Armelin, Padua (AMM 2, 3, 56, and 60). Volume I contains six short one-movement sonatas, a two-movement sonata, and a one-movement sonata which may be connected to the following Fuga, which has been completed by the editor. Volume II contains 14 Versetti in various unconnected keys. Volume III contains an Apertura per Organo and six three-movement sonatas, of which the central movement is in the tonic minor. The fourth volume is unnumbered and contains a Trattenimento and a Pastorale. 

Carlos Baguer (1768–1808) was organist of the cathedral of Barcelona, Spain, and composed symphonies, concerti, flue duets, and much religious vocal music. Although he left many keyboard works in manuscripts, very few are available in modern editions. Those available are Siete Sonatas edited by Maria Ester Sala (Union Musical Española, 22055) and Tres Sinfonías para Tecla, possibly arrangements for keyboard of symphonies composed by Baguer himself rather than Haydn to whom they are attributed in the manuscript (edited by Maria Ester Sala for Instituto Español de Musicología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas). 

Benjamin Carr (1768–1831) was born in London and studied organ with Samuel Wesley and composition with Samuel Arnold. In 1793 he moved to the United States, working in Philadelphia as a singer, teacher, organist, and composer. He published pieces for piano, songs and works for the stage, but only one voluntary has been listed. It has been edited by J. Bunker Clark in Anthology of Early American Keyboard Music 1787–1830, Part 1 for AR Editions (A001), which volume contains a further three pieces by Carr and 14 more pieces by nine other composers.

Francisco Cabo (1768–1832) was born in Naquera (province of Valencia, Spain) and worked in the cathedrals of Orihuela and Valencia from 1796 onward, succeeding Rafael Anglés in 1816. He composed vocal music and left 19 organ works in manuscripts comprising Versos, Pasos, and sonatas for specific feasts in the liturgical year, the majority of which are annotated with the year of composition. These pieces, which demonstrate a pronounced Romantic approach, have been edited by José Climent for the Sociedad Española de Musicología, Madrid.

Bartolomeo Franzosini (1768–1853) was an architect and composer in northern Italy. He left a Pastorale in A, which has been edited by Maurizio Machella for Armelin (AMM75) and is also included in Itinerari Italiani volume X, L’Organi in Piemonte tra ‘700 e ’800, edited by M. Rossi and G. Vessia for Edizioni Carrara (EC4583) and in Organum Italicum Volume III edited by A. Macinanti and F. Tasini for Edizioni Carrara (EC4654). His Nove Danze per Organo have been edited by Riccardo Zoja for Armelin (AMM278).

Publishers’ websites:

A-R Editions: www.areditions.com

American Institute of Musicology­—CEKM series: www.corpusmusicae.com/cekm.htm

Anne Fuzeau facsimiles: www.editions-classique.com

Armelin (and Zanibon):

www.armelin.it

B-Note Musikverlag: www.bnote.de

Bärenreiter: www.baerenreiter.com

Breitkopf & Hartel: www.breitkopf.com

Broude Bros: www.broude.us

Butz Verlag: www.butz-verlag.de

Carus Verlag: www.carus-verlag.com

Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Barcelona: www.csic.es

Cornetto Verlag: www.cornetto-music.de

Doblinger:

www.doblinger-musikverlag.at

Edition Walhall: www.edition-walhall.de

Edizione Carrara:

www.edizionicarrara.it

Forni Editore: www.fornieditore.com

Il Levante Libreria:

www.illevante-libreria.it

Musedita: www.musedita.it

Norsk Musikforlag:

https://musikkforlagene.no/

Oiseau Lyre: http://vca-mcm.unimelb.edu.au/about/publications/lyrebird-press-austral…

Schott Music: www.schott-music.com

Scola Cantorum:

www.schola-editions.com

Sociedad Española de Musicología: www.sedem.es&nbsp;

Stainer & Bell: www.stainer.co.uk

Union Musical Española: www.musicsalesclassical.com/companies/unionmusicalediciones

Ut Orpheus: www.utorpheus.com