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''Parthenia or the Maydenhead of the first musicke that ever was printed for the Virginalls'' was, as the title states, the first printed collection of music for keyboard in England. '
Virginals The virginals (or virginal) is a keyboard instrument of the harpsichord family. It was popular in Europe during the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods. Description A virginal is a smaller and simpler rectangular or polygonal form of ...
' was a generic word at the time that covered all plucked keyboard instruments – the
harpsichord A harpsichord ( it, clavicembalo; french: clavecin; german: Cembalo; es, clavecín; pt, cravo; nl, klavecimbel; pl, klawesyn) is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. This activates a row of levers that turn a trigger mechanism ...
,
muselaar The virginals (or virginal) is a keyboard instrument of the harpsichord family. It was popular in Europe during the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods. Description A virginal is a smaller and simpler rectangular or polygonal form of ...
and
virginals The virginals (or virginal) is a keyboard instrument of the harpsichord family. It was popular in Europe during the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods. Description A virginal is a smaller and simpler rectangular or polygonal form of ...
, but most of the pieces are also suited for the
clavichord The clavichord is a stringed rectangular keyboard instrument that was used largely in the Late Middle Ages, through the Renaissance, Baroque and Classical eras. Historically, it was mostly used as a practice instrument and as an aid to compositi ...
and
chamber organ Carol Williams performing at the United States Military Academy West Point Cadet Chapel.">West_Point_Cadet_Chapel.html" ;"title="United States Military Academy West Point Cadet Chapel">United States Military Academy West Point Cadet Chapel. ...
. Though the date is uncertain, it was probably published around 1612. The 21 pieces included are ascribed to
William Byrd William Byrd (; 4 July 1623) was an English composer of late Renaissance music. Considered among the greatest composers of the Renaissance, he had a profound influence on composers both from his native England and those on the continent. He ...
,
John Bull John Bull is a national personification of the United Kingdom in general and England in particular, especially in political cartoons and similar graphic works. He is usually depicted as a stout, middle-aged, country-dwelling, jolly and matter- ...
, and
Orlando Gibbons Orlando Gibbons ( bapt. 25 December 1583 – 5 June 1625) was an English composer and keyboard player who was one of the last masters of the English Virginalist School and English Madrigal School. The best known member of a musical famil ...
, in three sections. The title ''Parthenia'' comes from the Greek ''parthenos'' meaning "maiden" or "virgin." The music is written for the
Virginals The virginals (or virginal) is a keyboard instrument of the harpsichord family. It was popular in Europe during the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods. Description A virginal is a smaller and simpler rectangular or polygonal form of ...
, the etymology of which is unknown, but may either refer to the young girls who are often shown playing it, or from the Latin ''virga'', which means "stick" or "wand", possibly referring to part of the mechanism that plucks a string in the
harpsichord A harpsichord ( it, clavicembalo; french: clavecin; german: Cembalo; es, clavecín; pt, cravo; nl, klavecimbel; pl, klawesyn) is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. This activates a row of levers that turn a trigger mechanism ...
family of instruments. The "Maydenhead" refers to the maiden voyage or, in this case, the first printing of ''Parthenia.'' The dedication to the first edition opens with the phrase: ''The virgin ''PARTHENIA'' (whilst yet I may) I offer up to your virgin Highnesses.''


Music engraving

''Parthenia'' was printed and sold by G.Lowe of
Lothbury Lothbury is a short street in the City of London. It runs east–west with traffic flow in both directions, from Gresham Street's junction with Moorgate to the west, and Bartholomew Lane's junction with Throgmorton Street to the east. History ...
, a district of the
City of London The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London fr ...
populated by coppersmiths since the Middle Ages. The music was engraved on copper plates by William Hole. This was the first time that engraving was used for English music scores,Parthenia. In Latham, A. (Ed.),
The Oxford Companion to Music ''The Oxford Companion to Music'' is a music reference book in the series of Oxford Companions produced by the Oxford University Press. It was originally conceived and written by Percy Scholes and published in 1938. Since then, it has undergon ...
: Oxford University Press. Retrieved 10 Jun. 2020, from https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199579037.001.0001/acref-9780199579037-e-5002.
although engraved music had been printed on the continent from the late 16th century. The use of movable type had proved satisfactory for vocal music in particular. However, movable type does not work well with keyboard music. Engraving offers potentially better results. For reasons that are not clear, ''Parthenia'' did not take full advantage of the new technology. The music is difficult to
sight-read In music, sight-reading, also called ''a prima vista'' (Italian meaning "at first sight"), is the practice of reading and performing of a piece in a music notation that the performer has not seen or learned before. Sight-singing is used to descri ...
as the notes are not positioned vertically in relation to their values. Perhaps this reflects inability to read music on the part of Hole or, as some commentators have suggested, the work was published as a record rather than for practical performance.


Date

The presumed first edition of ''Parthenia'' is undated. However, its dedication suggests it was probably published around 1612. :''To the high and mighty Frederick, Elector Palatine of the Reine: and his betrothed Lady,
Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...
the only daughter of my Lord the
king King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
.'' This couple was betrothed in December 1612 and married in February 1613. Frederick and Elizabeth subsequently left England, and a further printing in 1613 promptly changed the dedication to read: ''Dedicated to all the Maisters and Louers of Musick.'' The last printing was made in 1659.


Symbolism

The dedication refers to the use of the notes " E" and "F" in the music of ''Parthenia''. In this context, "E" refers to Elizabeth Stuart, "F" to Frederick V. The dedication has the phrase :''...these next neighbour letters E and F the vowell that makes so sweet a consonãt Her notes so linkt and wedded togeither seeme liuely Hierogliphicks of the harmony of , the high and holy State wherinto you shortly must be incorporat.'' The linking of the two letters/notes is evident in the Orlando Gibbons movement ''The Queenes Command'' in which he begins the piece with the notes E and F and uses these notes to start future measures or to tie measures together.


Contents

Many of the pieces are dances, the
pavane The ''pavane'' ( ; it, pavana, ''padovana''; german: Paduana) is a slow processional dance common in Europe during the 16th century (Renaissance). The pavane, the earliest-known music for which was published in Venice by Ottaviano Petrucci, ...
and
galliard The ''galliard'' (; french: gaillarde; it, gagliarda) was a form of Renaissance dance and music popular all over Europe in the 16th century. It is mentioned in dance manuals from England, Portugal, France, Spain, Germany, and Italy. Dance fo ...
.


List of pieces

;William Byrd (BK numbers refer to Musica Britannica: William Byrd Keyboard Music, ed. Alan Brown (London: Stainer & Bell, 2 vols, 1969/71))
1. Preludium, BK1
2. Pavana Sir William Petre, BK3a
3. Galiardo Sir William Petre, BK3b
4. Preludium, BK24
5. Galiardo Mris Marye Brownlo, BK34
6. Pavana Earle of Salisbury, BK15a
7. Galiardo Earle of Salisbury, BK15b
8. Galiardo Secundo Earle of Salisbury, BK15c ;John Bull 9. Preludium
10. Pavana St. Thomas Wake
11. Galiardo St. Thomas Wake
12. Pavana
13. Galiardo
14. Galiardo
15. Galiardo ;Orlando Gibbons 16. Galiardo
17. Fantazia of Foure Parts
18. The Lord Salisbury his Pavin
19. Galiardo
20. The Queenes Command
21. Preludium


Sequel

A companion work ''
Parthenia inviolata, or Mayden-Musicke for the Virginalls and Bass-Viol ''Parthenia Inviolata, or Mayden-Musicke for the Virginalls and Bass-Viol'' is the second book of keyboard music printed in England, containing twenty pieces scored for virginal and bass viol.Brennecke, Ernest, Jr. "'Parthenia Inviolata': The Secon ...
'' was published soon afterwards. The title contains a play on words involving the word
viol The viol (), viola da gamba (), or informally gamba, is any one of a family of bowed, fretted, and stringed instruments with hollow wooden bodies and pegboxes where the tension on the strings can be increased or decreased to adjust the pitc ...
. This sequel is said to have been compiled by one Robert Hole.


See also

*
The Mulliner Book The Mulliner Book (British Library Add MS 30513) is a historically important musical commonplace book compiled probably between about 1545 and 1570, by Thomas Mulliner, about whom practically nothing is known, except that he figures in 1563 as ' ...
*
The Dublin Virginal Manuscript The Dublin Virginal Manuscript is an important anthology of keyboard music kept in the library of Trinity College Dublin, where it has been since the 17th century under the present shelf-list TCD Ms D.3.29. History The Manuscript was probably pur ...
*
My Ladye Nevells Booke ''My Ladye Nevells Booke'' (British Library MS Mus. 1591) is a music manuscript containing keyboard pieces by the English composer William Byrd, and, together with the ''Fitzwilliam Virginal Book'', one of the most important collections of Renais ...
* Susanne van Soldt Manuscript *
Clement Matchett's Virginal Book Clement Matchett's Virginal Book is a musical manuscript from the late renaissance compiled by a young Norfolk man in 1612. Although a small anthology, it is notable not only for the quality of its music but also for the precise fingering indicat ...
*
Fitzwilliam Virginal Book The ''Fitzwilliam Virginal Book'' is a primary source of keyboard music from the late Elizabethan and early Jacobean periods in England, i.e., the late Renaissance and very early Baroque. It takes its name from Viscount Fitzwilliam who beque ...
*
Priscilla Bunbury's Virginal Book Priscilla Bunbury's Virginal Book is a musical commonplace book compiled in the late 1630s by two young women from an affluent Cheshire family. It is important more for its fingering indications than for the quality of the music it contains. Th ...
* Elizabeth Rogers' Virginal Book * Anne Cromwell's Virginal Book


References

* ''Parthenia'', The Harrow Replicas, Chiswick Press, London 1942 * ''Parthenia'', edited by Kurt Stone, Broude Brothers, New York 1951 * ''A Reevaluation of Parthenia and its Contents'', Janet Pollack, Duke University, 2001 * ''Manuscript Additions in Parthenia and other Early English Printed Music in America'', David Greer. ''Music and Letters'', 77 (1996), 169–82 * ''The Keyboard Music of John Bull'', Walker Cunningham, UMI Research Press, Ann Arbor, 1984 * ''The Consort and Keyboard Music of William Byrd'', Oliver Neighbour, University of California Press, Berkeley, 1978 * ''Orlando Gibbons and the Gibbons Family of Musicians'', John Harley, Ashgate Publishing Company, Vermont, 1999


External links

*
Parthenia
''RVRCD.com'' {{Renaissance music manuscript sources Music anthologies Music books English music Compositions for harpsichord Compositions for keyboard 1611 works