H. Purcell. The Vocal and Instrumental Musick of the Prophetess, or the History of Dioclesian, London: Heptinstall,1691

PURCELL, HENRY

The Vocal and Instrumental Musick of the Prophetess, or the History of Dioclesian, composed by Henry Purcell, Organist of their Majesties Chappel, and of St Peters Westminster, London: Printed by J. Heptinstall, for the Author, 1691

FIRST EDITION. [4] + 173 pages, folio (c.35 x 23cm), some irregular paginations (but complete), dedicatory epistle signed ("Henry Purcell") to Charles Seymour, Duke of Somerset, type-set music, the full score on up to 12-staves per page, advertisement at end, coat-of-arms and fleur-de-lis watermarks (cf. Heawood 654 & 1781/1781A), contemporary panelled calf, worn, lacking spine, front cover loose, later ownership inscription to pastedown and title, browning to preliminaries (thereafter clean), a few paginations trimmed

THIS IS THE LARGEST EDITION OF PURCELL'S MUSIC PUBLISHED DURING HIS LIFETIME. AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT. Although there are copies in many British and American research libraries, it is scarce in Europe and we have not traced a single copy sold at auction since 1983. Some irregular paginations found here are also in British Library K.4.i.21 (pages 10/11 and 166/167), but are corrected in other (possibly later?) copies.

Purcell's semi-opera Dioclesian was given at The Queen's Theatre, Dorset Garden, in late May or June 1690. There is no surviving autograph and the only early manuscript copy we have traced (c.1701) is in the library of Westminster Abbey. The present score is the primary source for the music and, at 173 pages, is by far the largest contemporary edition of Purcell's music. The most substantial item is the concluding Masque in Act 5 (pp.96 to the end), "a self-contained through-composed pastoral", comprising five scenes, which Curtis Price judges "one of Purcell's greatest works". 

LITERATURE:

Zimmerman D.627; Day & Murrie 111; RISM P 5927 (none in German, Swiss, Italian or Spanish libraries); Hirsch, II 754; Wing P 4223; not in Hoboken,

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