Music manuscripts are handwritten copies of musical works. They could be written by the composer or a copyist. Our music manuscript collections on microfilm include European music, Italian music, and portions of eight series of music from Great English collections.
- European music manuscripts in the British Library: Austrian, French, German, Russian, Spanish and other European music c. 1640-1820
- Includes collections of Beethoven, Mozart, and Haydn.
- Italian music manuscripts in the British Library, c. 1640- 1820
- An abundance of sources for vocal and instrumental music, sacred and secular.
- Music Manuscripts from the Great English Collections
- Series 1: The music collection at the Bodleian Library, Oxford
- The development of the suite and fantasia in England, consort music, playing techniques.
- Series 2: The music collection of St. Michael’s College, Tenbury
- Includes early English Church music and the revival of Tudor music.
- Series 3: The music collection of Christ Church, Oxford
- Masses, motets, madrigals and anthems. Two operas by Alessandro Scarlatti.
- Series 4: The British Library music manuscript collection
- Series 5: The music collection of the Royal College of Music, London
- English music and manuscripts associated with England from the Tudor to the Georgian periods.
- Series 6: The music collections of the Cambridge libraries
- Medieval sacred and secular music, and 16th and 17th century English lute and consort music.
- Series 7: The music collection of the Royal Academy of Music, London
- Three centuries of music, with particular strengths in early English and Italian music, and 19th century classical music.
- Series 8: The Gerald Coke Handel collection
- More than 200 music manuscripts, including autographs of Handel.
All these compilations include more than could be described here, so take a glance on the specific pages for more information on each collection.
