David, To put it another way, .......
As I tried to explain, the Pruni�res manuscript was NEVER in Prague. In the
method for baroque lute that you own the author misread "Pa Pruni�res" without
looking up the correct reading of the abbreviation in the critical apparatus in
the front of the _*Oeuvres des Dubuts*_ collected edition (1979).
We all need to take better care in watching for such matters. They can often
cause great confusion, as you discovered in this instance. Others often want to
seek a score for a piece on a CD, or the score itself for a performance of the
same work.
Your author guessed that "Pa" meant "Prague Archive," as in the library sigla
he cited, <<<<CZ [Czechoslovaia] -Pa [Prague, State Archive].>>>> "Pa
Pruni�res" means Paris Pruni�res "Bibl. particuliere" [=private library] of
Henry Pruni�res (d. 1942). Afterwards ("puis") the ms
was acquired by Genevi�ve Thibault, Comtesse de Chambure (d. 1975). She
bequeathed her entire collection of rare early prints and manuscripts to the
Biblioth�que nationale in Paris (B. N.). Her collection of early musical
instruments went to the Conservatoire.
But her heirs sued to keep the books in the family.
As I recall the litigation seemed to last forever, and as a compromise the
Biblioth�que nationale gave up some of Thibault's prints and manuscripts
already in their possession. The library retained much of the collection,
including the "Pa Pruni�res Ms."
While the collection was in limbo during the litigation it could be described
as you quote in the paragraph directly above Matthew's signature, a temporary
shelf description:
<<<<Paris, B.N., [=Paris, Bibliot�que nationale]
aut. Bibl. particuliere Prunieres,
puis Bibl. G. Thibault de Chambure (v. 1712). "Fantaisies et Praeludes... (par)
Mr Weiss a Rome".>>>>
AFTER the litigation ended, the manuscript officially joined the B.N.
collection and was given the shelf number R�s Vmc 61. That's (to answer your
question) how the ms got from Prague to R�s Vmc 61.<g>
As for books the family retained, they show up every now and then on the music
antiquarian market. Mdme. Thibault, truly a "Grand Dame" and a generous one in
sharing her valuable collection of rare books. She permitted me to use an
important _*unica,*_ from her collection, the 1548 Casteliono
*Libro Secondo*_ for the HUP Francesco edition. It contains what is surely
Francsco's most mature works. I sent her a copy of the Francesco edition with
an inscription expressing my gratitude for her kindness. The family kept it,
and later our fellow Lute List reader Wie Wolf purchased that
very same copy with my inscription from an antiquarian dealer in Berlin.
The family also retained a copy of Dowland's Third Book of Ayres. A few years
ago I saw it, identified as from the Thibault collection, being offered for
sale by music antiquarian dealer for $35,000. It didn't sell apparently, and a
few years later the dealer offered it "marked down" to the bargain price of
$15,000.
Rare books do not a good investment make.<g> Thanks for the question, David. We
all learned from it. Arthur.
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On 12/19/16, Matthew Daillie wrote:
On 19/12/2016 19:47, David Smith wrote:
> Where is it documented that CZ-Pa Ms. Prunières became F-Pn Rés. Vmc ms. 61?
> I have tried to trace this but am not finding it.
The CNRS edition does not give the Vmc ms. 61 reference but for the
Prunières source states the following:
Paris, B.N., aut. Bibl. particulière Prunières, puis Bibl. G. Thibault
de Chambure (v. 1712). "Fantaisies et Préludes... (par) Mr Weiss � Rome".
Best
Matthew
To get on or off this list see list information at
http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.htmlMdme cc("aut
