The Viola da Gamba Society


	Overview	Dow Facsimile	Music Editions	Thematic Index	Chelys	VdGS Journal	The Viol

Music Editions Introduction

View the catalogue:

solo

duet

trio

quartet

quintet

6 and above

When VdGS Music Editions were first issued in the 1960s, they were called Supplementary Publications. Their purpose was to make British viol music available in good value playable editions; they were carefully edited by enthusiasts from original sources and written out in clear manuscript. There are now over 150 titles in the catalogue, and these have recently been typeset and are now available with scores. Parts have been set out with the player's needs foremost - where possible the parts are still available in manuscript as an alternative to typeset and alternative clefs can be requested. Many VdGS Music Editions have organ parts.

In the last forty years many works by major viol composers have been re-published in collected editions. The VdGS publications saves players from having to buy a whole collection in order to find out whether they like that composer. They can buy one or two titles from a collection which are generally fairly cheap and often include an organ part. Unattributed compositions and those composers with few surviving pieces are less popular with publishers and are often only available as VdGS Music Editions. The series includes some of the best of British viol music.

New editions are published once or twice a year and are available for an initial period to VdGS members at 10% discount. The series is edited by Virginia Brookes: telephone +44 (0) 1865 242591 or e-mail the distributor: Stephen Pegler e-mail me

who welcomes suggestions for suitable publications of any viol related music or submissions of editions for publication. To join the VdGS go to membership.

	New Editions in Autumn 2011:

	ME 231 Roger L'Estrange(?) John Jenkins & Anon.
	2 Divisions & Preludium for Bass Viol from Oxford, Bodleian Library, Mus. 184 c.8
	Edited by Jennifer Barron
	A set of divisions on grounds, published as a score with division and separate bass viol part.This set contains some first class music well worth studying; some are pretty challenging but not all, especially if you don’t mind skipping sections. 32 pages.
	B (BC); Difficult & Very Difficult
	Click here to hear an extract.

	ME 232 Thomas Brewer (1611-c1660)
	Five Airs in G à 4
	Edited by Virginia Brookes
	A set of 1 Pavan, 2 Almans, 1 Air and 1 Coranto – not quite on a par with the G minor suite also published by the VdGS but good to have it available at last – not too difficult but treble 1 does goes up to b”. It is nice to have another 4 part set with 2 trebles in the catalogue.
	Tr Tr T B; Medium
	Click here to hear the first of these pieces.

	ME233 Rhiannon Evans
	Browning à 4 (2008)
	Rhiannon is a VdGS member – she writes: “This piece was loosely inspired by, and may be regarded as a homage to, the magnificent Chacony from Benjamin Britten’s second String Quartet (itself a tribute to Henry Purcell, commemorating the 250th anniversary of his death). Although the piece is contemporary in style, the traditional Browning melody is preserved throughout.After an introduction presenting the theme in fragmentary form, the piece falls into three sections joined by brief linking passages.” The piece is perfectly approachable and in the spirit of a traditional Browning, but it does require some techniques not in the traditional violist toolkit, such as harmonics at one point.
	Hear it on the VdGS Music Edition page of the internet site.
	Tr Tr T B; Medium
	Cick here to hear the piece.

	ME234 George Loosemore
	Little Consort for Violin or Treble viol, lyra viol and continuo
	Edited by Andrew Ashbee
	Six attractive dances: Pavan, 3 Almains, Corant & Country Dance. There is plenty of interest in all parts. The lyra part is approachable for experienced tablature readers and the bass part straightforward. The treble part is playable on treble viol though easier on violin
	Vln/Tr, Lyra viol, Continuo
	Click here to hear these pieces (without the lyra part I'm, afraid)

	ME235 Michael Edwards
	Trio for viols (1997)
	Some members will have known Michael as a player and composer before his tragic death in 2010.This set of 3 pieces is published in his memory.They are light hearted pieces with a certain jazz influence and, unlike many modern pieces, not too challenging. Hear it on the VdGS Music Edition page of the internet site.
	Tr T B; Medium
	Click here to hear these pieces.

To use this catalogue

- click on a page according to how many parts the piece is written for. To hear the first few bars of the top part of the piece (or in some cases all parts) in your midi player click on the title of the piece.

The price shown is for non-members. Members of the GB VdGS are entitled to 50% discount off the full price, members of other Viola da Gamba societies can deduct 25%.

Music Editions are produced, printed and distributed by volunteers in the society as a benefit to members and they will be happy to offer advice on these editions and on published alternatives.

Free music - for VdGS members - click here for bar-less versions of Carmen in la and Carmen lamentacio by Senfl using Sibelius Scorch technology.

Download the Music Editions list > VdGS ME Catalogue.pdf < right click to download

To order, send an e-mail to Stephen Pegler e-mail me or fill in the order form and post to the address on the form.
You will need to calculate the postage and VdGS society members will need to subtract their discount.
Download the Music Editions order form > VdGS ME Order form.pdf < right click to download

To pay for music already ordered using your credit card, please click HERE.
(A new window opens, with full instructions - there is no need to create a PayPal account).

Are you a Sibelius user? Find some tips on setting Early Music and Tablature in Sibelius here

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