My recent examination of the Filmer collection has served to confirm
a number of Ford’s comments, which have not received much attention.
The present paper is concerned with one manuscript, the instrumental partbook
Filmer 8, which contains the basses of several instrumental movements ascribed
to Purcell, as Ford noted, ‘not known elsewhere’. These movements
can now be identified as Purcell’s Overture in G Minor (known previously
through a single source, the copy in John Reading’s hand in British Library
R.M. 20.h.9), followed by five unique dances (a triple-time rondo, a bourree,
two further triple-time movements and a ‘jigg’), forming a suite, in G
minor throughout, with an overall ascription to Purcell.
Manuscript and musical evidence undergirds the authenticity of these
unknown movements and sheds some much-needed light on the Overture in G
Minor, a work which has elicited some disagreement in terms of its placement
in Purcell’s career. The resulting suite, unfortunately missing its
upper parts, bears some points of resemblance to Purcell’s Suite in G Major
in British Library Add. MS 30930, and the two works may share similar origins.
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