Alan Cuckston plays a two manual concert harpsichord made by Robert Goble in 1963. There are four sets of strings. The lower manual has 16′, 8′ and 4′ stops and there is a harp stop (for the 8′ strings). The upper manual has 8′, 8′ harp and 8′ lute -and the upper manual may be coupled to the lower one.
Released 1964? by Waverly Records MONO recording LLP 1037

SIDE ONE
00:00 1 KINLOCHE HIS FANTASSIE -Wllliam Kinloch
04:34 2 GALLIARD OF THE LANG PAVEN -Wllliam Kinloch
07:38 3 PAVAN -Duncan Burnett
12:05 4 ALMAYN£ AND 13:24 CORANTO -Anon
14:08 5 PAVAN: JHONSTOUNIS DELYT – Edward Johnston; set by Willlam Kinloch
19:09 6 GALLIARD – Anon

SIDE TWO
20:42 1 VARIATIONS ON THE ROMANESCA
23:39 2 (a) ALMAN GUERRE GUERRE GAY
24:17 (b) GALLlARD
25:00 (c) ALMAN PRINCE
25:41 (d) REPRISE OF THE ALMAN PRINCE
26:16 (e) BRANLE HOBOKEN
26:50 3 PAVAN AND 30:07 GALLlARD ON THE PASSAMEZIO ANTICO
31:48 4 PAVAN AND 34:02 GALLIARD – Master Taylor
34:48 5 (a) ALMAN LE PIED DE CHEVAL
36:12 (b) BRANLE
36:44 (c) ALMAN BRUYNSMEDELlJN
37:33 6 PAVAN AND 40:30 GALLlARD
41:23 7 CHI PASSA PER QUESTA STRADA

Photo of Kirkman Harpsichord by permission of Edinburgh University.

The present disc contains music from some of the lesser
known sources of keyboard music of the sixteenth and
early seventeenth centuries.

The Scottish pieces are taken from two manuscripts (now
on permanent loan to the National Library of Scotland)
which form part of Lord Dalhousie’s collection of
eleven seventeenth century music books. These are
Duncan Burnett’s music book of about 1610, and Lady
Jean Campbell’s music book of about 1635.
The Dublin Virginal. Manuscript (Trinity College,
Dublin, Ms. D.3.30) is a keyboard compilation of about
1570 bound up together with the Dallis lute book (dated
1583). Both these MSS were in the collection of
Archbishop Ussher (1581-1656) and were presented to
Trinity College by Charles II.

Only three sources of English Virginal music survive
from before 1591, the year of “My Lady Nevill’s
Book” and these are the British Museum Royal
Appendix 58, the Mulliner Book, and the Dublin Virginal
Manuscript. The development of secular keyboard
writing during the years of Byrd’s early manhood
may be seen in the latter source, which includes a considerable
number of Franco-Flemish dance tunes popular
in Elizabethan England.

The early seventeenth century music of Duncan
Burnett’s book reflects the liveliness and brilliance of
contemporary English yirginal music. The pieces in
Lady Jean’s Campbell’s book show how complete was
the decline in keyboard composition a quarter of a
century later, Thomas Tomkins being the only composer
to continue the great tradition into the middle of the
century.

SIDE ONE
1 This “Fantassie” can be played only on a two-manual
harpsichord or organ, and in this respect it is unique
amongst the pieces that-have come down in the Library
of Panmure House. Syncopated and cross rhythms
abound in this curious composition.

2 The “Lang Paven” of William Kinloch is twice the
length of a normal pavane, which Thomas Morley in
his “Plaine and Easie Introduction” of 1597 tells us
is “most commonly made of three strains, whereof
every straine is plaid or sung twice.” Kinloch’s Pavane
has six strains, each with its own elaborated repeat.
The “Galliard of the Lang Paven” also has six repeated
strains, having a pulse of the same speed as the Pavane,
but in triple time. The harmonies change at a much
quicker rate in the Galliard than in the Pavane whose
music it uses, and consequently the impression is of a
much more condensed form. Occasional passages in
triplets afford an intriguing rhythmic contrast.

3 This Pavane conforms to Morley’s pattern, and is
“made of three strains” each varied with patterns of
shorter note values. Burnett, from whose music book
all but one of these Scottish pieces are taken, taught at
the Glasgow song-school in the 1630’s and was related
to the Burnett family of Leys in Aberdeenshire,

4 The Almayne is taken from Lady Jean Campbell’s music
book. Of this dance form Morley says: “The Alman
is a more heavie daunce” than (the Galliard) -fitlie representing
the nature of the (German) people, whose name
it carrieth – so that no extraordinarie motions are used
in dauncing of it.” Lady Jean Campbell, wife of the
second Earl of Panmure; is thought to have begun the
Panmure House collection of music books. Of the
Coranto dance-form, Thomas Mace in his “Musick’s
Monument” (1676) says: Corantocs are Lessons of a
Shorter Cut (than Galliards), and of a quicker Triple-Time,
commonly of 2 ‘Strains, and full of Sprightfulness,
and Vigour, Livery, Brisk, and Cheerful

5 Again the form of this Pavane conforms to the
standard pattern, and sets a favourite theme of the late
sixteenth century. The ,Fitzwilliam Virginal Book contains
a version by William Byrd, and a number of
settings of the theme for various instruments survive.

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