The publication of The Mulliner Book (Brit. Mus. Add. 30513) along with its accompanying commentary by Denis Stevens comprises a valuable introduction to several types of musical borrowing in English Tudor keyboard music. All possible variations of cantus firmus techniques may be found in the many In Nomine and Gloria tibi Trinitas settings. A comparison of the elaborate popular song settings, such as Johnson's Defiled is my name, with their vocal counterparts show how sixteenth-century musicians dealt with the voice leading problems that occurred in creating instrumental transcriptions. Other works in the collection show how English composers took common Italian bass patterns and used them to establish new variation techniques. These new processes would become standard practice for Elizabethan composers of the next generation, including William Byrd. Also included in the collection is the first British Fansye by Master Newman. It is clearly modeled on Marco Antonio Cavazzoni's Salve virgo.

Works: Johnson: Defiled is my name (378-79); Passamezzo (387-89); Master Newman: A fansye (389-92).

Sources: Antiphon: Gloria tibi Trinitas (375); Johnson: Defiled is my name (378-79); Marco Antonio Cavazzoni: Salve virgo (389-92).

Index Classifications: 1500s

Contributed by: Randy Goldberg