Bass Parts to an Unknown Purcell Suite at Yale

Examines a suite found in one of the 37 music manuscripts comprising the Filmer Collection at Yale University, which is believed to be a piece of theater music by Henry Purcell. States that the suite includes five unique basses not previously published or evaluated for their authenticity. Comments briefly on the Filmer Collection and continues with an examination of Filmer 8. Notes that Filmer 8 is a collection of instrumental basses compiled by six different scribes. Indicates that there is as yet no proof that Purcell composed these basses, but they do reveal the kind of compositional acuity associated with Purcell and, more importantly, show that movements two through six of this suite are not substandard to the overture, the attribution of which is not in question. Suggests a qualified attribution to Purcell for the suite as a whole. Includes facsimiles of the manuscript and appendices.