The Viola da Gamba Society Thematic Index of Music for Viols (ed. Gordon Dodd), 1980-92 (and continuing), is composer-based. The present volume initiates a companion project to catalogue manuscripts containing consort music. The editors are all highly experienced in the field and have newly examined all sources. Volume 1 features over 50 MSS whose copyists or owners are known: Bing, Hutton, Jenkins, Le Strange, Lilly, Merro, North. As well as a detailed inventory of every book (with anonymous work identified where possible), the descriptions include information on date, size, binding, paper, rastra, watermarks, collations, scripts, inscriptions and provenance, together with bibliographical references. Brief notes on the owners and copyists are provided. Of particular importance is the inclusion of facsimiles of all hands. Also included is a comprehensive study and illustration of watermarks by Robert Thompson (serving for the whole series). With some printed catalogues such as the British Library and Christ Church, Oxford, now nearly 100 years old, this new and comprehensive study will be an invaluable tool for future research.
