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Thurston Manuscript

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Source: The John & Mary Thurston Music Book - 1736
Place Collected: Kington Lane
Date collected: 1736

Index of Tunes in the Thurston Manuscript

Title pdf page ABC X №
Barr a Barr 5 5
Barr a Barr – Performance Copy 5 6
Black Mary’s hole 18 23
Boscomb Bucks 13 27
Carnaries, The 11 20
Charming Delights, The 13 28
Constant Lover, The 17 36
Country Garden 14 30
Duke of Athols Rant, The 12 24
Fanny Blooming Fair (original) 18 37
Fanny Blooming Fair (Performance Copy) 18 38
Forrest Harmony (1) 1 1
Forrest Harmony (2) 4 4
Forrest Harmony (3) 2 3
Handel’s Clarinet 1 1
Highland Laddie 14 32
Hounds are all out, The 10 21
Jigg, A 11 22
Laird Of All The Clans, The 9 16
Lashlys March 16 34
Malborough’s Victory 17 35
Minuet by Mr. Festing for the French Horn 8 15
Minuet, A (2) 6 10
Minuett, A (3) 6 11
Minuett, A (4) 7 12
Minuit, A (1) 6 9
Molly’s Hoop 10 19
On a Bank of Flowers 14 29
Peggy of the Green 15 33
Pipers Round 2 2
Polish Minuet, The 8 14
Prince Fredrick’s Minuet 7 13
Rigadoon – Performance Copy 3 8
Rigadoon, A 3 7
Right Scotch Contention, A 12 24
Roger’s Courtship by Mr. Carey 10 18
Scornfull Nancy 12 25
Sipio’s March 12 26
St Giles’ Pound 16 39
Tipling Philosophers 15 31
Young Man’s Dream 9 17

 

The Thurston Manuscript
The manuscript is dedicated “To John Thurston Gent in Kington near Thornbury Gloucestershire 1736”. Below this, in a different hand, is the name “Mary Thurston”. A number of hands have contributed to the book. John & Mary were married in 1736.
Some pages, particularly in the early part of the book, have large parts missing. I have not attempted to transcribe the fragmentary tunes. As far as can be seen, the fragments are titled:
A Tune by Mr Me…
The Collier…
Bass Miniut tar…
The King shall Enjoy his own …
Youn…
A Bass Min…
A Minuit (twice)
9 fragmentary staves of music with dance notation
There are also, complete, A 4 voc. Catch and A 2 voc. by Daniel Purcell.

A facsimile of the book with an introduction was prepared by Christopher Challen and Thornbury and District Museum and published by Vox Humana Press. Our information is derived from this publication. Our thanks are due to Mr Challen and the Museum for allowing us to use the information.
Note by Charles Menteith