CHARLES (?) HUREL TABLATURE DE LUTH ET DE THEORBE ca 1675 Fac-similé du Ms PLM 17524 BDG, The Pierpont Morgan Library, New York Préface de Francois Lesure EDITIONS GENEVE 1996PREFACE ‘The “Hurel Manuscript” is preserved in the Pierpont Morgan Library in New York (PML 17524 BDG). It consists of {99 folios or 198 pages, of which only 51 include music. The presence of a stamp printed by Robert Ballard stuck on page 2 suggests that the volume was purchased in blank form before 1673 ~ the dates of the Parisian publisher's death. The sumptuous binding in red Morocco leather bears the arms of Marie Du Port de la Balme, whose name is inscribed on cach cover. We find it cropping up again at the shop of the London Antique Bookdealer, John Pearson, who sold it in 1910 to the Pierpont Morgan Library. The tablature contains five Suites, most of whose pieces are indicated as being by “Hurel” or by “H"; only two minuets at the end of the second suite and two pieces at the end of the third, as well as the final piece, do not include any composer's name. It is however clear that this was a tablature copied by a master for his pupil ~ as is confirmed by the penultimate piece in the manuscript, “Chaconne composed for Mademoiselle de La Balme by Hurel”. In addition, the fotte for Mile de Lionne” (perhaps the daughter of the diplomat Hugues de Lionne, an amateur of Italian music?) ends by introducing us into a circle of music-loving noblemen. Some of the pieces in the manuscript provide transcrip= tions of the recent Lullian repertoire: the Pellerins (from the Ballet Royal of 1662), the Matassins (from Psyché, 1671). and the Menuet de Opéra (from Cadmus. 1673), The composer Hurel belonged to a fairly prosperous family of Parisian instrument makers, amongst whom we know a Jacques, a Nicolas and a Charles (who died in 1660). He appears to be the only member of the dynasty who was active ‘as a composer. He published airs in various collections printed by Ballard between 1673 and 1693 and, more notably, the Meslanges d'airs for two and three voices and basso continuo in 1687. Thanks to a civic document (Paris, Biblio: theque nationale, MS nouy, acq. fr. 12124), we know that in 1684 he was “officer in ordinary to the Academy of Musi but the only mention of his name (without his Christian name) as a teacher of the theorbo working in Paris, Quai de la Mégisserie, is found in Du Pradel’s Livre commode des adresses (1692). Frangois Lesure Translation: Frank Dobbins Bibliography: J.B. Holland, “Notes on a Lute Manuscript in the Pierpont Morgan Library”. in Acta musicologica XXX1V/4 (1962), pp. 191-194: id., “The Pierpont Morgan Lute Manuscript: a stylistic survey”. in Ibid, XXXV1/4 (1964), pp. 1-18. ‘See Minkoff repro, Geneva, 1973Pieces en ré mineur Prélude Prelude Allemande Gigue Courante Courante Sarabande Gavowe non éerits Pigces en sof majeur Prétude Autre Prélude Allemanile giguée Courante Autre Courante La Boulonnoise Sarabande La Lionne Gavote Gavowe pour Mw de Lionne Menuet de poictou ‘Autre non éerits 20-21" TABLE Bede es 5.6" oot TB ® o o 10-17" Is" 18-19" 19°20" 2 22 eo 2 2 2a 2 251.32 Pidces en ré majeur Préude Courame Courame Sarabande Les Pellerins Les Matassins non écrits Pieces en ut majeur Préude Courante Autre Courante Sarabande ‘Autre Sarabande Gavoue non éerits Pieces en la mineur Prélude Sarabande Chaconne pour Me de La Balme Menuet de L'opera non éerits 32 3334" 34-35" 35-36" 36" 3) ads 45-46" 46-47" 4 48° 48-49" 49 49-60" 60-61" 6ls-62° 62-63" 63" 64-98t L Manaae De preLqpelowLLGbgres wag faite | SaaSLoLlotlaplos z Feo File Ft ae au itZ atiLda = = 1 oFta bet oFORREST PRY iramaremetmeaetneenis Ficus