Thesaurus Musicus (1693)
About
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The Thesaurus Musicus is a set of five books published between 1693-1696 by John Hudgebut (fl. 1679 - 1699). While the five books mostly contain music for the voice, the covers of the 4th and 5th book both note that these songs are "within the Compass of the Flute" and the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd books' covers note that selections from another Hudgebut publication, A Collection of New Ayres: Composed for Two Flutes (1695), are annexed within Thesaurus Musicus.
Hudgebut was a music publisher and bookseller who ran a shop called Golden Harp and Hautboy in London, England. Although he is not believed to have received any formal music education, he published a wide variety of flute- and recorder-related materials, in addition to Thesaurus Musicus, including A Vade Mecum for the Lovers of Musick Shewing the Excellency of the Rechorder (1679). |
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Terminology
While the term "flute" and "recorder" are both used to refer to what appears to be a vertical flute (judging by the instrument showed on frontispiece on all five of the Thesaurus Musicus books' covers) the former term is used far more often. In fact, the only time the term "recorder" is used is on the scroll shown on the cover illustration. Otherwise, Hudgebut uses the term "flute" consistently throughout all five books.
Title pages from Books 1, 2, and 4 of the Thesaurus Musicus. Book 1 cover retrieved from Grove Music Online. Book 2 & 4 covers retrieved from IMSLP.
