Period Sources of Music for Cittern (16th/17th C.)

• {Schlumberger, J. Cythare Germanice Tabulature (1525/1532). Mainz: ?}

• {Le Roy, Adrian. Briefve et facile instruction (1551). Paris: ?}

• Morlaye, Guillaume. Quatriesme livre contenant plusieurs fantasies, chansons, gaillardes, padvanes, bransles, reduictes en tabulature de guyterne, et au jeu de la cistre, par maistre Giullaume Morlaye, et autres bons autheurs (1552). Paris: Michel Fezandat

• {Vreedman, Sebastian. Carmina Quae Cythara Pulsantur (1563). Louvain: Pierre Phalèse}

• Le Roy, Adrian. Second livre de cistre, contenant les commandemens de Dieu: six Pseaumes de David, & autres oeuvres faciles, avec l'intelligence de la tabulature, & accords, dudict instrument par Adrian Le Roy (1564). Paris: Adrian Le Roy and Robert Ballard

• Viaera, Frederico. Nova et elegantissima in cythara ludenda carmina quae videlicet in sola cythara vel etiam cum tribus testudinibus exhibita, mira dulcedine auditorum possunt oblectare, eaque omnia facilitate quam fieri potuit summa in tyronum usum composita. Et Primo quidem libro passomezi, padoani, saltarelli, ad Joannis Pacoloni tabulaturas (ut vocant) trium Testudinum, apprime congruentes, ut etiam sola cythara exhibendi. Deinde etiam alemandae branles & similia, et secundo quidem libro habes cantiones musicales quantum cythara rei admittit musicae habes et iam non minus iucundas (1564). Louvain: Pierre Phalèse

• Le Roy, Adrian and Robert Ballard. Breve et facile instruction pour apprendre la tablature, à bien accorder, conduire et disposer la main sur le cistre (1565). Paris: Adrian Le Roy and Robert Ballard

• {Rowbotham, James. The Breffe and Playne Instruction to Lerne to Play on the Gyttron and Also the Cetterne (1568). London: James Rowbotham}

• Vreedman, Sebastian. Nova longeque elegantissima cithara ludenda carmina, cum gallica tum etiam germanica: fantasiae item passomezi, gailliarde, branles, almandes etc., nunc primum ex musica in usum citharae traducta (1568). Louvain: Pierre Phalèse

• {Kargel, Sixt. Carmina Italica, Gallica & Germanica Ludenda Cythara (1569).}

• {Kargel, Sixt. Renovata cythara (1569). Mainz: ?}

• Vreedman, Sebastian. Carminum quae cythara pulsantur liber secundus: in quo selectissima quaeque et iucunda carmina continentur: ut passomezzi, gailliardes, branles, alemande & alia . . . nunc primum summa qua fieri potuit facilitate in tyronum usum (1569). Louvain: Pierre Phalèse

• {Gorlier, Simon. Livre de Tabulature de Cistre (156?). Lyon: Simon Gorlier}

• {Le Roy, Adrian. Troisième Livre de Cistre (156? or 1570?).}

• Phalèse, Pierre, and Jean Bellère. Hortulus cytharae, in duos distinctus libros, quorum prior cantiones musicas longe pulcherrimas, passomezo, paduanas, galliardes, alemandes, branles, ad usum vulgaris cytharae: posterior similiter cantiones musicas passomezo, alemandes aliaque nonnulla in tabulaturam cytharae, italicae vulgò dictae, convenientem redacta, continet (1570). Louvain: Pierre Phalèse and Jean Bellère

• Virchi, Paolo. Il primo libro di tabolatura di citthara di ricercari madrigali canzoni napolitane et saltarelli. Di Paolo Virchi . . . novamente posta in luce . . . (1574). Venice: Girolamo Scotto

• {Anon.? Jardinet de Cistre (1575). Paris: ?}

• {Kargel, Sixt. Renovata Cythara (1575).}

• Kargel, Sixt, and Johan Dominico Lais. Toppel Cythar. Nova eaque artificiosa et valde commoda ratio ludendae cytharae, quam inventores sive compilatores duplam cytharam vocant: aliquot elegantissimis, italicis, germanicis, & gallicis cantionibus & saltationibus, exempli vice ornata. Neue und künstliche und noch nie vil ersehene oder ubliche Tabulatur auf die Lautengemäse Toppel Cythar mit sechs Cohren von etlichen italianischen teutschen und französischen Lidern und Tänzen: baides für sich selbs volkomenlich und auch zu andern Instrumenten dinstlich zuspilen und zugebrauchen: gestelt durch Sixtum Kärgel Lautenisten und Johan Dominico Lais (1575). Strassburg: Bernhard Jobin

• {Phalèse, Pierre. Hortulus Cytharae (1575). Louvain: Pierre Phalèse}

• Kargel, Sixt. Renovata cythara: hoc est novi et commodissimi exercendae cytharae modi: constantes cantionibus musicis, passomezo, padoanis, gaillardis, . . . ad tabulaturam communem redactis. Quibus accessit dilucida in cytharam isagoge, quo suo marte quilibet eam ludere discat. Neugestalt Cytharbuch. Darinn vilerlai art Gesäng . . . nach gemainer Tabulatur auf die teutsch Cythar . . . Durch Sixt Kärgel Lautenisten (1578). Strassburg: Bernhard Jobin

• Kargel, Sixt, and Johan Dominico Lais. Toppel Cythar. Nova eaque artificiosa ratio ludendae cytharae, quam compilatores duplam cytharam vocant: aliquot elegantissimis italicis, germanicis et gallicis cantionibus et saltationibus exempli vice ornata . . . durch Sixt Kärgel Lautenist und Johann Dominico Lais (1578). Strassburg: Bernhard Jobin

• Kargel, Sixt. Renovata cythara: hoc est novi, et commodissimi exercendae cytharae modi: constantes cantionibus musicis, passomezo, padoanis, gaillardis, allemanicis et aliis ejus modi pulchris exemplis: ad tabulaturam communem redactis quibus accessit dilucida in cytharam isagoge . . . dirch Sixt Kargel Lautenist (1580). Strassburg: Bernhard Jobin

• {Brambilla, Ambrosius. Anleitung die Zither zu spielen, nebst Noten eines Psalmes (1582).}

• Phalèse, Pierre, and Jean Bellère. Hortulus citharae vulgaris continens optimas fantasias, cantionesque musicas pulcherrimas, et passomezos in varios tonos concinne variatos: paduanas, gailliardas, almandes, branles: aliaque nonnula iucundissima in tabulaturam citharae convenienter redacta, nunc primum in lucem elegantiore modo ac ordine edita. Accesit praeterea brevis et dilucida in citharam introductio, qua suo marte quilibet artem pulsandae citharae . . . (1582). Antwerp: Pierre Phalèse and Jean Bellère

• {Bellère, Jean . Le Jardinet du Cistre Vulgaire (1592). Anvers: Jean Bellère}

• {Barley, William. A new booke of citterne lessons with a plaine and easie instruction for to learne the tableture, to conduct and dispose thy hand, sette forth to the tunes of many psalmes as they be sung in churches, also pavins, galliards and divers other sweet and easy lessons (1593). London?: William Barley}

• {Danter, J. A moste perfect and true instruction whereby a man maye learne by his owne industrie to playe on the cytterne without the helpe of any teacher (1593?).  London: ?}

• Holborne, Anthony. The cittharn schoole . . . hereunto are added sixe short aers neapolitanlike to three voyces, without the instrument: done by his brother William Holborne (1597). London: Peter Short

• Allison, Richard. The psalmes of David in meter, the plaine song, being the common tunne to be sung and plaide . . . the singing part to be either tenor or treble to the instrument . . . or for foure voyces (1599). London: William Barley

• Morley, Thomas. The first booke of consort lessons, made by divers exquisite authors, for six instruments to play together, the treble lute, the pandora, the cittern, the base-violl, the flute & the treble-violl. Newly set forth at the coast & charges of a gentle-man, for his private pleasure, and for divers others his frendes which delight in musicke (1599). London: William Barley

• {Sweelinck, J.P. Niew Chyterboek (1602). Amsterdam?}

• {Vincenti, Giacomo? Primo Libro D'Intavolatura di Citara? (pre-1602?) Venetia?: Giacomo Vincenti?}

• Vincenti, Giacomo. Secondo libro d'intavolatura di citara, nel quale si contengono varie, et diverse sorti di Balli. Raccolta da diversi autori et nuovamente stampati (1602). Venetia: Giacomo Vincenti

• {de Swert [de Swarte], Willem. Cortte wechwijser ter deucht (1607?). Amsterdam?}

  • [Licensed by the States General in 1607, but it is unknown if it was ever printed. "[C]iterbouck by hem gecomponeert van vijftich phsalmen Davidts ende achtende vijftich mysick stucken ende lydekens, tzamen maeckende hondert ende acht stuck, in tabelature, geintituleert Cortte wechwijser ter deucht." See Burgers 2013 for more info.]

• {Sweelinck, J.P. Niew Chyterboek (1608). Amsterdam?}

  • [Reprint of 1602 edition.]

• Robinson, Thomas. New citharen lessons with perfect tunings of the same, from foure course of strings to fourteene course, euen to trie the sharpest teeth of enuie, with lessons of all sorts, and methodicall instructions for all professors and practitioners of the citharen (1609). London: William Barley

• Rosseter, Philip. Lessons for consort: made by sundry excellent authors, and set to sixe severall instruments: namely, the treble lute, treble violl, base violl, bandora, citterne, and the flute (1609). London: Thomas Este

• {Morley, Thomas. The first booke of consort lessons, made by divers exquisite authors, for sixe instruments to play together; viz. the treble lute, the pandoa, the citterne, the base-violl, the flute, and the treble-violl (1611). London}

• {Vreedman, Michiel. Der violen cyther met vyf snaren, een nieuwe soorte melodieuse inventie, twe naturen hebbende, vier parthyen spelende, licht te leeren, half violens, half cyther, zynen naem metbrengende, om alderley musicke te speelen, sonder een note van de musick te verstaan, so wel voor die violens, als voor die cyther, ettelicken musickstucken opgesett, ende in tablatuer gebracht (1612). Arnhem: Jan Janszoon}

• Leighton, Sir William. The Teares or Lamentacions of a sorrowful soule: composed with musicall ayres and songs, both for voyces and divers instruments (1614). London: William Stansby

• Melii, Pietro Paulo. Intavolatura di liuto attiorbato libro quarto, nel quale si contiene due correnti sopra alcuni toni senza replica cioè una parte sopra l'altra, nel capo del libro un capricio et nel fine una corrente sopra una batalia, agiuntovi un balletto concertato con nove instromenti (1616). Venetia: Giacomo Vincenti

• {Vreedman, Michiel. Der Cyteren Lusthoff (pre-1618).}

  • [See Burgers 2013, p. 19]

• {Vreedman, Michiel. Le jardinet de cythère (pre-1618).}

  • [See Burgers 2013, p. 19]

• Valerius, Adriaen. Neder-landtsche Gedenck-Clanck. Kortelick openbarende de voornaemste geschiedenissen van de seventhien Nederlandsche Provintien. 't sedert den aenvang der inlandsche beroerten ende troublen, tot den iare 1625 . . . de liedekens (meest alle nieu zynde) gestel op musyck-noten, ende elck op een verscheyden vois, beneffens de tablatuer van de luyt ende cyther (1626). Haerlem: Adriaen Valerius

• Mersenne, Marin. Harmonicorum libri in quibus agitur de sonorum natura, causis, et effectibus: de consonantiis, dissonantiis, rationibus, generibus, modis, cantibus, compositione, orbisque totius harmonicis instrumentis, . . . opus utile grammaticis, oratoribus, philosophis, jurisconsultis, medicis, mathematicis, atque theologis (1636). Paris: Guillaume Baudry

• {Playford, John. A Booke of New Lessons for the Citharen? (various editions, 1650-1658*)}

* See Ward (pp. 83-93) for a detailed explantion of Playford's publications for cittern

• Playford, John A booke of new lessons for the cithern & gittern: containing many new and excellent tunes, both easie and delightfull to the practioner. With plain and easie instructions, teaching the right use of the hand, and perfect tuning of both instruments, never before printed (1652). London: T.H. [Thomas Harper]

• {Playford, John. A booke of new lessons for the citharen and gittern, containing many new and pleasant tunes, with plain and easie instructions for beginners thereon (1659). London?}

• {Playford, John. Musicks Solace on the Cithren and Gittern? (various editions, 1662-1696*)}

* See Ward (pp. 83-93) for a detailed explantion of Playford's publications for cittern

• Playford, John.  Musick's delight on the cithren restored and refined to a more easie and pleasant manner of playing than formerly; and set forth with lessons al a mode, being the choicest of our late new ayres, corants, sarabands, tunes, and jiggs. To which is added several new songs and ayres to sing to the cithren (1666). London: W.G. [W. Godbid]

• Ahlens, Johann Georg. Unstrutische Clio, Oder Musicalischer Mäyenlust Erster Theil (1676).

  • [Contains some music arranged for two "Citharine" or "Citharina" and basso continuo in staff notation.]

• Ahlens, Johann Georg. Unstrutische Calliope, Oder Musicalischer Mäyenlust Zweyter Theil (1677).

  • [Contains some music arranged for two "Citherlein" or "Citarina" and basso continuo in staff notation.]

• Ahlens, Johann Georg. Unstrutische Erato, Oder Musicalischer Mäyenlust Dritter Theil (1677).

  • [Contains some music arranged for two "Citherlein" and basso continuo in staff notation.]

• "The Mulliner Book." Add.30513. Great Britain, London, British Library. (post-1558)

• "Lord Middleton's Lutebook" a.k.a. "Willoughby Lutebook." mi LM 16. Great Britain, Nottingham, University Library. (post-1560)

• MS leaves in Aristotle's De moribus, quae etica (Paris, 1576). F.C. Rés. 1109. France, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France. (post-1576)

• "Dallis Lutebook." D.3.30/I. Ireland, Dublin, Trinity College. (post-1583)

• "Walsingham consort partbook." (No call number.) United States of America, Oakland, Mills College. (c.1585)

• "Sammenhammer MS: 'Schone Psalm und Geistliche Lieder auf der Cither.'" J.40.342-102682. Poland, Torun, Ksiaznica Miejska im. M. Kopernika. (c.1590)

• "Mathew Holmes's cittern book." Dd.4.23. Great Britain, Cambridge, University Library. (c.1595)

• "Mathew Holmes's cittern partbook." Dd.14.24. Great Britain, Cambridge, University Library. (pre-1597)

• Rothschild I, 411 (OVID). [Current whereabouts unknown.] (late 16th c.?)

• Case M Vm1734.5/G37. United States of America, Chicago, Newberry Library. (late 16th c.)

• {"Tablatur Buch auff der Cythar. Johannes Giorgius Hertzogk u Sachssen." Mus.J.3 7. Germany, Dresden, Sächsische Landesbibliothek - Staats- und Universitäts-Bibliothek, Musikabteilung. (c.1592-1605)}
  LOST: War loss. Destroyed 1944.

• Ms. G. 10,1400. Czech Republic, Brno, Státní Oblastní Archiv. (late 16th c.)

• "Tablature Buch auff dem Instrument, Christianus Hertzogk zu Sachssen." J.307m. Germany, Dresden, Sächsische Landesbibliothek - Staats- und Universitäts-Bibliothek, Musikabteilung. (late 16th c.)

• "Matthew Otley's cittern book." MS Mus 181. Cambridge, Massachusettes, USA, Houghton Library of the Harvard College Library (formerly: United States of America, Cambridge, Massachusetts, library of John Ward). (begun c.1600; added to post-1650)

• Manuscript additions to Thomas Robinson's New Citharen Lessons, 1609. K.2.d.2. Great Britain, London, British Library. (post-1609)

• "Nauclerus manuscript." Mus. 40141. Germany, Berlin, Deutsche Staatsbibliothek. (c. 1607-20)

• 7664. Italy, Naples, Conservatorio di Musica S Pietro a Majella, Biblioteca. (1607-23)

• BHSL.HS.3898/10. Ghent University Library, Belgium. Music for 4-course diatonic cittern (early 17th century)

• BHSL.HS.3898/11. Ghent University Library, Belgium. Music for 4-course diatonic cittern (early 17th century)

• BHSL.HS.3898/12. Ghent University Library, Belgium. Music for 4-course diatonic cittern (early 17th century)

• Robert Spencer manuscript. [No call number.] R. Spencer's private collection, Woodford Green, Essex (England). (c.1620)

• "Berchtersches Chronik" (formerly "Berchtersches Tagebuch"). CH-D. Kloster Disentis, Stiftarchiv, Switzerland. (c. 1623)

• Manuscript additions to Thomas Robinson's New Citharen Lessons, 1609. BM-4540-ne. Japan, Tokyo, Nanki Music Library. (c.1629?)

• "Dono del Re dell'Alpi a' Madama Reale. Festa per il giorno Natale, li diece Febraro. MDCXLV." Codice BNU q V 60. Italy, Turin, Biblioteca nazionale universitaria di Torino. (1645)

Includes a description of a piece involving citterns as part of a larger balleto, as well as music in 4 part books (though no tablature). For more information, see the associated pdf linked under Articles.

• Add. 4388. Great Britain, London, British Library. (post-1653?)

• "Boteler cittern book." MS Mus 179 (formerly: D.D.TW.1174 olim D.D.TW.7/2). Cambridge, Massachusettes, USA, Houghton Library of the Harvard College Library (formerly: United States of America, Cambridge, Massachusetts, library of John Ward). (mid-17th c.)

• "Robert Edwards' commonplace book." Ms. 9450, formerly Panmure 11. Great Britain, Edinburgh, National Library of Scotland. (mid-17th c.)

• "John Ridout's commonplace book." MS Mus 182. Cambridge, Massachusettes, USA, Houghton Library of the Harvard College Library (formerly: United States of America, Cambridge, Massachusetts, library of John Ward). (mid-17th c.)

• "Millar/McAlman manuscript." Ms. 9477. Great Britain, Edinburgh, National Library of Scotland. (mid-17th c.)

• Manuscript additions to copy of J.T. Freigius, Paedagogus (1582). G.13.28. Great Britain, Cambridge, St. John's College

• "Método de cítara," Mexican cittern manuscript by Sebastían de Aguirre. Saldivar Codex 2. Private collection of Gabriel Saldívar. (mid-17th c.?)

• "Elias Walther's music book." Mscr. Dresd. App. 1548. Germany: Dresden, Sächsische Landesbibliothek. (c. 1660)

• "Stefano Allegrini's manuscript." [No call number.] Corsica: Private collection. (1720)

• "Moravian Choral Buch." BMB 4. Collection of the Moravian Music Foundation, Moravian Archives, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA. (c. 1750)

• "Evangel Choral Buch." PL Kj Mus. Ms. 40145. Poland: Krakow, Biblioteka Jagiellonska (formerly: Germany, Berlin, Deutsche Staatsbibliothek). (1765)

• Unica manuscript copy of Ramillete florido (1743). Private collection. (early 18th c.)

• 5622. Belgium, Brussels, Conservatoire Royal de Musique. (18th c.)