PRB Productions announces the forthcoming publication of the complete 6-part pieces by the English Jacobean composer John Coprario. Of the eight pieces, 6 have Italian titles, and two of these have complete Italian texts. These pieces, or fantasias, were composed at a time when madrigals were being played by consorts of instruments, or mixed consorts of instruments and voices. This edition is barred in the 4-2 time signature familiar to viol players. There is little doubt that the music was intended to be played by viols. The editor is Richard Charteris, who has specialized in the music of Coprario. The edition will include a score (38 pp.) with comprehensive preface, source list, critical commentary and translations. The parts (48 pp.) include the Italian text of the two pieces whose text survives. Publication date; February 20, 2002: Price $30 (score and parts).
PRB Productions publishes their first edition for solo guitar. Dana Hawkes has prepared a transcription for guitar of the complete works for solo viol of 17th century Flemish composer Philip Hacquart for guitar. The music, in its original form for the viola da gamba has been one of PRB's most popular publications for solo viol (edited by François Pierre Goy: B017, price $10). The transcription to the guitar was appropriate in view of the similarity between the two instruments: both have six strings with frets, and their tuning differs only in the position of the major third in the sequence of fourths, d-g-c-e-a-d for the viol and e-a-d-g-b-e for the guitar. Price of the new edition (B018) is $10.
