De Gruytters carillon book explained

Type:	Carillon music
Composer:	Joannes de Gruytters
Image Upright:	1.2
Full Title:	Andantes, marches, gavottes, arias, gigues, courantes, contra dances, allegros, preludes, minuets, trios, etc. etc. for the carillon or bell-play, gathered together and arranged by myself, Joannes de Gruytters, carillon- or bell-player of the city and cathedral of Antwerp, 1746
Period:	Baroque
Movements:	194 pieces

The De Gruytters carillon book (Dutch; Flemish: De Gruijtters beiaardboek) is a manuscript notebook that the Dutch Baroque musician Joannes de Gruytters used for performance on the carillon of the city of Antwerp. It contains 194 pieces of music, mostly arrangements and a few original compositions, in the form of marches, gavottes, arias, gigues, preludes, and minuets, among others.

The manuscript, dated 1746 and discovered in 1922, provides a glimpse into the music of the 18th century that was often played on carillons. It is preserved at the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp.

History

In the 18th century, the Antwerp Cathedral possessed two carillons cast by the Hemony brothers. One belonged to the city of Antwerp, and the other was owned by the cathedral. On 22 October 1740, following the death of the previous appointee, Joannes de Gruytters (1709–1772) was appointed the carillonneur of the two instruments. He had performed in a competition to win the job. To financially support himself and his family, De Gruytters also played the cathedral chapel's organ and in 1746 was engaged as a violinist for the chapel and the local theatre. In March 1746, the theatre was destroyed in a fire, which likely gave him the free time to compile a notebook of music for the carillons.

In 1922, Prosper Verheyden, clerk of the Antwerp city council and bibliophile, discovered the De Gruytters manuscript at a book auction in a pile of materials marked for their little value. At the time, Verheyden was a member of a group of Flemish Belgians who were organizing around Jef Denyn and his carillon school as a means to disseminate Flemish culture. Verheyden understood that carillon music manuscripts prior to 1900 were rare, and that he therefore discovered an item of value to carillonneurs and musicologists. He and his friend purchased the manuscript and donated it to the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp for preservation.

Verheyden studied the new manuscript and presented his findings in an address at the World Carillon Congress in 1922. It was later published as an article in The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America (GCNA)'s 1949 volume of The Bulletin. An urtext edition of the De Gruytters manuscript was published by the Royal Eijsbouts bell foundry in 1968 and again by Broekmans & Van Poppel in 1971. The GCNA published its own set of selections from the De Gruytters manuscript in 1980, edited by Albert Gerken; it published another set in 2004, edited by John Gouwens.

Significance

De Gruytters' manuscript is the earliest-known collection of carillon music that was clearly written for manual play on a carillon keyboard rather than an automatic playing drum. The latter is the case for other sources of carillon music of this time period and earlier. More importantly, it shows that the instrument was attracting better musicians, some of whom were determined to contribute to the carillon repertoire.

Contents

The manuscript is an in folio of 80 sheets, 320mm205mm in size. The pages, beginning on the second sheet, are numbered 1 to 152 and are followed by a table of contents at the end. The front page of the manuscript is titled "Dutch; Flemish: ANDANTEN, / marchen, gavotte, Ariaen, giúen, / Corenten, Contre-danſen, Allegros, / preludies, menuetten, trion, &. &. / Voor. Den. BEŸAERT. OFTE. / kLok-SPIL. / Bÿ een vergardert ende op geſtelt. / Door mÿ / Ioannes, de, grúÿtters, / beÿart ofte klok-ſpilder der / ſtadt ende Chatedraele. / TOT, ANTWERPEN / 1746", which translates to "Andantes, marches, gavottes, arias, gigues, courantes, contra dances, allegros, preludes, minuets, trios, etc. etc. for the carillon or bell-play, gathered together and arranged by myself, Joannes de Gruytters, carillon- or bell-player of the city and cathedral of Antwerp, 1746".

The whole book contains 194 individual pieces of Baroque music, numbered 1 to 190; the last four were not numbered. De Gruytters signed his initials three times (numbers 143, 168, and 182) and provided dates eight times (numbers 88, 141, 143, 168, 175, 182, 190, 192). He attributes two additional works to himself in the table of contents (numbers 172 and 179).

The majority of the pieces are written in two-part harmony, consisting of a soprano part with an underlying basso continuo. Harmonic additions are sporadically added. One exception is number 93, which has four-part harmony. To De Gruytters, the melodic line, accentuated with ornaments, had more importance than the harmonic treatment of each work, which is standard practice for 18th century music. In his edition of the manuscript, Albert Gerken writes that many of the selections are unplayable in their original form and that De Gruytters must have played them Latin: [[ad libitum]]. Gerken claims they contain many errors or simply illegible notation, showing that De Gruytters either transcribed them by listening alone or carelessly copied the sheet music.

	Page	Title on the table of contents	Title on the music	Key	Composer	Notes
1	1	Marche van hanover	Marche De Hanover	D major		At the end, De Gruytters writes: "Compose par: M: Richter a hanover."
2	2	Marche D	Marche	D major
3	2–3	Menuet D	Menuet	D major
4	3	Menuet D	Menuet	D major
5	4	Marche D	Marche	D major
6	5	Menuet D Locatelli	Menuet da p: Locatelli	D major
7	5	Menuet D	Menuet	D major
8	6	Marche D	Marche	D major
9	6	Menuet D	Menuet	D major	^[1]
10	7	Marche van hardtop D	Marche D'hartop	D major
11	8–9	Marche van Lingie D	Marche De prins De Lingie cavalerie	D major
12	9	Allemande D	Allemande	D major
13	9	Menuet D	Menuet	D major
14	10	Menuet de la reine D	Menuet De La reine	D major
15	10–11	Suitte D	Suitte	D major
16	11	Contredans D	Conterdans	D major
17	11	Menuet D	Menuet	D major
18	12	Cruÿs Capelleken D	Cruÿs Capelleken	D major
19	12–13	Burschen omeganck D	Den brusschen Omeganck of De Drÿ Sotten	D major
20	13	Menuet G	Menuet	G major
21	14	Marche G	Marche	G major
22	15	Giga G	Giga	G major
23	15	Menuet D	Menuet	D minor
24	16–17	Giga Corelli A	Giga Corelli	A minor
25	17	Menuet A	Menuet	A minor
26	18	Soet Chatrintien G	Soet chatarintjen	G major
27	18	Soet Chatrintien G	Soet chatarintjen	G major		Equivalent to No. 26 transposed up one octave
28	18–19	La bourbonoise G Couprin	La borbonoise	G major
29	19	Menuet G	Menuet	G major
30	20	Menuet a quatre D	Menuet a quatre	D minor
31	20	Menuet D	Menuet	D minor
32	21	Menuet G	Menuet	G major
33	22	Marche F	Marche	F major
34	23	Menuet F	Menuet	F major
35	23	Menuet F	Menuet	F major
36	24	Aria A	Aria	A minor
37	24	Mattelote A	Air	A minor
38	25	Aria G	Air	G major
39	25	Contredans D	Conterdans	D major
40	26	Marche F	Marche	F major
41	27	Menuet F	Menuet	F major
42	28–29	Andante G Raÿck	Andante par M: Raÿck	G major
43	29	Gavotte G handel	Gavotta Del Sig: handel	G major
44	30	Menuet G	Menuet	G major
45	30	Menuet G	Menuet	G major
46	30	Menuet G	Menuet	G major
47	31	Menuet G	Menuet	G major
48	31	Giga C	Apel	C major
49	32–33	Andante D fiocco	Andante	D minor	^[2]	Transcription from Fiocco's Suite in G Major, Op. 1, No. 1.
50	33	Menuet D	Menuet	D minor
51	34	Marche F	Marche	F major
52	35	Menuet F	Menuet	F major
53	35	Menuet C	Menuet	C major
54	36	Giga Corelli A	Giga De Correlli	A minor
55	37	Air G	Aria	G major
56	38–39	Andante C Locatelli	Andante	C major
57	40–41	Andante G croes	Sonata Andante	G major
58	42–43	Giga G croes	Giga Allegro	G major
59	44–45	Menuet G croes	Menuet alternatif	G major
60	45	Menuet G croes	Suÿtte	G minor
61	46–47	Andante F renotte	Andante	F major		At the end, De Gruytters writes: "Author Renotte"
62	48–49	Andante G Raÿck	Andante	G major
63	49	Vivace G Raÿck	Vivace	G major		At the end, De Gruytters writes: "Auth: Mr Raÿck."
64	50–51	Andante G Raÿck	Andante	G major	^[3]
65	52–53	Allegro F Scheppers	Allegro	F major	Scheppers (either Pieter or his brother Boudewijn)
66	54–55	Andante D Raÿck	Andante	D major
67	55	Menuet D	Menuet	D major
68	56	Marche C	Marche van duÿtsmeester	C major
69	56–57	Suitte C	Suitte	C major
70	57	Menuet C	Menuet	C major
71	58–59	La grotte De versaille A	La grotte De versalies	A minor
72	59	Menuet A	Menuet	A minor
73	60–61	Corrente A Lulli	Courante	A minor
74	61	Air A	Air	A minor
75	62	Menuet A	Menuet	A minor
76	62	Menuet A	Menuet	A minor
77	62–63	Menuet A	Menuet	A minor
78	63	Menuet G	Menuet	G major
79	64	Marche G	Marche De Los rios	G major
80	64–65	Air G	Aria	G major
81	65	Menuet G	Menuet	G major
82	66	Preludium C	Preludium quinti toni	C major
83	66–67	Menuet C De fesch	Menuet par De fesch	C major
84	67	Menuet C De fesch	Suitte	C major
85	68–69	La bergeri C Couprin	La bergeri	C major
86	70	Andante C	Andante	C major
87	71	Allegro A	Allegro moderato	A minor
88	72	Marche C	Marche Du grand turcq	C major		At the end, De Gruytters writes: "Den 14 ougst 1746 in Antwerpen"
89	73	Menuet D De Comte De Sax	Menuet De Comte De Sax 1746 composé	D minor
90	73	Menuet D	Menuet	D minor
91	74	Marche G	Marche van Drouvigen oliver	G major	Colfs (either Antoon or his son Josef)
92	75	Andante A	Andante	A minor
93	76	Marche C	Marche De konik Seyx	C major
94	77	Marche G van hessen	Marche van hessen	G major
95	78	Gavotte A	Gavotta vivace	A minor
96	79	Giga C	Giga	C major		At the end, De Gruytters writes: "par Couprin"
97	80	Menuet G	Menuet	G major
98	80	Menuet G	Menuet	G major
99	81	Marche G	Marche De Wourenbrandt	G major
100	82	Marche G	Marche De malbrouk	G major		Named after the Duke of Marlborough
101	83	Marche G	Marche van beÿeren	G major
102	83	Menuet G	Menuet	G major
103	84	Contredans D	Contredanse	D minor
104	84–85	Menuet D	Menuet	D minor
105	85	Aria A	Aria	A minor
106	85	Giga C		C major
107	86	Menuet D	Menuet	D minor
108	87	Marche G	Marche	G major
109	88	Menuet G baustetter	Menuet par Mr baustetter	G major
110	88	Menuet G	Menuet	G major
111	89	Menuet G	Menuet	G major
112	90	Marche C	Marche van beÿeren	C major
113	90	Menuet C	Menuet	C major
114	91	Marche C Colfs	Marche par M: Colfs a Malines	C major	Colfs (either Antoon or his son Josef)
115	92	Menuet C	Menuet	C major
116	92–93	Menuet C	Suitte	C major
117	93	Menuet C touscaen	Menuet touscaen	C major
118	94	Air G	Aria	G major
119	94	La fanaticq G	La fanaticq	G major
120	95	Marche D	Marche van de begÿnen	D minor
121	95	Marche C	Marche van keÿserug	C major
122	96	Gavotta A De fesch	Tempo di gavotta	A minor	^[4]
123	97	Con variatio	Double Di tempo Di gavotta	C minor	^[5]
124	98	Contredans G		G major
125	98	Contredans G	Contredanze	G major
126	99	Rigodon C	Rigodon	C major
127	99	Suitte C	Suitte	C major
128	100	Menuet D Raÿck	Menuet par Mr Raÿck	D minor
129	100–01	Menuet D Raÿck	Suitte 2em menuet	D minor
130	102	Condredans D	Mamatje Lief	D minor
131	102	Contredans G	Contredanse	G major
132	103	Menuet G	Menuet	G major
133	103	Menuet G	Suitte	G major
134	104	Menuet D	Menuet	D minor
135	104–05	Marche C	Marche	C major
136	105	Marche C	Marche	C major
137	105	Menuet C	Menuet	C major
138	106	Gavotte D fiocco	Gavotta par Mr fiocco	D minor
139	106–07	Gavotte D fiocco	Suitte 2me gavotte	D major
140	107	Gavotte A	Gavotte	A minor		At the end, De Gruytters writes: "Fin wevers marche."
141	108–09	Andante G baustetter	Andante	G major		At the end, De Gruytters writes: "22 junÿ 1744."
142	110	Marche du Roÿ D	La Marche Du Roÿ	D major
143	110	Menuet D	Menuet	D major		At the end, De Gruytters writes: "16 ougst 1746. i D. G."
144	111	Menuet D	Menuet	D minor
145	111	Menuet G	Menuet	G major
146	112–13	La ferlande C		C major
147	113	Marche D	Marche	D major
148	114	Marche G Dese is er 2 mael	Marche	G major		Title translates to "This is the 2nd time"
149	114–15	Menuet G croes	Menuet par M Croes	G major
150	115	Marche D	Marche	D major
151	116	Menuet G croes	Menuet alternatif par croes	G major
152	116–17	Menuet G croes	Trio	G minor
153	117	Menuet G croes	Menuet alternatif	G major
154	118	Menuet G croes	Menuet champetre par M croes	G major
155	118–19	Menuet G croes	Trio	G minor
156	119	Le carlion Dunÿkercke G	het Carillion van Duÿnkerke	G major		Named after Dunkirk
157	120	Menuet D croes	Menuet alternatif par M croes	D major
158	120–21	Menuet D croes	Trio	D minor
159	121	borre D	boure	D minor
160	122	Menuet A croes	Menuet alternatif par M croes	A major
161	122	Menuet A croes	Trio	A minor
162	123	Menuet D belsier	Menuet alternatif par M belsier	D major
163	123	Menuet D belsier	Trio	D major
164	124	Menuet A croes	Menuet alternatif par M croes	A major
165	124–25	Menuet A croes	Trio	A minor
166	125	De Meÿ G	De meÿ	G major
167	126	Marche A	Marche	A major
168	126	Menuet A	Menuet	A minor		At the end, De Gruytters writes: "I D G. 20 aug. 1746."
169	127	Paisande D	Paisande	D minor
170	127	Menuet D	Menuet	D minor
171	128–29	L'angloise G fiocco	L'Angloise Rondeau	G major
172	130–31	Ceciliana D gruÿtters	Ceciliana	D minor	^[6]
173	132	Menuet D	Menuet	D major
174	132	Menuet D	Trio	D minor
175	133	Ceciliene G Couprin	Ceciliene	G major		At the end, De Gruytters writes: "Auth: Couprin. scrip.: 16 7bre 1746 in antverp:"
176	134	Giga D Couprin		D minor
177	134	Giga D Couprin	Suitte	D major
178	135	Contredans D	Contredanse	D minor
179	136–37	Andante A gruÿtters	Andante	A minor
180	138	Menuett G baustetter	Menuet par Mr baustetter	G major
181	138–39	Menuet G baust	Suitte	G minor
182	139	Menuet G gruÿtters	Menuet	G major		At the end, De Gruytters writes: "19 7bre 1746. i : d : g :"
183	140–41	Andante C croes	Sonata Andante	C major
184	142–43	Allegro C	Allegro	C major
185	144–45	Adagio F Vivaldi	Concerto par Mr Vivaldi	F major
186	146	Adagio D Vivaldi	Largo	D minor
187	148–49	Allegro F Vivaldi	Allegro	F major
188	150	La vandangieuse A Coup:	Le vandangieuse par Couprin	A minor
189	151		Menuet	C major
190	151		Suitte	C major		At the end, De Gruytters writes: "auth. belsier. 1745."
191	152	Tantum ergo van La forse	Tantum ergo par La forse	C major
192	152	en Hendrick	Tantum ergo par M hendrickx junior	C major		At the end, De Gruytters writes: "Fecit 1743."
193	153	Maria Schoon	Maria Schoon	C major		193 and 194 are combined in the table of contents as "Twee Maria Schoon"
194	154	Maria Schoon	Maria Schoon in sexti toni	F major		193 and 194 are combined in the table of contents as "Twee Maria Schoon"

See also

• Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach

References

Bibliography

• Book: Abbenes . Arie . Lehr . André . Keldermans . Raymond . De Gruijtters beiaardboek . nl . De Gruytters Carillon Book . 1968 . . 68514154.
• Book: Abbenes . Arie . Lehr . André . Keldermans . Raymond . De Gruijtters Beiaardboek: 194 Stukjes Voor Carillon, Ook Geschikt Voor Piano, Clavecimbel, Spinet, Clavichord, Manualiter-orgel en Combinaties Van Een Bas- en Discantinstrument, B. V. Viool en Cello, Hobo of Fluit en Fagot Etc. . nl . De Gruytters carillon book: 194 pieces for carillon, also suited to be played on piano, harpsichord, virginal, clavichord, chamber-organ and combinations of a bass- and treble instrument f. i. violin and violoncello, oboe or flute and bassoon etc. . 1971 . . 1049031319.
• Book: Gerken . Albert . Ninety-One Selections from the Carillon Book of Joannes de Gruytters . 1980 . . 1049031319 .
• Book: Gouwens . John . Selections from the Carillon Book of Johannes de Gruÿtters . 2004 . . 488833615 .
• Book: Gouwens, John . Playing the Carillon: An Introductory Method . 2017 . 5 . . 765849175.
• Book: Keldermans . Karel . Keldermans . Linda . Carillon: The Evolution of a Concert Instrument in North America . 1996 . . 0-9652252-0-8 . 1024319M .
• Price . Percival . A Commentary on the Carillon Repertory of Joannes de Gruytters . The Bulletin . 4 . 2 . 1950 . 15–35 . . PDF . 2021-05-10 . subscription.
• Verheyden . Prosper . The Carillon Repertory of Joannes de Gruytters (Antwerp 1746) . The Bulletin . 4 . 1 . 1922 . 1949 . 10–26 . . PDF . 2021-05-10 . subscription.

Notes and References

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