The most significant corpus of secular polyphony published at Lyon was Moderne's Parangon des Chansons which appeared between 1538 & 1543. Du Verdier, writing in 1584, claims that the series comprised eighteen books but his figure may refer to the totality of Moderne's secular polyphony and therefore include the reprints of the first four books, the two books of the Difficile des Chansons or the two books of canzoni by Layolle and the Petrarch settings of Rampollini. At all events only eleven books of the Parangon are known and there is no other evidence that Moderne revived the series after 1544. The subject of their typographical characteristics is comprehensively treated in Pogue's monograph on Moderne, but the same cannot be said for the musical and literary characteristics; the present study provides analytical comments on, and a listing of the concordances of, the 288 pieces contained in the various editions of the first ten books which survive in public libraries.

Which was the first reasonably complete and faithful performance of Die Zauberflöte in English?

In common with other Mozart operas, and despite its unabated popularity on the Continent, Die Zauberflöte came late and haltingly to the English stage. The date of its introduction is somewhat problematic. Dennis Arundell has drawn attention to an advertisement in The Times of 29 March 1806. A comic opera, Adolf and Clara, was to be performed that evening at the German Theatre (or Sans Souci), Leicester Square: ‘After which, a Pantomime Dance: and, for the 1st time, a new Musical Piece, by Mozart, called The ENCHANTED FLUTE; and to conclude with the Optical Ballet.’ No more is known beyond the bald statement. The production was apparently in English, and admittedly there was music, but does it appear likely that this was a serious attempt at the whole work? Introduced into the programme as a mere afterpiece, sandwiched between other diversions, and so very modestly announced, it sounds at the best estimate a heavily truncated version. Indeed the probability is that the piece was got up hastily in order to capitalize on the interest aroused by the Haymarket's production of La clemenza di Tito two days earlier, that being the first time a Mozart opera had been performed in England.

Among the Cecil Family and Estate Papers (hereafter referred to as C. F. E. P.) at Hatfield House, are a large number of bills, accounts and letters which help to cast new light not only on the musical life of an important aristocratic family, but also on the activities of a number of musicians already known for their association with other households and with the royal court. The references in the Papers to the years 1605–1613 are gratifyingly extensive. The same cannot be said for the years on either side of this period, a fact which reflects the scarcity of the available records rather than reduced enthusiasm for music and its cultivation. Consequently, this article confines itself to the period 1605–1613 which covers the last years of the life of Robert Cecil (1563–1612). Cecil's position as Secretary of State to Elizabeth I from 1596 and after her death to James I, brought him into regular contact with the royal court; it not only earned him the title of Earl of Salisbury in 1605, but required him to adopt a life style in which musicians were an integral part. Significantly, most of the musicians who appear among the C. F. E. P. were also active at court. Those mentioned in these papers include Thomas Campion, John Coprario, Thomas Dallam, Cormack Dermode, Nicholas Lanier, George Mason and Thomas Warwick.