Thomas Clayton’s first opera, Arsinoe, Queen of Cyprus, premiered at Drury Lane in London on 16 January 1705. The opera initially enjoyed success, but two years later, Clayton’s second opera was not well-received. Part of Arsinoe’s popularity may have been due to Catherine Tofts' portrayal of the title character; Toft would later become a star of the English stage.

André Campra’s Tancrède, which premiered on 7 November 1702, is his best-known tragédie en musique, with a run of performances until 1764, and high praise by noteworthy music personalities such as Rameau. While the music critic La Cerf de la Viéville wrote positive comments about Tancrède, he was bothered by the opera’s use of low voices, which defied the tradition of employing castrati parts. Additionally, the role of Clorinda was written for a well-known contralto named Mademoiselle Maupin; although the range is that of a mezzo-soprano, the powerful quality of Maupin’s voice seemed to be a prime consideration for Campra.

This a copy of vol. 2 of an anthology of French songs compiled by Christophe Ballad, music publisher of King Louis XIV. The work consists mainly of unaccompanied melodies with underlaid text for selected acts of the following tragedies: Proserpine (pp. 1-19); Le triomphe de l'amour (pp. 20-60); Persée (pp. 61-81); Phaeton (pp. 62-94); Amadis (pp. 95-125); Roland (pp. 126-155); Armide (pp. 169-176); Acis et Galatée (pp. 177-192). It contains also melodies for "Ballet du temple de la Paix" (pp. 156-168), and Vaudevilles on rondes de table (pp. 193-264). Two previous editions, compiled by Monsieur Ribon, published under title: Parodies bachiques. Cf. RISM, v. B I, 1 1695(4) and 1696(1), present ed. listed as 1700(3).

This map shows the Mississippi River Valley and Gulf of Mexico as well as the surrounding areas. Inland bodies of water are labeled and villages (found by La Salle during explorations) are marked pictorially. There are illustrations of people fighting around the title.

This map shows the country of Mexico and the surrounding areas. Countries are outlined in color; major cities, bodies of water and geographic features are marked (with relief shown pictorially) as well as colored symbols that appear to mark churches or missions. Dotted lines mark territories within Mexico. A color illustration of native people is in the lower left corner, near the text boxes containing the title and other information.

Map shows cities, rivers, and regions of early eighteenth century New Spain and California. Includes index. Relief shown pictorially. Scale [1:12,000,000].

Accompanying map text titled: "Description de la decouverte du Missisipi" [Description of the discovery of the Mississippi].

Map shows early eighteenth century detail of the mouth of the Mississippi River and locations of settlements along the North American coasline of the Gulf of Mexico. Locations of Native American villages found by La Salle during his explorations of the coastal areas are also indicated. No scale noted.

Map shows the route of the Spanish fleet between Veracruz and Havana; possessions of Spain, England, France and Holland; boundaries, cities, settlements, islands and coastlines for the Gulf of Mexico. Shows port of Vera Cruz [?], sea battle, mining, indigenous tribes, and traders in illustration. Includes illustration and notes. Relief shown pictorially. Scale not given.

Map shows cities and provinces of New Spain, Cuba, Florida and the Gulf coast, tip of Baja California; areas of Native American habitation. Relief shown pictorially. Scale not given.

Map shows major cities, political divisions for South America and southern and eastern portions of North America; California as an island. Includes notes, dates, and illustrated title cartouche depicting indigenous peoples and birdseye view of settlement with windmills, small illustrations of sailing vessels. Relief shown pictorially. Scale not given.

Map shows major cities, political boundaries, and physical features of six continents; incomplete coastlines of North America, Nouvelle Hollande [Australia], and northeast Asia; coastline of Nouvelle Guinee [New Guinea] and Nouvelle Hollande are shown to be contiguous. Includes dates and routes of exploration. Relief shown pictorially. No scale indicated.

This item comprises two books of secular cantatas for soprano (indicated by the consistent use of the soprano clef in the vocal line), obbligato strings and winds, and (unrealized) basso continuo. The first book was printed in 1706; the second, in 1708. Since the two volumes were bound together, the later date is used for this item. The subtitle for the first volume indicates "a voix seule avec symphonies" while the subtitle for the second volume gives "a voix seule et basse-continue, avec et sans symphonies."

"Prodromus Musicalis" (published in 1702) is bound, here, with "Motets à une et deux voix, mélez de symphonies, livre premier" (1704); thus, the latter gate is used for this item as a unit. Both sets of motets consist of Latin-texted music preceded by a title page in French. A Table of Contents either at the front or back of each collection describes the motets contained therein. Content is printed on both sides of each leaf. "Prodromus" also has a note from Brossard informing the reader that a Dictionary of Music, published at the same time as "Prodomus," contains French translations of Italian, Greek, and Latin terms, knowledge of which is vital to the understanding and performance of the present music. The contents of "Prodromus" are as follows: "Ave vivens hostia," "O Jesu quam dulce," "Congratulamini filiae Sion," "O vos aetherei," "Festivi martyres" "Angele sancte" "Sonitus armorum," "Quemadmodum desiderat," and "O plenus irarum dies." "Motets à une et deux voix" contains the following pieces: "Venite exultemus," "Gaudete Mortales," "Ad mensam caelitus paratam," "Ave Regina coelorum," "Animae Amantes ad Deum esurientes," "Ite gemmae, Ite flores," "Anxiatus est super me spiritus meus," "Festivi Martyres, festivae Virgines," "Nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum."

Like many of the operas created by composer Jean-Baptiste Lully and Philippe Quinault, his favorite librettist, Phaëton is filled with solar symbolism--a reference to the "Sun King," Louis XIV. The story also provides a political lesson: the haughty youth unable to contend with his position of power served as a warning to anyone brash enough to challenge the rigid mores of Louis' court. In addition to this political interpretation, the story is also a character study of a reckless juvenile whose arrogance destroys him. Phaëton's misguided and inappropriate attempts to make his lineage public bring about his downfall. The plot, like that of several of Lully's operas, is based on an episode in Ovid's Metamorphoses.

Atys, which premiered on 10 January 1676, is the first of the tragédies lyriques of Jean-Baptiste Lully and Philippe Quinault to have a tragic ending. As the Prologue indicates, the tragedie itself is a divertissement to ease the king's mind of his impending duties. Joyce Newman, in Jean-Baptiste de Lully and his Tragédie Lyriques, summarizes the message of the story in this way: "In [Atys], Quinault shows how actions which are not in accord with the noble ideal will bring defeat and punishment. Not only is love in opposition to glory in this opera, but also it is shown that if love is place more highly than honor, it will bring unhappiness even to one of the immortals."

Atys, which premiered on 10 January 1676, is the first of the tragédies lyriques of Jean-Baptiste Lully and Philippe Quinault to conclude with a tragic ending. Joyce Newman, in Jean-Baptiste de Lully and his Tragédie Lyriques, summarizes the message of the story in this way: In [Atys], Quinault shows how actions which are not in accord with the noble ideal will bring defeat and punishment. Not only is love in opposition to glory in this opera, but also it is shown that if love is placed more highly than honor, it will bring unhappiness even to one of the immortals.

Omphale (1701) is one of Destouches’s contributions to the Lullian genre of the five-act tragédie en musique. Half a century after the premiere, Friedrich Melchior Grimm targeted the opera in his pamphlet “Lettre sur Omphale” (1752), which continued the earlier debate between advocates of Lully and Rameau. This written attack also precipitated the famous guerre des bouffons, which was sparked by a performance of Pergolesi’s La serva padrona (1733) in 1752.

Map shows known geography, cities, political boundaries, and Native American tribal locations in early eighteenth century North America. Relief shown pictorially. Scale not indicated.

Map shows areas claimed by Spain, England, France and Holland in Central America, the West Indies, and parts of North America and South America during the War of Spanish Succession [1701 - 1714]. Boundaries, commercial routes, cities, settlements, and rivers are indicated. Relief shown pictorially. Scale [ca. 1:5,533,975].

Map shows areas claimed by Spain, England, France and Holland in Central America, the West Indies, and parts of North America and South America during the War of Spanish Succession [1701 - 1714]. Boundaries, commercial routes, cities, settlements, and rivers are indicated. Insets: [Vera Cruz, Havana, Baye de Porto Bello] and [Isthmus of Panama]. Relief shown pictorially. Scale [ca. 1:5,533,975] and [ca. 1:111,812].

Map shows early eighteenth century detail of the mouth of the Mississippi River and locations of settlements along the North American coasline of the Gulf of Mexico. Locations of Native American villages found by La Salle during his explorations of the coastal areas are also indicated. No scale noted.

Map shows known extent of the world with six continents; partial coastline of "Nouvelle Hollande" [Australia] connected to coastline circling the lower globe; California as an island; political boundaries. Includes dates of discoveries and explorers voyages. Insets: "Le Soleil Salon le Pere Kircher" and "La Lune Selon Monsieur Cassini." Relief shown pictorially. Scale not given.

Map shows major cities, political boundaries, and physical features of six continents; incomplete coastlines of North America, Nouvelle Hollande [Australia], and northeast Asia; coastline of Nouvelle Guinee [New Guinea] and Nouvelle Hollande are shown to be contiguous. Includes dates and routes of exploration. Relief shown pictorially. No scale indicated.