The Musicians' Company Archive Project

THE MUSICIANS'

COMPANY

THE MUSICIANS' COMPANY ARCHIVE
THE MINUTE BOOK IMAGES
NEWS & PUBLICATIONS
PRESERVE HARMONY
THE ROLLCO DATABASE
WHO WE ARE

This website does not use any non-essential cookies

CONTACT US
TREASURES
MASTERS & OFFICERS
AWARDS
ARTICLES
THE MAIN MUSICIANS' COMPANY WEBSITE
SEARCHABLE TEXT OF MINUTE BOOKS
LIVERY LISTS
The Musicians' Company Archive Project
  • HOME

  • COURT MINUTES

  • TREASURES

  • INFORMATION

  • More

    The Musicians' Company Archive Project
    Four English Dances

    At a Court meeting on 5th May 1925 it was proposed that Sir Frederic Hymen Cowen (1852-1935) be offered the Honorary Freedom of the Musicians' Company in recognition of his long and distinguished services to British Music. The ceremony of Cowen's admission was carried out during the next Court meeting in July 1925.

    Cowen (born Hymen Frederick Cohen in Kingston, Jamaica) was a child prodigy composer and pianist who moved to England at age 4 and produced many published works (the first of them at aged 6 years old), but will be remembered mostly for light orchestral pieces. Click Here for Cowen's Wikipedia entry.

    The Company holds an Autograph Manuscript Score for full orchestra, of Cowen's 1896 composition: a Suite of Four English Dances in the Old Style, set No. 1.

    The MSS has been bound into a hard black cover (see left) by the Publisher Novello & Co. Ltd. The front page title "FOUR ENGLISH DANCES" is printed on a separate piece of paper and has been stuck over whatever was originally there. Click image to expand.

    The Four Dances are:

    1 - Stately Dance

    2 - Rustic Dance

    3 - Slow Dance (or Graceful Dance)

    4 - Country Dance (or Lively Dance!)        [parentheses as per score]

     

    The final page of the score is dated April 15th, '96.

     

    Toward the end of his life, the MSS was donated to the Musicians' Company by Cowen which was reported at a Court meeting in January 1934. A letter of thanks was sent to the composer and his response is included on the inside front page of the bound manuscript. MB11, p.248 also refers - Click Here.

     

    Another of Cowen's Manuscript Scores (1914 - The Language of Flowers) is held by The Company and this can be seen by Clicking Here

     

     

    Click an image below to enlarge and scroll through the score. Click on 'Go to link' to expand individual pages further.

    Frontispiece
    Frontispiece
    Page 1
    Page 1
    Page 2
    Page 2
    Page 3
    Page 3
    Page 4
    Page 4
    Page 5
    Page 5
    Page 6
    Page 6
    Page 7
    Page 7
    Page 8
    Page 8
    Page 9
    Page 9
    Page 10
    Page 10
    Page 11
    Page 11
    Page 12
    Page 12
    Page 13
    Page 13
    Page 14
    Page 14
    Page 15
    Page 15
    Page 16
    Page 16
    Page 17
    Page 17
    Page 18
    Page 18
    Page 19
    Page 19
    Page 20
    Page 20
    Page 21
    Page 21
    Page 22
    Page 22
    Page 23
    Page 23
    Page 24
    Page 24
    Page 25
    Page 25
    Page 26
    Page 26
    Page 27
    Page 27
    Page 28
    Page 28
    Page 29
    Page 29
    Page 30
    Page 30
    Page 31
    Page 31
    Page 32
    Page 32
    Page 33
    Page 33
    Page 34
    Page 34
    Page 35
    Page 35
    Page 36
    Page 36
    Page 37
    Page 37
    Page 38
    Page 38
    Page 39
    Page 39
    Page 40
    Page 40
    Page 41
    Page 41
    Page 42
    Page 42
    Page 43
    Page 43
    Page 44
    Page 44
    Page 45
    Page 45
    Page 46
    Page 46
    Page 47
    Page 47
    Page 48
    Page 48
    Page 49
    Page 49
    Page 50
    Page 50
    Page 51
    Page 51
    Page 52
    Page 52
    Page 53
    Page 53
    Page 54
    Page 54
    Page 55
    Page 55
    Page 56
    Page 56
    Page 57
    Page 57
    Show More

    :              :

    THE MUSICIANS' COMPANY ARCHIVE