Simpson Christopher
1610-1669

Violiste et compositeur. D'après Margaret Urquhart, qui rapproche les documentations de deux Christopher Simpson, on peut penser qu'il fut un jésuite cloîtré (et prêtre). En 1642, il est soldat dans l'armée royaliste pendant la guerre civile (armée du Nord du duc de Newcastle).

Entre 1645 et 1649, il gagne Scampton dans le Lincolnshire où il est au service de Sir Robert Bolles, puis à celui de son fils John auquel il enseigne à jouer sur la viole de gambe.

Vers 1660, il enseigne à Londres, dans les milieux de la noblesse protestante.

The Division Violist comprend des variations pour viole, les Divisions on a Ground, exploitent largement l'improvisation. Il préfère la basse au ténor pour fonder l'harmonie. Les deux versions (anglaise et latine) contiennent une table des ornements de Charles Coleman.

Voir : Campion Thomas.

Source : BnF/Gallica

Écrits relatifs à la musique

The division-violist: or, an introduction to the playing upon a ground: divided into two parts. The first, directing the hand, with other preparative instructions. The second, laying open the manner and method of playing ex-tempore, or composing division to a ground. To which, are added some divisions made upon grounds for the practice of learners. By Chr. Simpson.

• London, William Godbid (J. Playford) 1659 (16 exemplaires conservés)
  • Localisations — B : Bruxelles, Bibliothèque Royale
  • GB : Cambridge, University Library - Dundee, Public Library - London, British Museum - London, Royal College of Music - Oxford, Bodleian Library - Oxford, Univ. Faculty Library
  • US : Chicago, Ill., University of Chicago Library - Cambridge, Mass., Houghton library, Harvard university - Los Angeles, Calif., William Andrewx Clark Memorial Library University of California - New Haven, Conn., School of Music Library - San Marino, Calif., Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery - Washington, D.C., Music Division, Library of Congress.
• The division. édition en fac-similé et introduction par Nathalie Dolmetsch. J. Curwen, London & G. Schirmer, New York 1955; New York, G. Schirmer 1965.
• BEGOU GENEVIEVE, Traduction et commentaire de traité de Christopher Simpson «The divi-sion viol» 1667 (thèse). Lyon 1978

• The division. Fac-similé, traduction allemande et commentaire par Wolfgang Eggers. E. Katzbichler, München 1983
• Fac-similé numérique, seconde édition, Henry Broma, London 1665.

The Division Violist.

Chelys, minuritionum artificio exornata: sive, Minuritiones ad Basin, etiam ex tempore modulandi ratio. In tres partes distributa. The division-viol, or, the art of playing ex tempore upon a ground. Divided into three part Parts I. Chelyos tractandae praecepta. Pars II. Melothesiae compendium. Pars III. Minuritiones ad basin aptandi methodus. Part I. Of the viol itself, with instructions to play upon it. Part II. Use of the concords, or a compendium of descant. Part III. The method of ordering division to a ground. Authore Christophoro Simpson. Editio secunda. [édition latine du Division, traduction de William Marsh]

• London, William Godbid for Henry Brome 1665 (3 exemplaires conservés)
• London, William Godbid for Henry Broome 1667, Editio secunda (23 exemplaires conservés)
• London, William Pearson for Richard Meares & Alexander Livingstone 1712 [Editio tertia prioribus longe auctior] (7 exemplaires conservés)
  • Localisations, toutes éditions cnfondues : C : Toronto, Royal Conservatory of music
  • D : Berlin, Staatsbibliothek Preußischer Kulturbesitz
  • F : Paris, Bibliothèque de France, département de la musique - Paris, Bibliothèque nationale
  • GB : Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum - Cambridge, King's College - Cambridge, University Library - Durham, Cathedral Library - Glasgow, Euing Musical library - London, British Museum - London, Royal College of Music - Manchester, Public Library - Oxford, Bodleian Library - Oxford, Univ. Faculty Library
  • I : Bologna, Biblioteca del Conservatorio (Liceo Musicale ; oggi civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale)
  • NL : Den Haag, Gemeente Museum
  • US : Boston, Mass., Music Department, Boston Public Library - Charlottesville, Va., Alderman Library, University of Virginia - Chicago, Ill. Newberry library - Cambridge, Mass., Houghton library, Harvard university - New Haven, Conn., School of Music Library - New York, N. Y., Music Division, New York Public Library - San Marino, Calif., Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery - Washington, D.C., Music Division, Library of Congress
• Chelys, minuritionum artificio exornata. The division viol, or, The art of playing ex tempore upon a ground: ein Lehrbuch für die Viola da gamba. éd. par Grete Niggemann, F. Hofmeister, Hofhaim am Taunus 1981

The principles of practical musick delivred in a compensious, easie, and new method: for the instruction of beginners, either in singing or playing upon instruments. To which are added, some short and easie ayres designed for learners. By Chr. Simpson.

• London, Will. Godbid for Henry Brome 1665 (5 exemplaires conservés).
  • Localisations : GB : London, Royal Academy of Music - London, British Museum
  • US : Chicago, Ill. Newberry library - Los Angeles, Calif., William Andrewx Clark Memorial Library University of California - Was-hington, D.C., Music Division, Library of Congress.

A compendium of practical musick in five parts: teaching, by a new, and easie method. 1. The rudiments of song. 2. The principles of compossition. 3. The use of discords. 4. The form of figurate descant. 5. The contrivance of canon. By Christopher Simpson. A compendium of practical musick.

• London, W. Godbid for Brome 1667 (31 exemplaires conservés)
• London, M[ary] C[lark] for Henry Brome 1678 [ Together with lessons for viols [...] The 3rd éd.] (35 exemplaires conservés)
• London, W. Pearson for J. Cullen 1706 [ The fourth edition with additions much more correct than any former, the examples being put in the most useful cliffs [...]. (20 exemplaires conservés)
• London, W. Pearson for John Young 1714 (11 exemplaires conservés)
• London, W. Pearson for John Young 1714 [ the sixth edition] (12 exemplaires conservés)
• London, W. Pearson for John Young 1722 [ The sixth edition] (8 exemplaires conservés)
• London, T. Astlry 1727 [ the seventh edition] (6 exemplaires conservés)
• London, W. Pearsonfor Arthur Bettesworth and Charles Hitch, 1732 [ the eighth edition] (20 exemplaires conservés)
• London, Longman, Luk ey and Co. 1775 [ The ninth edition mith material additions, corrected from many gross errors in the former editions, the examples being put in the most useful cliffs] (17 exemplaires conservés)
  • Localisations toutes éditions confondues : A : Wien, Bibliothek der Gesellschaft zur Herausgabe v. Denkmälern der Ton-kunst in Österreich - Wien, Universitätsbibliothek
  • B : Bruxelles, Bibliothèque Royale - Bruxelles, Bibliothèque du conservatoire royal de musique
  • C : Kingston, Queens Univ. - Toronto, University of Toronto Library - Ottawa, National Library
  • D : Berlin, Deutsche Staatsbibliothek - Berlin, Staatsbibliothek Preußischer Kulturbesitz - Frankfurt am Main, Stadt- und Universitätsbibliothek, Musik- und Theaterabteilung, Manskopfsches Museum - Hannover, Niedersächsische Landesbibliothek - Heidelberg, Musikwissenschaftliches Seminar der Universität - Leipzig, Musik-bibliothek
  • EIR : Dublin, Trinity College - Dublin, National Library of Ireland
  • F : Paris, Bibliothèque de France
  • GB : Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum - Cambridge, King's College - Cambridge, Pendlebury Library - Cambridge, Trinity College - Cambridge, University Library - Dundee, Public Library - Durham, Cathedral Library - Edinburgh, National Library of Scotland - Glasgow, Euing Musical library - Glasgow, Mitchell library - Leeds, Public Library - London, British Museum - London, Royal Academy of Music - London, Royal College of Music - London, Sion Col-lege - Manchester, Public Library - Oxford, Bodleian Library - Oxford, Christ Church - Oxford, Univ. Faculty Library - Reading, University Library - Tenbury, St. Michael's College - Wells, Cathedral Library
  • I : Bologna, Biblioteca del Conservatorio (Liceo Musicale ; oggi civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale) - Roma, Biblioteca S. Cecilia (Conserva-torio) - Roma, Biblioteca Casanatense
  • NL : Den Haag, Gemeente Museum - S : Stockholm, Musikhistoriska mu-seet
  • US : Ann Arbor, Mich., William L. Clements Library University of Michigan - Austin, Tex., The University of Texas - Berkeley, Calif., Music Library University of California - Boston, Mass., Music Department, Boston Public Library - Cambridge, Mass., Eda Kuhn Loeb Music Library, Harvard university - Cambridge, Mass., Houghton libra-ry, Harvard university - Chapel Hill, N.C., Music Library, University of North Carolina - Charlottesville, Va., Alderman Library, University of Virginia - Chicago, Ill. Newberry library - Chicago, Ill., University of Chicago Library - Denton, Tex., North Texas State University Library - Detroit, Mich., Detroit Public Library - Evanston, Ill., Northwestern Univ. - Hanover, N.H., Baker Library, Dartmouth College - Hardford, Conn., Watkinson, Trinity College - Iowa City, Ia., Music Library, State University of Iowa - Iowa City, Ia., Music Library, State University of Iowa - Ithaca, N.Y., Music Library, Cornell Univ. - Lexington, Ky., School of Music Library, University of Louisville - Los Angeles, Calif., William Andrewx Clark Memorial Library University of California - New Haven, Conn., School of Music Library - New York, N. Y., Music Division, New York Public Library - New York, N.Y., City College library - Oberlin, Ohio, Oberlin College Conservatory Library - Pittsburgh, Pa., Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh, Pa., Pittsburgh Theological Seminary Library - Pittsburgh, Pa., University of Pittsburgh Library - Poughkeepsie, N. Y., Vassar College library - Princeton, N. J. Princeton University Library - Providence, R. I. John Carter Brown Library - Richmond, Va., Virginia State Library - San Francisco, Calif., The Sutri Library - Seattle, Wash., Music Mibrary, University of Washington - St. Louis, Mo., Gaylord Music Library, Washington Univ. - Stanford, Calif., Music Library, Stanford University - Uni-versity Park, Penn., The Pensylvania State University Library - Urbana, Ill., University of Illinois Lirary - Waco, Texas, Baylor University Library - Washington, D.C., Folger Shakespeare Library - Washington, D.C., Music Divi-sion, Library of Congress - Wellesley, Mass., Wellesley College, Music Departement - Winston-Salem, N. C., Mora-vian Music Foundation.
• A compendium of practical music. Oxford, Blackwell 1970 (fac-similé, The division.)
• [fac-similé numérique, Bayeriche Staatsbibliothek München]

Bibliographie

• Rusquet Michel, La musique instrumentale de Christopher Simpson, musicologie.org.
• APPEL BERNHARD ROMAN, Christopher Simpsons Systematik der Divisionsverfahren (1667). Dans « Musikforschung » (35 / 3) 1982, p. 223-34
• CHARTERIS RICHARD. A newly-discovered manuscript copy of Christopher Simpson's The Division Viol. Dans « Journal of the viola da gamba Society of Great Britain » (23) 1994, p. 47
• HETTRICK WILLIAM EUGENE, T homas Simpson's Opusculum neuwer Pavanen, Galliarden, Couranten, unnd Volten (1610) (thèse). University of Michigan 1964 138 p.
• MCCART CALUM, The Panmure mss: a new look at an old source of Christopher Simpson's Consort Music. Dans « Journal of the viola da gamba Society of Great Britain » (18) 1989, p. 18
• MARSHALL SHEILA, Putting Simpson into Practice. Dans « Journal of the Viola da Gamba Society of America » (6) 1969, p. 5 et suivantes
• MEREDITH MARGARET, Christopher Simpson and the consort of viols: a dissertation and edition of music (thèse). University of Wales, Univerity College, Cardiff, Wales 1969
• NEWTON ISAAC, Out of Mr. Simpson's Division Violist. Newtonian Papers on Optics at the Cambridge University Library, Ms. additional 3970
• RAE JEANETTE NICHOLS, Christopher Simpson: months and seasons (thèse). University of Cincinnati 1972 [114 p.]
• Roger North on Music. éd. par Wilson J., London, Novello 1959
• STOLTZFUS ILA, Christopher Simpson's Little Consort. Dans «Journal of the Viola da Gamba Society of America» (21) 1981, p. 53-63
• URQUHART MARGARET, The handwriting of Christopher Simpson. Dans «Journal of the viola da gamba Society of Great Britain» (15) 1986 p. 62
• —,  Was Christopher Simpson a Jesuit ? Dans «Journal of the viola da gamba Society of Great Britain» (21) 1992, p. 3-26.

Jean-Marc Warszawski
Novembre 1995 - 30 juillet 2007
Refonte du miroir de page, révision de l'iconographie, ajout des pointeurs vers les fac-similés, 13 octobre 2013.

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