The music of Dyricke Gerarde

Abstract

The extant works of Dyricke Gerarde (fl. a1540-a1580) form the largest known collection of presumed holograph musical material written before 1600. 169 of Gerarde's works survive, some in more than one version, most others showing varying degrees of revision and recomposition. This quantity of revision, also the largest amount known from before 1600, is itself invaluable as an insight into the musical development and working practices of a Renaissance composer. Apart from this prolific output, almost nothing is known of Gerarde's life, his dates or nationality, nor precisely what his name was. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine his music, to analyse it from a number of viewpoints, to compare it with appropriate contemporary material and to draw conclusions concerning Gerarde's place in the evolution of sixteenth-century music. To support this, the entire corpus of his work is presented in an academic edition, showing all emendations and recompositions, in parallel score where necessary, and with all incomplete pieces reconstructed.