University of Virginia Library

II. Pagination and Piece Numbering

The signature pattern has implications for unsigned sheets in ordinary
gatherings, whereby bibliographers can refer to the second half of a gathering
in terms of its "signature". This has produced a simple and easy means,
even in most of the books discussed above, for referring to any folio or page
in a printed book. Even if a book, such as that in Example 1, is only signed
to the second folio in every gathering, a reference to E4r is clear.

However, the second means of referring to each page, a sequence of
page numbers, is unfortunately often less reliable than the folio numbers.
One reason is that page numbers do not refer in any way to the physical
structure of the book, as folio numbers do (or should do). As a result, there
is little need for any consistent pattern, or for any real attempt at accuracy.
The numbers are unlikely to be used by the compositor or pressman to
check for accurate imposition in the forme, nor are they likely to be useful
to the binder (especially since many will be hidden within folds of the paper
before it is trimmed).

The result is not only that pagination patterns could often be erroneous
and the printer feel no need to correct them, but also that a number of different
patterns for numbering (not always by pages) could co-exist, even in
one printing shop, sometimes in one volume.

Among them are the following:

(i) Pagination from the beginning of the musical content, beginning with
number 1, often on folio 2r. This follows normal book-printing practice, in
which the preliminary matter lay on pages without numbers, or with a different
sequence of numbers:

• 70. Sponga/Usper: Messe e Salmi. Venice: Giovanni Vincenti, 1614.

  RISM U116 and 16142. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico
  Musicale.

  ---

  231

  
  
  

  Folio: [C:] A12; [T:] B14; [A:] C10; [B:] D10; [5:] E16; [6:] F4.

  Signatures:] A2 [$ to the midpoint of each gathering.

  Pagination:] [i-ii], 1-.

• 71. Gabrielli: Cantate a voce sola. Bologna: Pier-Maria Monti, 1691.

  RISM G93. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.[34]

  Quarto: π4 A-Q4 R6.

  Pagination:] [i-viii], 1-124, 123-135 [recte 125-137], [138-140].

  Note. Here the whole first gathering is occupied with preliminary material,
  and the musical text begins with the page numbered 1, on A1r.

(ii) Pagination from the start of the musical content, but numbered as if
earlier pages were numbered: this could involve starting on folio 2r with the
number 3, or on 2v with a number 4:

• 72. Il madrigali à 5 de floridi virtuosi. Venice: herede di Girolamo Scotto,
  1575.

  RISM 157511. Copy at Kassel, Landesbibliothek und Murharsche Bibliothek.

  Quarto: [C:] A-D4; [T:] E-H4; [A:] I-M4; [B:] N-Q4; [5:] R-V4.

  Pagination, in all books:] [1-3], 4-31, [32].

• 73. Mazzaferrata: I cantate da camera a voce sola . . . Opera quarta. Bologna:
  Giacomo Monti, 1677.

  RISM M1512. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: A-P4 Q6.

  Signatures:] A 2 [$1-2, -A1, +Q3.

  Pagination:] [1-4], 5-130, [131-132].

(iii) Pagination from the start of the content, but implying a page number
1 somewhere other than on 1r or 2r. A compositor accustomed to paginating
from 2r with number 3 might well assign that number to 2v if an extra page
of preliminary material were required:

• 74. Banchieri: Il metamorfosi musicale, IV canzonette à 3. Venice: Ricciardo
  Amadino, 1606.

  RISM B826. Copy at Augsburg, Staats- und Stadtbibliothek.

  Quarto: [C1:] A16 B2; [C2:] C16 D2; [B:] E16 F2.

  Signatures:] C 2 [$1-8, 1. A3 signed A 2; C3 signed C 2; E2 signed C 2; E3
  signed E 2.

  Pagination, in all books:] [i, 1-3], 4-18, [19], 20-22, [23], 24-.

  Note. Here is another instance where the signing pattern implies that
  

  ---

  232

  
  
  
  signatures were kept in the forme: the erroneous number on A3 is
  retained into C. The attempt at correcting the error in gathering E
  made the situation worse.

(iv) Different pagination patterns in different partbooks, depending on
the presence or absence of a dedication or other preliminary matter. This is
particularly prevalent when there are organ books, often paginated according
to a different pattern (see Examples 59 and 60).

• 75. Arcadelt: III madrigali à 4. Venice: Girolamo Scotto, 1539.

  RISM A1374-5=153923=155623. Copy at Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek.

  The collation for this copy is given at Example 34.

  Pagination: Canto:] [i-ii], I-XXXXV, [46];
  other voices:] [i], I-XXXXV, [46, 47].

  Note. The Cantus part has a Dedicatory letter on folio 1v.

• 76. Cazzati: Antifone, e letanie concertata, Op. 32. Bologna: herede d'Evangelista
  Dozza, 1663.

  RISM C1627. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: [C:] A14; [A:] B14; [T1:] C16; [T2:] D12; [B:] E14; [Organo:] F16;
  [Vln1:] G6; [Vln2:] H6; Ripieno: [C:] I8; [A:] K8; [T1:] L8; [T2:]
  M6; [B:] N8; [Violone, o Tiorba:] O16.

  Pagination: for gatherings A-E:] [1-3], 4-;

  for gatherings F,M,O:] [1-2], 3-;

  for gatherings G-K,N:] [1], 2-.

(v) Piece numbering: this is already found before 1520, for example in
Petrucci's Motetti de la Corona Libro II of 1519. It is most easily detected
in books where the number of voices increases in later compositions, but the
additional voices are printed in the same few partbooks. This results in some
books having two voice-parts for the same piece on an opening, and the same
number at the head of each page. A well-known example is the I Musica de
diversi auttori à 7-12 (Venice: Giacomo Vincenti & Ricciardo Amadino, 1584:
RISM 15844).

But other books, with consistent scoring, also have piece numbering:
they include works from a wide range of printers. In some cases, it can seem
to be indistinguishable from pagination, given the possibility (common with
villanellas, madrigals and much late sixteenth-century music) of making
each piece or pars fit onto one page. Then the index page, as well as the
preliminary pages, will be unnumbered. Possibly such a pattern should be
called piece numbering if it begins with the number 1 (regardless of the
page involved) and does not number the page of contents at the end of the
part; it also has to be consistent for all partbooks.

There are also instances where the first piece begins on 2r, but, in some
partbooks, the first lines of music are already printed low on the second page
(1v). In these cases, there may be an additional number "1" before the music
on 1v, indicating that the numerals were intended to be piece numbers, at
least at this stage of the book:

• 77. Il Trionfo di Dori à 6. Venice: Angelo Gardano, 1592.

  RISM 159211. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto. [C:] A-D4; [T:] E-H4; [A:[ I-M4; [B:] N-Q4; [5:] R-V4; [6:] X-Z4
  Aa4.

  Pagination begins [i-ii], 1-. An additional numeral "1" appears low on
  N1v and X1v, above the opening of the first piece.

(vi) Piece numbering which turns into pagination towards the end of
many volumes, as longer pieces or those with more voices take up more
than one page. The pattern of inserting a number on each page can continue
to the end of the book. I believe this should normally be called pagination
throughout, unless there is some strong indication otherwise:

• 78. Tiburtino: Fantase et recerchari à 3. Venice: Girolamo Scotto, 1549.

  RISM T774=154934. Copy at London, British Library.

  Quarto: [C:] F-K4; [T:] L-P4; [B:] A-E4.

  Piece numbering, 1-13, for the first 13 items, which then turns into pagination,
  XIIII-XXV, for the next 8, and again into piece numbering,
  XXVI-XXXIII, for the last 8.

  Note. Bernstein notes[35] that the sequence of arabic numerals changes to
  roman capitals at the change from instrumental pieces by Tiburtino
  to a sequence of madrigals. However, she does not detect that the
  pattern changes from piece numbering to page numbering, nor that
  it changes back again, at another change of repertoire, now involving
  ricercars by Willaert. The first change can be deduced from the evidence
  in her list of contents: and the second was in effect made
  necessary by the repertoire. Willaert's pieces are only identified by
  number, for there is no distinctive heading to the relevant pages.
  Piece numbering was probably more useful for the Tiburtino pieces,
  too, for they are otherwise identified by the solmisation syllables of
  their opening, which means that the first piece has a different "title"
  in the different parts. Significantly, the Bassus changes to roman
  numerals with piece number 10 (on B1r), suggesting that this change
  was at least partly the result of a compositor's decision.

(vii) Pagination which turns into piece numbers. Numbering can begin
with any of the patterns already mentioned, and continue systematically as

pagination, assigning new numbers to different partes if they are on different
pages, but then break down as these large-scale pieces appear at the end of a
volume:

• 79. Gastoldi: Sacre lodi a diversi santi à 5. Venice: Ricciardo Amadino, 1587.

  RISM G480. Copy at Gdansk, Biblioteka Gdaʼnska Oilskiej Akademii
  Nauk.

  Quarto: [C:] A-B4 C6; [T:] D-E4 F8; [A:] G-H4 J6; [B:] K-M4; [5:] N-O4 P6.

Each part opens with a title-page and a Dedication on the first verso.
Neither is paginated, so that number 1 appears on the second recto. Numbering
proceeds normally to page number 15, even though some pieces have
taken more than one page: in other words, this is true pagination. However,
starting at the end of the second gathering, the volume concludes with
a large-scale nine-section Canzone à S. Francesco, texted "Sacrati horrori ove
la folta chioma". As is normal, some sections are reduced scoring, and other
take two pages. At this point, what had been page numbering becomes piece
numbering, as shown below. As a result, the contents list does not need to
be re-set for each partbook:

                                           

Piece	Pars	Canto		Tenore		Alto		Basso		Quinto
1		A2r	1	D2r	1	G2r	1	K2r	1	N2r	1
2		A2v	2	D2v	2	G2v	2	K2v	2	N2v	2
		A3r	3	D3r	3	G3r	3	K3r	3	N3r	3
3		A4r	4	D4r	4	G4r	4	K4r	4	N4r	4
12	1	B4v	14	E4v	14	H4v	14	L4v	14	O4v	14
	2	C1r	15	F1r	15	I1r	15	M1r	15	P1r	15
	3	C1v	16	F1v	16	I1v	16	M1v	16	P1v	16
		C2r	16	F2r	16	I2r	16	M2r	17	P2r	16
	4	—		F2v	17	I2v	17	M2v	18	P2v	17
				F3r	17	I3r	17			P3r	17
	5	C2v	18	F3v	18	—		—		P3v	18
		C3r	18	F4r	18					P4r	19
	6	C3v	19	F4v	19	I3v	18	M3r	19	—
		C4r	19	F5r	19	I4r	19
	7	C4v	20	F5v	20	I4v	20	M3v	20	P4v	20
		C5r	20	F6r	20	I5r	20			P5r	20
	8	C5v	21	F6v	21	I5v	21	M4r	21	P5v	21
				F7r	21
	9	C6r	22	F7v	22	I6r	22	M4v	22	P6r	22
				F8r	22
Tavola		C6v	[23]	F8v	[23]	I6v	[23]	M4v	[22]	P6v	[23]

This evidently sets out to number the pieces—in this case, sections of a
larger work—consistently throughout the five partbooks. The two anomalies

(Bassus M2v, and Quintus P4r) do not destroy the larger pattern, and are
themselves easily explained as temporary reversions to pagination, Amadino's
more normal practice as this time.

• 80. Palestrina: I madrigali à 4. Venice: Herede di Girolamo Scotto, 1596.

  RISM P759. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.[36]

  Quarto: [C:] A-D4; [T:] E-H4; [A:] I-M4; [B:] N-Q4.

  Pagination in all books: [1], 2-30, [31-32]: except that p. 14 of the Altus
  [O2v] is numbered 12, and 31 of the Cantus [D4r] is numbered 30.

  Note. The additional number "30" at the end of the Cantus is over the
  additional fifth voice of the last madrigal, the sixth pars of Ecco
  oscurate i chiari raggi. In essence, therefore, this is not a page number,
  but a piece number. However, numbering begins (at least notionally)
  with the title-page, and so sets out as pagination.

• 81. Taroni: II madrigali à 5. Venice: Ricciardo Amadino, 1612.

  RISM T229. Copy in private possession.

  [C:] A12.

  Signatures:] A 2 [$1-6, including the title-page.

  Pagination:] [i, ii], 1-18, 18, 20, 17, [22].

  Note. Here the volume ends with two eight-voiced pieces, for each of
  which the Canto partbook carries the music for Canto Primo and
  Tenore primo, on facing pages. The two numbers "18" are for the
  first of these, and the numbers "20" and "17" the second. The "17"
  (on 12r) was an error for "20", and presumably retained in the forme
  from 10r. This numbering sequence is strictly piece numbering, but
  looks in the early stages as if it might be pagination.

(viii) Numbering which is based on the numbers appearing in a different
partbook. Thus if the Cantus has pagination, the Altus or Bassus may assign
the same numbers to the same pieces, regardless of the number of pages
they take. This is likely to be most obvious in those volumes which contain
pieces in a steadily increasing number of voices or where two voices are sometimes
entered in the same partbook. In practice, it is most commonly found
with piece numbering:

• 82. Rota: I Missarum à 4-6. Venice: Angelo Gardano, 1595.

  RISM R2784. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: [C:] A-E4; [T:] F-K4; [A:] L-P4; [B:] Q-V4; [5:] X-Y4 Z6; [6:]
  Aa-Bb4.

  Piece numbering from 1: the Quintus starts with No. 13 and the Sextus
  with No. 25.

---

236





• 83. I Canzon di diversi per sonar à 4-6. Venice: Giacomo Vincenti, 1588.

  RISM 158831. Copy at Basel, Öffentliche Bibliothek der Universität Basel.

  Quarto: [C:] A-B4; [T:] C-D4; [A:] E-F4; [B:] G-H4; [5:] K6; [6:] L4.

  Piece numbering: since each piece occupies just one page, these can act as
  page numbers:

  • [C,T,A,B:] [i-ii], 1-13, [14];

  • [5:] [i-ii], 5, 8 [recte 6], 7-10, 13 [recte 11] 12-13 [14];

  • [6:] [i-ii], 11-13, 4 [recte 14], [iii-iv].

(ix) There are also still cases of foliation, rather than pagination, usually
in books that are in folio format and where the music is laid out choirbook
style. Examples include Palestrina: Missarum Liber Primus (Rome: Valerio
& Luigi Dorico, 1554) and Lambardi: Antiphonarium Vespertina, Seconda
pars (Venice: Cenobio Sancto Spirito, 1597: RISM L366). Among examples
which are not in folio format can be cited the so-called "Cancionero de
Uppsala", Villancicos De diversos Autores (Venice: Girolamo Scotto, 1556:
RISM 155630),[37] and Il Lauro Secco (Ferrara: Baldini, Vittorio 1582). Some
keyboard and lute books are also foliated, among them Valente's Intavolatura
(Napoli: Giuseppe Cacchio dall'Aquila, 1576: RISM V33).

Some seventeenth-century books of solo song, usually in a long landscape
format, continue to be foliated. A late example is not truly representative,
in that it is only printed, from engraved plates, on the recto of
each folio: Roncalli: Capricci Armonici, Op. 1 (Bergamo: Sebastian Casetti,
1692: RISM R2447). But the practice was never so common in Italy as it was
north of the Alps.

(x) In addition, of course, there can be confused situations, just as there
are of signatures, in which different books follow different patterns. I have
already cited the case of Bassano's Op. 18 (Example 56), and another from
his output follows, interesting because the pagination patterns follow those
of different gathering structures and signatures:

• 84. Bassani: Salmi concertati à 3-5, Op. 21. Bologna: Marino Silvani, 1699.

  RISM B1213. Copy at Zurich, Zentralbibliothek.

  Quarto:

           

  [C1:] π2 A-E4		[C2]: A-D4
  [T:] π2 A-C4		[A:] A-C4 D6
  [B:] π2 A-C4D6
  	Ripieno:	[C1:] A4B6
  		[etc.]

  Pagination:

       

  ---

  237

  
  
  
     

  [C1:] [i-iv], 1-39, [40]	[C2:] [1-2], 3-32
  [T:] [i-iv], 1-22, [23-24]	[A:] [1-2], 3-34, [35-36]
  [B:] [i-iv], 1-35, [36]
  	Ripieno:	[C1:] [1-2], 3-20
  		[etc.]

  Note. There is no evident reason for the two different collation and
  pagination patterns. All partbooks print the title-page and dedication
  on the first two folios, and start the music on 3r. Nor is the
  presence or absence of an initial unsigned bifolium contingent on
  finishing the rest of the part without an extended last gathering, as
  the Altus and Bassus indicate. We are again reduced to speculating
  about the involvement of two compositors with different practices.

The generally difficult nature of numbering patterns, not to mention
their frequent inconsistencies, argues strongly against using pagination or
piece numbering as a basic manner of referring to bibliographical aspects
of a book. Piece numbering may well be the most easy way of referring to
the musical content, but it obviously cannot be used to describe the structure
or placing of (for example) watermarks. In those cases (common with Gardano
and Scotto) where more than two pieces lie on an opening, or in those
others (common around the turn of the seventeenth century) where one piece
number applies to two or three pages, such numbers become valueless.

Apart from all these situations, however, there is another reason why
page numbers are not a reliable means of reference. During much of the
seventeenth century they are probably the least accurate part of a printed
volume of music. It is possible, of course, to say at the outset of a description
that the modern writer is "using corrected page numbers" and to proceed
entirely consistently. In such a situation, the description will already have
cited the actual pagination, and given the corrected versions against any
errors:

• 85. Musica de'virtuosi della Florida I. Venice: Girolamo Scotto, 1569.

  RISM 156919. Copies at Dublin, Marsh's Library, and London, British
  Library.

  [C:] A-D4; [T:] E-H4; [A:] I-M4; [B:] N-Q4; [5:] R-V4.

  Signatures:] Aij [$1-2, —all titles. E2 signed Aij.

  Pagination:

  • [C,T,B:] [i-iii], 4-15, 14, 17-31, [32];

  • [A:] [i-iii], 4-15, [16], 17-31, [32];

  • [5:] [i-iii], 4-31, [32].

  Note. The evidence suggests a particular sequence of preparing the books:
  the Tenor was printed immediately after the Canto (hence the
  wrong signature), followed by the Basso: the Alto was probably
  next, and the Quinto last. In addition, we can propose that the inner
  forme of the second gathering, which would contain the page number
  "14", was printed before the outer, and that some form of
  vertical setting was practised.

• 86. Reali: Sonate e Capricci, Op. 1. Venice: Giuseppe Sala, 1709.

  RISM R493. Copy at Dresden, Sächsische Landesbibliothek.

  [Violino 1:] π2 1-7A4; [Violino 2:] π2 1-6B4, 7B2; [Basso:] π2 1-6C4, 7C2; [Violoncello:]
  π2 [D]4.

  Signatures:] A1 [$1-2, —B[7]2, C[7]2, D1, D2.

  Pagination:

  • [Violino 1:] [i-iv], 1-30, [31], 32-37, [38-39], 40-53, [54-56];

  • [Violino 2:] [i-iv], 1-3, 3 [recte 4], 5-27, 82 [recte 28,] 28 [recte 29],
    30-49, [50-52];

  • [Basso] [i-iv], 1-4, [5], 6-18, [19], 20-24, [25], 26-30, [31], 32-33, [34],
    35-38, [39], 40-42, [43], 44-50, [51-52];

  • [Violoncello:] [i-iv], 1-8.

In a case like this, omitted numbers can be safely inferred, and there are
so few actual errors that they can be corrected in the description, and the
correct ones used elsewhere. With so few errors, the process of reading the
description and correlating it with a copy is not hampered by this style of
treatment of errors: and the same is true of a number of my earlier examples.

But these are all simple examples, with few and obvious errors. In other
cases, although there may be more errors, they are worth entering, and even
discussing, because they throw light on the printing patterns or because they
show a remarkable consistency:

• 87. Massone: I Motetti à 2-3. Napoli: Ottavio Beltrano, 1638.

  RISM M1325. Copy at Naples, Biblioteca Oratoriana dei Geroslamini.

  [Parte 1:] A-D 4; [Parte 2:] F-K4; [Parte 3:] a-b4; [Partimento:] A-D 4.

  Signatures:] A 2 [$1-2, —all titles, and a2. 1:B2 signed b2; Partimento B2
  signed M2.

  Pagination:] [1-2], 3-.

  • In Parte 1 pages 25 and 29 are numbered 27 and 31.

  • Parte 2 is paginated:] [1-2], 3-16, 19, 18, 19, 18, 23, 22, 23, 22, 25-37,
    [38].

  In the partimento pages 12 and 13 are numbered 4 and 5.

  Note. In each of these parts, the mis-pagination was a result of mistakes
  during imposition. In the Partimento, two page numbers in the first
  gathering were left unchanged in the second, though the other six
  page numbers were new: the two lay on the same side of the same
  forme. Similarly in the Parte 1, two numbers were left unchanged
  when the inner forme of gathering C was broken up and the outer
  forme inserted. This is also the explanation for the pattern of page
  numbers in Parte 2, where all the page numbers of the inner forme
  were retained for the outer. Incidentally, this evidence provides an
  argument for setting type continuously through the part, rather
  than casting off in advance and setting by formes.

These are still fairly straightforward cases. Unfortunately, however, there
are many other cases where the typesetter has made nonsense of a logical
sequence of numbering. Again, it is possible to list all the numbers and to
give the numbers that should have been used, and then continue with the
"corrected page numbers". However, the list can become so complex that the
reader has trouble using it, especially since few of the numbers will correspond
to those before him in the source. In these cases it is better not to use
page numbers for any references to the content. The following examples
should make this point clear:

• 88. Tudino: Magnificat à 8. Venice: Giacomo Vincenti, 1590.

  RISM T1337. Copy at Kassel, Landesbibliothek und Murharsche
  Bibliothek.

  Quarto: [C:] A10; [T:] B10; [A:] C10; [B:] D10.

  Signatures:] B3 [$1-5, —A1, D1; —all second folios.

  Paginated as follows:

  • [C:] [i-iii], 4, 3, 6-7, 6-7, 10-11, 10-11, 14-15, 14, 17, [18-19], 20.

  • [T:] [i-ii], 1, 4, 3-7, 10-11, 7, 11, 14-15, 12, 17, [iii-iv], 20

  • [A:] [i-iii], 4, 3, 4, 3, 7, 9-11, 11-12, 12, 11, [iv], 17, [v-vi], 20.

  • [B:] [i-iii], 4, 3, 6-7, 7, 7, 10-11, 10-13, [iv], 17, [v-vi], 20.

Analysis of the pagination shows that two different patterns were in
operation. In one (pattern a, below), pagination begins with the title-page,
thought not actually entered until a later page; in the other (pattern b), it is
presumed to start with 2r, athough the first indication may again not be
until later:

                                         

Sheet I	1r	2v	9r	10v		1v	2r	9v	10r
A	—	4	17	20	A	—	—	—	—
B	—	4	17	20	B	—	1	—	—
C	—	4	17	20	C	—	—	—	—
D	—	4	17	20	D	—	—	—	—
Pattern a	[1]	4	17	20	Pattern a	[2]	[3]	18	19
Pattern b	—	2	15	18	Pattern b	—	1	16	17
Sheet II	3r	4v	7r	8v		3v	4r	7v	8r
A	3	6	11	14	A	6	7	14	15
B	3	6	11	12	B	4	5	14	15
C	3	7	12	—	C	4	3	12	11
D	3	7	11	—	D	6	7	12	13
Pattern a	5	8	13	16	Pattern a	6	7	14	15
Pattern b	3	6	11	14	Pattern b	4	5	12	13
Half-Sheet III	5r	6v				5v	6r
A	7	10			A	10	11
B	7	7			B	10	11
C	9	11			C	10	11
D	7	10			D	10	11
Pattern a	9	12			Pattern a	10	11
Pattern b	7	10			Pattern b	8	9

The problem is typified by the two half-formes that comprise the innermost
half sheet, III. While the inner forme follows pattern a, the outer seems
to follow pattern b. The outer forme of the outermost sheet, I, follows pattern
a consistently, while the only number on the inner forme represents
pattern b. Finally, the second sheet has no clear pattern at all, for while the
tendency to pattern b on the outer forme is clear, the inner is far less
clear. No single partbook shows a consistent pattern of following one pattern
rather than the other: indeed one forme of both Tenor and Bassus seems to
change pattern in mid-forme. It is implausible that any one partbook was
set up straight through, without pauses or change of compositor. Whether
this means two compositors, or one who changed his habits, I cannot say.
However, it is clear that any reference to "page 7", "page 11", or "page 18"
will raise doubts in the mind of any reader.

• 89. Strozzi: Sacri Concentus II. Venice: Bartolomeo Magni, heredi Angelo

  Gardano, 1612.

  RISM S6990. Copy Trento, Biblioteca Comunale.

  [Cantus:] A-I4 2I4.

  Signatures:] A2 [$1-2, -A1.

  Paginated from 2r, beginning with 1, according to the following details:

                     

  A:	[i-ii], 1-6	recte [i-ii], 1-6
  B:	8-9, [iii], 10-14	recte 7-14
  C:	[iv], 15-17, 19, [20-21], 22	recte 15-22
  D:	[23], 24-25, 27, 40, 33, 35-36	recte 23-30
  E:	37-40, 42-45	recte 31-38
  F:	47, [v], 48-50, 52-54	recte 38-46
  G:	57, [vi], 58, 62-63, 67-68, 70	recte 47-54
  H:	72-73, 80, 77, [vii-viii], 79, [ix]	recte 55-62
  I:	80, 83-84, 84, [85-86], 88, 95	recte 63-70
  2I:	96-99, [100-104]	recte 71-78

  Note. By laying out the pagination like this, traces can be discerned of
  the manner in which some of the errors were engendered: but the
  arrangement is of most use in keeping a reader oriented with the
  list of contents and any other analytical commentary.[38]

---

241





• 90. Grancino: V Concerti ecclesiastici. Milan: Giorgio Rolla, 1636.

  RISM G3404. Copies at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale,
  and Lodi, Duomo, Archivio Capitolare.

  Quarto: [C:] A-B12; [A:] C-D12; [Organo:] A-C8 D10.

  Pagination:

  • [C:] [i-ii, 1], 2-9, 8-9 [recte 10-11] 12-25, 28-48 [recte 26-46].

    [A:] [i-ii, 1], 2-5, 20-22, 22, 22, 22, 22, 21-29, 29-30, 28-29, 33-34, 34-39,
    39-47, 46, [48].

    [Organo:] [1], 2-5, [6], 7-40, 43 [recte 41], 42-43, 46-49, [70].

  Note. As I show, it is possible to make sense of the numbering in two
  parts (Cantus and Organo), although there is no point in trying to
  list the correct numberings for the Altus. Further, while the reader
  would have problems in trying to relate the corrected numbers of the
  Altus part to a copy in hand, there is also no benefit to be had from
  referring to the printed numerals, especially in the case of 22 and 29!

• 91. Scelta de'Mottetti à 2-3, ed. Caifabri. Rome: Amadeo Belmonte, 1667.

  RISM 16671. Copy at Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale.

  Quarto: [C1:] A8B20; [B:] C2 D18; [C2:] E8 F16; [Organo:] G-I8.

  Cantus 1 pagination:] [1-3], 4-32, [33, i], 34, [ii], 35 [iii], 36, [iv], 37-51, [52].

  Bassus pagination:] [i-ii], 1-3, [iii], 4-6, [iv], 7-17, [18], 19-35, [36].

• 92. Villani: V Psalmi à 8. Venice: Herede di Angelo Gardano, 1612.

  RISM V1555. Copy at Piacenza, Biblioteca e Archivio Capitolare.

  Note. This is the continuo part to No. 12 above.

  Pagination:] [i], 1, [2], 3, [4], 5, [6], 7, [8], 3, [9], 10-11, [12-13], 14, [15],
  16, [17-18], 19-22, [23], 25-26, [27-28], 29, [30-31].

  Note. Here, the difficulty lies not so much in interpreting the sequence,
  but rather in explaining the absence of so many numerals.

Such cases may seem extreme, although they could be multiplied many
times. However, even when the numbering seems logical and relatively consistent,
we can not always be sure what it stands for: the difference between
piece numbering and pagination is not always clear, the significance of the
different patterns of pagination is not yet understood, and the apparent
anomalies are as often the result of a change of plan as they are of compositor's
error. Since the numbering was not needed by either compositor
or binder, but was inserted as a convenience to the user, its accuracy was
seldom a matter of concern. While erroneous signatures can often be seen

to have been corrected in the printer's shop, this is much less frequently the
case with pagination errors.

For these reasons, it seems more logical to use for analytical purposes the
numbering which was needed by both printer and binder, and which therefore
was more likely to be accurate: that is the pattern of signature numbers.
These patterns can be quite varied, but they are more closely followed in a
majority of books.