This cantata was commissioned by Lady Dacre for the Septcentenary of the foundation of Peterhouse. Composition began in August 1983 and was resumed in July 1984, and the cantata was performed on 19 October 1984 as part of a concert, 'Seven centuries of music', by the Academy of Ancient Music directed by Christopher Hogwood.
Contents:
[ff. 1-2] A covering letter from Holloway to Alexandra Trevor-Roper, Lady Dacre, stating that the package 'consists of a new xerox copy of both the singing score and the instrumental score (with corrections) and -- for you yourself, of for Peterhouse in general -- _all_ the sketches, including the text-versions'. The photocopied vocal score and full score are now kept separately as Ward Library 121.47.1. A slip in the composer’s hand lists 'Text -- versions; Music: 1st sketches, 1st version, 2nd sketches, 2nd version, 3rd sketches'.
[ff. 3- 8] Drafts of the text.
A. Draft in ink and pencil, with printed verses pasted in, dated 11 Aug. 1983. 2 sheets, 380 x 255mm. [ff. 3-4]
B. Draft text of the Introduction and ‘Round 1’, in blue ink, replacing the pencil draft on the first sheet above, dated 19 Aug. and marked ‘this is drivel (of course) – but has the idea’, ‘the rest as on the 1st sheets’. 1 bifolium, 253 x 175mm. [f. 5]
C. Complete text, in black ink, 3 sheets, 370 x 250mm. [ff. 6-8]
[ff. 9-18] Sketches, mainly in short score, on 9 snippets and one sheet measuring 370 x 250mm (the last dated ‘Mon 30th’ [July 1984]).
[ff. 19-22] Rough draft short score, in pencil with annotations in red, green, black and blue ink, variously dated 18, 20, 21 August [1983]. The verso of the final sheet is an earlier draft of the first section. 3 sheets, 253 x 350mm, paginated 1-5 and 7; the fourth sheet is paginated ‘6’ and measures 380 x 278mm.
[ff. 23-29] Second draft short score, paginated 1-11. In pencil, ‘rebegun July 11.84 (after Aug.83)’, annotated in red, blue, black and green ink (the amendments in red ‘begun July 27’). The first 5 sheets measure 380 x 278mm. On the reverse of the sixth sheet (300 x 260mm) is a draft of the Intermezzo in short score, dated 31 July. Followed by a single sheet measuring 415 x 298 mm with a revised short score of the Intermezzo, dated 1 and 2 Aug.
[ff. 30-46] Draft full score, in pencil, with headings and time signatures in black ink and further notes in blue and green ink, ‘begun Fri July 27’ [1984], with sections marked for each subequent day until 31 July, the Intermezzo and final section dated 3 Aug. (and therefore following the final three pages of the draft short score, above). 17 sheets, 300 x 420mm