Fuga (Cocquiel Manuscript 350)

The original manuscript of this music is kept in the music department of the Royal Library Albert I, Brussels, under no. Ms.II 3326.
It was purchased from Rev. Puissant in Mons (Hainaut) in 1905.

According tot a Latin inscription on the inside of the front cover, the book came from Soignies (Hainaut), where it was used about 1741 by Jacobus Ignatius Josephus Cocquiel, organist of Saint-Vincent'schurch,

The contents can be described as an anthology of organ music for catholic worship.
Because it includes works by Brussels, Louvain and Malines composers, it was probably used by a Brabant church organist. Some of this masters acquired some
celebrity only after 1700, wich indicates that the manuscript probably originated during the first half of the 18th century.

The collection consists of 364 unnumbered pieces and for the greater part of short - two to four lined - versets grouped in series, viz.on the Gloria de beata, the Salve Regina, a Missa duplex and on the keys. While 28 pieces without titles seem to be
versets as well, the last 22 pieces have titles such as fuga, fantasia, preludium-fuga and are longer.

With a few exceptions, all the pieces can be played on a one manual organ.

This piece is played on various combinations of the Principal stop family.

All pictures are from the OrganArt Media website and copyrighted by OAM.