Six Concertos in Seven Parts for Four Violins, a Tenor Violin, a Violoncello, with a Thorough Bass for the Harpsichord. [Op. 2]. [Set of parts]

London: Printed for I. Walsh in Catharine Street in the Strand, 1750. 7 parts. Folio. Modern plain ivory wrappers, with spines to some parts sewn.

Violino primo del concertino: 1f. (recto title, verso blank), 10, [I] (blank), 11-19 pp.
Violino primo ripieno: [i] (blank), 12, [i] (blank) pp.
Violino secondo del concertino: 1f. (recto title, verso blank), 13, [i] (blank) pp.
Violino secondo ripieno: 1f. (recto title, verso blank), [i] (blank), 12, [i] (blank) pp.
Alto viola: 1f. (recto title, verso blank), [i] (blank), 12, [i] (blank) pp.
Violoncello [figured]: 1f. (recto title, verso blank), 13, [i] (blank) pp.
Basso ripieno [figured]: 1f. (recto title, verso blank), [i] (blank), 12, [i] (blank) pp. In duplicate.

With brief publisher's catalogue to foot of title listing works by Abel, Bach, Arne, Cocchi, Jomelli, Galuppi, Hasse, Richter, Wagenseil, Boyce, St. Martini, Bononcini, Handel, Lampe, Martini, Ciampi, Ricciotti, Ruge, Weideman, Stanley, Locatelli, Castrucci, Geminiani, Corelli, Vivaldi, Alberti, Tessarini, Albinoni, and Mudge.

"Philips Sculpt." and "Phillips Sculp." printed to final leaves of Violoncello and Basso ripieno parts; handstamps "11" and "No 11" to heads of all pages; small 20th century London bookseller's label to verso of upper wrappers.

Some minor soiling to wrappers; stain to lower of Basso ripieno. Occasional minor wear, browning, soiling, foxing, and small stains; small binder's holes to blank margins. First Edition, later issue. Smith & Humphries 1412 (not recording this issue). BUC p. 973. RISM S4675 and SS4674.

Stanley was an English composer, organist and violinist. "He became blind as the result of a domestic accident at the age of two, and began to study music as a diversion when he was seven. Little progress was made under his first teacher, John Reading ... but he got on so well under Maurice Greene at St Paul's Cathedral that before he was 12 he was appointed organist at the nearby church of All Hallows Bread Street. In 1726 he was elected to a similar post at St Andrew's, Holborn, 'in preference to a great number of candidates' (Burney), and in 1734 he was made organist to the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, having resigned from All Hallows in 1727. According to his pupil John Alcock ..., Stanley's playing of voluntaries at the Temple and St Andrew's attracted musicians from all over London, including Handel. He was also an excellent violinist and for several years directed the subscription concerts at the Swan Tavern, Cornhill, and the Castle, Paternoster Row. In 1729 he became the youngest person to gain a BMus degree from Oxford University. ... Thanks largely to his remarkable memory, Stanley was able to enjoy a comfortable living as an organist and teacher and to join in music-making and card-playing with a large circle of friends. He was also able to direct several Handel oratorios during the 1750s, and after Handel's death in 1759 he assumed responsibility for the annual Lenten oratorio seasons at Covent Garden (later at Drury Lane), first with J.C. Smith and from 1776 with Thomas Linley." Malcolm Boyd, revised by A.G. Williams in Grove Music Online.