The Gyffard Partbooks (British Library Add. MSS 17802-5) (also spelled Giffard) are an important set of English Renaissance choral partbooks, containing pieces by composers such as Thomas Tallis and John Sheppard, as well as additional unnamed composers, which are not found in other sources.
This set of four partbooks were probably mostly copied during the reign of Mary I for use at St. Paul's Cathedral, but copying continued to c.1580. They are named after one of their early owners, Philip Gyffard.
Contents
The collection consists of mostly four-part sacred a cappella choral music (though there are some 3- and 5-part pieces). The music is arranged liturgically, and groups of similar pieces are also arranged by the seniority of the composer. It contains the following pieces: