193
AUTHORSHIP AND ATTRIBUTION IN THE WURSTISEN 
LUTE BOOK
YAVOR GENOV
Bălgarska akademija na naukite, Sofia
Izvleček: Tako imenovana Wurstisenova knji-
ga lutenjskih tabulatur (CH-Bu, Ms. F.IX.70) 
je izjemna antologija, ki vsebuje obsežen  
repertoar, zapisan v nemški lutenjski tabulaturi 
ob koncu 16. stoletja. Najbrž gre za zasebno 
glasbeno zbirko, zato le redkokatera skladba v 
knjigi vsebuje ime ali oznako avtorja. Pričujoča  
razprava obravnava in interpretira nekatere 
pripise oziroma navedke avtorjev. Raziskava 
navaja tudi vire, ki jih je utegnil imeti na razpo -
lago Emanuel Wurstisen, in poznejše tiske, ki bi 
bili lahko povezani z njegovo knjigo.
Ključne besede: rokopisna lutenjska glasba, 
avtorstvo, atribucije, renesansa
Abstract: The so called Wurstisen Lute Book 
(CH-Bu, Ms. F.IX.70) is a remarkable anthology 
containing a huge repertory that was written 
down in German lute tablature at the end of 
the sixteenth century. Serving most likely as a 
private music collection, it relatively infrequently 
contains names or indications of authors. The 
present article deals with what the scribe has left 
in the way of indications, shedding more light on, 
and interpreting, some of them. Additionally, the 
research suggests some sources that may have 
been at the disposal of the compiler, Emanuel 
Wurstisen, or were possibly related to his book 
when they came to be printed years later.
Keywords: manuscript lute music, authorship, 
attribution, Renaissance
It is generally assumed that Emanuel Wurstisen compiled his remarkable lute manuscript 
between 1591 and 1594 while a student of medicine at Basel University.
1
 The volume 
contains several hundred pieces of music distributed among eight sections (called “books” 
by the scribe) on the basis of genre. A disproportionately small number of them bear an 
attribution to an author, while the majority are left anonymous. One possible reason is 
that sources of this kind often served as private musical collections for their scribes and 
therefore had no need to mark the composers’ names, which the owner probably knew. 
When some were explicitly mentioned, however, this most probably signalled a special 
motivation. The full names of composers were written down relatively seldom. More 
often, Wurstisen placed initials next to the titles, although these may not necessarily 
have indicated authors’ names. This last idea is supported by examples to be discussed 
later in more detail.
The Wurstisen Lute Book remained unnoticed for a long time until, relatively recen-
tly, it at last gained a scholar’s interest. In 1988 John Kmetz published a repertory index 
of the manuscript where certain identifications were made and concordances identified. 
1 
It has been suggested, however, that he possibly continued to add pieces subsequently. See 
Leszczyńska, “Emanuel Wurstisen”, 6.
Prejeto / received: 17. 11. 2021. Odobreno / accepted: 30. 5. 2022.
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, DOI: 10.3986/dmd19.2.10

De musica disserenda XIX/2 • 2023
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A few other scholars then studied the source and likewise deduced some of the personalities 
behind individual pieces, but our picture of the authors involved still remains far from 
complete. The identifications of authorship are rather limited and not always firm. In this 
paper I summarize the state of knowledge to date, to which I add my own observations 
and findings, in an attempt to clarify the musical paths, personalities, sources and ten-
dencies leading to this particular monument of the late Renaissance period and its scribe.
The most frequently appearing composer’s name, explicitly mentioned throughout 
the manuscript, is that of Orlando di Lasso. It is carefully written down by Wurstisen in 
literal form beside each of his compositions except for the German lied Im Mayen, which 
is left unattributed.
2
 Most of the other Lasso compositions copied by Wurstisen, however, 
have a rather homogeneous origin. Thus the shortest section of the manuscript, the one 
containing Latin motets, includes as three of its four pieces (the first motet being in two 
parts) ones taken from the Sacrae cantiones published by the master at Nürnberg in 1562. 
Five of the secular titles – the villanescas La cortesia, Madonna mia pietà and Sto core 
mio plus the chansons Aveques vous and Vray Dieu – belong to the composer’s earliest 
print (1555), published in Antwerp by Susato. The last three French chansons copied by 
Wurstisen – Susanne ung jour, Bon jour mon coeur and Petit folle – come from various 
of his prints dating from the 1560s onwards. All the included Lasso pieces and especially 
the secular ones figure prominently in the lute repertory of the second half of the sixteenth 
century, as witnessed by a number of anthologies, both manuscript and printed. Against 
this background Wurstisen’s selection does not deviate from the main preferences and 
favourites of contemporary lutenists. Moreover, the supposition that these pieces were 
much liked by the scribe is reinforced by the multiple versions generally existing for 
some of them.
If the wide diffusion of those pieces and the fame and authority of Lasso leave no 
ambiguity or doubt about their origin, the question of the intabulators arranging them for 
lute requires more attention. In his inventory Kmetz identified two main sources from 
which the intabulations were copied: the two-volume print (1566) of Melchior Neusidler 
(1566
2–3
; this form of numbering refers to Brown’s catalogue) and the Theatrum Musicum 
Longe Amplissimum printed by Pierre Phalèse in 1571 (1571
6
).
3
 A close examination of the 
intabulations leads to the conclusion that the remarks of this scholar are in part correct. 
Similarly for the tracing of the Lasso motets back to the Italian intabulations of Neusidler, 
from which such pieces as Aveques vous and Susanne ung jour were likewise taken. 
More problematic is the case of the chanson Vray Dieu. Kmetz cites the same two prints  
mentioned above, but whereas Wurstisen’s version is concordant with that of Phalèse 
(1571
6
), the other reference – to Neusidler (1566
2
)
 
– is not equally plausible, since the 
latter contains a different version pitched a fourth higher. In contrast, a concordance for 
the Wurstisen version is encountered in another, earlier print of Phalèse – Luculentum 
Theatrum Musicum (1568
7
)
 
– a fact already noted by Howard Mayer Brown in his  
bibliography.
4
 Very similar and notated at the same pitch is Adrian Leroy’s version in 
2 
It was originally printed in Neue teütsche Liedlein (Munich, 1567).
3 
Kmetz, Die Handschriften, 212.
4 
Brown, Instrumental Music, 235.

195
Yavor Genov: Authorship and Attribution in the Wurstisen Lute Book
his manual A Briefe and Plaine Instruction (1574
2
), but with diminutions omitted. It may 
well be possible, therefore, that the original version for lute was made by him, this being 
published later with added ornaments by Phalèse, from whom Wurstisen copied the piece.
Figures 1a–1d (from top to bottom)
Vray Dieu, opening in Wurstisen (1a); Leroy, 1574
2
 (1b); Phalèse, 1571
6
 (1c); Melchior Neusidler, 
1566
2
 (1d).
In this connection, particular attention needs to be paid to two villanesche: Madonna 
mia pietà and La Cortesia. The first piece is copied twice by Wurstisen, with minor  
differences between the two versions. The second version features highly elaborate dimi-
nutions, whereas the first is rather simple. The latter finds a concordance in Phalèse (1571
6
), 
as mentioned by Kmetz. According to the bibliography of Howard Mayer Brown, this 
villanesca appeared in books for plucked instruments from the 1570s onwards, mostly in 
prints from Sixtus Kargel or Pierre Phalèse (for both lute and cittern). Although this is not 
mentioned in the studies consulted, the simpler version of Wurstisen bears considerable 
resemblance to the intabulation for lute in Kargel (1574
1
). The latter is somewhat more 
ornate at certain points, but if one ignores the ornamental figures, the basic texture is 
rather similar. Since Kargel’s name appears on the title page of Phalèse (1571
6
), identifying 
him as one of the intabulators of the volume alongside Neusidler and Barbetta, this might 

De musica disserenda XIX/2 • 2023
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lend additional support to the idea that the version of Madonna mia pietà found there 
could have been made by him earlier as a simpler intabulation perhaps intended, like the 
whole book, for amateurs, and the source of Wurstisen’s copy. Kargel’s more elaborate 
version would therefore be a later revision published in his own print. This hypothesis, 
however, cannot be validated with certainty but is well supported by the pieces of music 
under discussion. Moreover, this would not be the only early Lasso piece intabulated by 
Kargel and later copied by the Basel student. The version of La Cortesia in the Wurstisen 
Lute Book, as Kmetz pointed out, is concordant with Phalèse (1571
6
), which in turn is 
concordant with Kargel (1574
1
)
,
 as noted by Brown. This last-mentioned example is abso-
lutely clear, exhibiting the same version in all the cited copies. Moreover, some further 
Lasso pieces may have been arranged for lute by Kargel: these include Sto core mio, the 
version of which in Phalèse (1571
6
) is concordant with that in the Wurstisen Lute Book. 
At present, however, this is merely an unprovable assumption.
The hand of Melchior Neusidler, the great Bavarian lute virtuoso and exact contem-
porary of Lasso, is clearly indicated in the Wurstisen Lute Book. Apart from the already 
discussed arrangements of vocal music by Lasso, the Basel student copied Neusidler’s 
arrangement of the madrigal O s’io potessi donna by Jacob van Berhem (printed in 1566
2
 
and again in Phalèse 1571
6
). Additionally, three fantasias are marked with Neusidler’s 
monogram, as well as Ein lieblicher gutter dantz with its Hupfauff. While the latter 
composition comes unquestionably from the Teutsch lautenbuch (1574
5
), some of the 
fantasias raise further questions. Wurstisen’s Fantasia XV is published in the same 
German print of Neusidler (1574
5
), and Neusidler’s authorship of it is mentioned in a few 
further manuscript copies.
5
 However, Phillip Hainhoffer, a pupil of Jean Baptist Besard, 
included the piece in his manuscript collection with an attribution to Fabrizio Dentice 
(fols. 10v–11v).
6
 John Griffiths and Dinko Fabris discuss this Fantasia in their anthology 
Neapolitan Lute Music, writing: “While the stylistic features of these works point more 
to Newsidler than to Dentice, the case is by no means certain”.
7
 I do not wish to evaluate 
here all the published arguments regarding the piece’s attribution, but considering that 
the piece appears only once attributed to Dentice, as against numerous direct or indirect 
pointers to Neusidler, I tend to believe that Wurstisen is correct in this matter.
Fantasia X is another piece with uncertain authorship. Ascribed to Neusidler by 
Wurstisen, it appeared in the Thesaurus Harmonicus ( 1 603 ) by Jean Baptiste Besard 
under the name of Laurencino Tracetii, also known as “Lorenzino del Liuto”.
8
 Leaving 
aside the fact that the Fantasia appears twice attributed to Lorenzino but only once to 
Neusidler, John H. Robinson remarks that “stylistically it fits better into the canon of music 
by Lorenzino and so was probably composed by him”.
9
 In previous research I have shown 
how this particular piece is constructed around a single thematic motif that is subjected 
5 
Robinson, Fantasias and Recercars, xv I–xv II.
6 
The year of 1604 is stamped on the front-cover of the manuscript. Its first volume is accessible 
via the following link: http://diglib.hab.de/mss/18-7-aug-2f/start.htm.
7 
Griffiths and Fabris, Neapolitan Lute Music, x III.
8 
The same attribution is given in Cambridge University Library (GB-Cu), Add. 3056, fol. 21v.
9 
Robinson, Fantasias and Recercars, Ix .

197
Yavor Genov: Authorship and Attribution in the Wurstisen Lute Book
to various imitative treatments. In general terms, monothematic fantasias first emerge in 
the later part of the sixteenth-century lute repertory, and this fact supports Robinson’s 
conclusion. But the question certainly needs further examination. What is certain about 
these two fantasias is, first, that they are ascribed to two authors important for Jean Baptiste 
Besard – Lorenzino and Fabrizio – and, second, that, being a pupil of Besard, Hainhoffer 
could easily have exchanged with his teacher certain attributions that were subsequently 
taken for granted and disseminated with no further questions asked.
Fantasia VIII is the third such piece attributed by Wurstisen to Neusidler. Little can 
be said about its origin: unlike the two previously discussed ones, this fantasia has only a 
single concordance, printed by Elias Mertel in Hortus Musicalis (1615) without an author’s 
name. The fact that it requires a seven-course lute, however, suggests a connection to a 
later body of repertory.
Among the groups of pieces bearing a sign of attribution are seventeen compositions 
to which the initials “A. F.” are attached. Those pieces were transcribed and discussed 
by John H. Robinson in 2001.
9
 Robinson writes, “It is tempting to think that the initials 
stand for Alfonso Ferrabosco I of Bologna ( 1543–1588)” , while recognizing that “the 
composer of these pieces is unknown”.
10
 Despite its ready association with Ferrabosco’s 
name, the music itself provides no such certainty. On one hand, the artistic level of many 
of the compositions does not reach that of the firmly attributable music by him. Moreover, 
most of them (thirteen out of seventeen pieces) are intended for seven-course and even 
eight-course lute, whereas Ferrabosco’s authenticated lute pieces generally call for the 
older six-course instrument. This composer enjoyed an international career across Italy, 
England and France, but the presence of two Polish dances bearing the “A. F.” annotation 
in the Wurstisen Lute Book places additional doubt over his authorship. This hesitancy 
is reinforced by the subtitle in Polish of the one of the dances, which led Agnieszka 
Leszczyńska to conclude that “an Italian musician could hardly have composed a piece 
bearing such a title”.
11
 Moreover, the so-called Passomezzo Laurenz A.F. (Wurstisen Lute 
Book, fol. 232; here forth WLB, 232) “suggests someone other than Alfonso Ferrabosco 
as the composer”.
12
 This title, in my opinion, is enough to raise a suspicion that the initials 
did not refer to the composer of the music at all. Behind them could stand instead the 
maker of the lute intabulation, the source or person from which or whom the pieces were 
copied or something different that at present eludes us.
Especially interesting are the observations on the Polish connections of the Wurstisen 
Lute Book published in Agnieszka Leszczyńska’s article. Leszczyńska mentions two 
pieces linked to the Polish lutenist Albert Dlugoraj that were both printed by Jean Baptiste 
Besard in 1603: Fantasia I and Volte Alberti (WLB, 295). Moreover, Leszczyńska pointed 
out that if the copy of his Fantasia belonged to the first stage of compiling the book, the 
Wurstisen Lute Book would emerge as the earliest source of Dlugoraj’s music.
13
10 
Robinson, “Music Ascribed to A. F.”, 1.
11 
Leszczyńska, “Emanuel Wurstisen”, 15.
12 
Robinson, “Music Ascribed to A. F.”, 1.
13 
Leszczyńska, “Emanuel Wurstisen”, 11.

De musica disserenda XIX/2 • 2023
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The initials “C. S.” as Leszczyńska mentions, have been identified by Piotr Poźniak 
as belonging to another Polish lutenist, Kaspar Sielicki. Three pieces in the Wurstisen 
Lute Book bear these initials: Passomezzo (WLB, 120), Ach hertziges herz so schmerz 
(WLB, 238) and XXIII Galliarda (WLB, 303).
An interesting example of the full form of a name written next to a piece of music 
(the latter copied twice by the scribe) is the chorale Was mein Gott will, das gschech 
allzeit, attributed to a certain Amandus Polanus a Polansdorf. Agnieszka Leszczyńska’s 
detailed investigation into this person needs no exposition here. I would, however, point 
to the prominent role of Amandus, a Moravian, as a Calvinist theologian and professor 
at Basel’s university, a position that makes a relationship with Wurstisen less surprising.
A relationship between the Wurstisen Lute Book and the print of Jean Baptiste 
Besard (1603) is supported by several further concordances (some belonging to the Polish 
repertory). Two such examples are the Chorea Polonica Diomedis Poloni (WLB, 293), 
likewise attributed to Diomedes Cato by Besard,
14
 and Fantasia XIV, later printed as a 
Preal, by Jacobus Reys.
15
Agnieszka Leszczyńska has made an important suggestion about the initials “F. D. D.” 
and “F. D. D. D.”, respectively entered next to a Passomezzo-Saltarello (WLB, 169) and an 
Exercitium (WLB, 12). She believes that the Gdańsk-born lutenist Fridericus de Drusina 
Dantiscanus, son of Benedict de Drusina, stands behind both the initials and the music.
Such a relationship between Wurstisen and North-German lutenists is not isolated. 
The father, Benedict de Drusina, is the person who (to my knowledge) was the first to 
publish, in his print of 1556
2
, the Basel source’s Fantasia XIII. This piece appeared in 
several more sources around the end of the sixteenth century and the beginning of the 
next century, including Mattheus Waissel (1592
12
) and once again Besard’s print of 1603, 
along with a few others.
16
 The mentioned print by Waissel also contains a concordance 
of the second of Wurstisen’s recercari.
We have already encountered Jean Baptiste Besard several times, his important print 
of 1603 having numerous concordances with the Wurstisen Lute Book. I would like to 
draw attention here to two pieces attributed to him personally. The first, entitled Chorea 
Austriaca (WLB, 293), clearly bears the name of Besard, who published it anonymously 
in his anthology (WLB, 133r) as an Allemande. The second piece is a Volte d. Be., which 
has not hitherto been identified as a piece by Besard. I have found, however, a concord-
ance at the end of his print (WLB, 160r) that in my opinion establishes the reliability of 
Wurstisen’s attribution.
14 
There are certain divergences between the two copies that are discussed in more detail by 
Leszczyńska. See Leszczyńska, “Emanuel Wurstisen”, 12.
15 
In her research into the Polish connections of the Wurstisen Lute Book Leszczyńska has not 
mentioned this particular Fantasia, which appeared later as a Preludio by Reys and was reprinted 
with no composer’s name by Mertel (1615). This connection was, however, noted by John H. 
Robinson. See Robinson, Fantasias and Recercars, xv I.
16 
Ibid.

199
Yavor Genov: Authorship and Attribution in the Wurstisen Lute Book
Figures 2a–2b (from top to bottom)
Volte d. Be. in the Wurstisen Lute Book (2a) and in Besard, 1603 (2b).
I would like to focus now on a few pieces belonging to the free genres, which on one 
hand bear some author’s names, but on the other do not reveal much about their origin. I 
have in mind Praeambulum I and Praeambulum III, to which the name of Julius Bischoff 
is attached. Bischoff is not associated with any another piece by Wurstisen, and up till 
now I have no information about any lutenist or composer so named.
Concerning Mattheus Waissel, it is necessary to discuss the attribution of Praeludium 
IV and Praeambulum V to him – not by the scribe but, quite puzzlingly, by John Kmetz. 
The latter suggests a concordance with the first two pieces in Waissel’s earlier print (1573
3
). 
A closer look at the music, however, reveals no similarity between the pieces in the two 
sources and leaves open what Kmetz had in mind by referring to Waissel.
The first part of the Wurstisen Lute Book contains two more preludios providing certain 
clues to their origin. Praeludium XXIII has the initials “E. M.”, suggesting an association 
with Elias Mertel. Since no concordance or other clue leading to Mertel is known, the 
authorship of this piece must remain in doubt. Different is the case with the next piece, a 
Praembulum XXIV Equitis. Rom. It is well known that the sobriquet “Eques Romanus” 
refers to the lutenist Lorenzino, whose music (or music attributed to him) emerges as a 
principal element in Besard’s Thesaurus of 1603. The piece is transcribed and published 
by John H. Robinson but not discussed individually, forming part of a wider collection of 
praeludios by Lorenzino.
17
 The lute database of Peter Steuer and Markus Lutz, however, 
identifies six concordances for this particular composition under various titles.
18
 A closer 
look at the sources reveals that these are not exact concordances but different versions 
of the same piece. While the harmonic structure is more or less common to them, the 
characteristic elaborated figures occurring between the chords vary widely. That said, 
at least half of them refer explicitly to “Eques Romanus” and/or Lorenzino (for instance, 
Besard’s Thesaurus, the Hainhoffer Lute Book and the Cozens Lute Book).
17 
It is published in Robinson, “Lorenzino’s Preludes and Toccatas”, 1.
18 
Music for Lute Instruments, accessed 20 November 2020, https://mss.slweiss.de/index.
php?id=1&type=ms&ms=CH-BuF.IX.70&mssABC=C&lang=eng&instr=all&st=20.

De musica disserenda XIX/2 • 2023
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Concerning the Italian part of Wurstisen’s repertory, I must mention here one of his 
last fantasias, which is also among the final pieces copied into his manuscript: one by 
Pomponio da Bologna. There are no known concordances of the composition, and nothing 
certain is known about that name, but the Basel book emerges as one of the few sources 
to contain music by this composer.
Emanuel Wurstisen left several inscriptions of initials or names about which little 
or nothing can be really said. “Mons. de Varennes” is one example. Two pieces in the 
manuscript claimed to be compositions by him are the only known music ascribed to such 
a person. No leads to his identity have been found, to my knowledge. Similar is the situa -
tion with “Hyer[onim?]. Vully”, who is associated with a Tantz (WLB, 289) and Galliarda 
(WLB, 317), and with “Gio. Maria Romana”, author of a single Galliarda (WLB, 314).
At the end of his manuscript Wurstisen copied another galliard, this time ascribed 
to Victoris de Montbuison, who, unlike the persons just mentioned, is very familiar. This 
French lutenist belongs to the generation of Wurstisen himself, and several sources from 
the end of sixteenth century contain a few pieces by him. The Galliarda in the Wurstisen 
Lute Book bears a very considerable similarity to one of the three galliards printed by 
Besard in 1603. However, this is a case of a related piece rather than a concordance in 
the full sense.
Some of the initials adjoining certain pieces have already been discussed in this 
article. I would like to pay attention at this point to one particular case: specifically, the 
Galliarda V. B. (WLB, 299). Agnieszka Leszczyńska speculates in the direction of the 
prominent Hungarian lutenist Valentin Bakfark, which I think is not a plausible attribution 
in terms of style and repertory. True, she discusses the situation with due caution, writ-
ing that “the initials V. B. found in the tablature CH-Bu, F IX 70 may designate another 
musician, or the piece may have been wrongly attributed to Bakfark under the influence 
of that artist’s legendary status”.
19
 However, Leszczyńska does not mention the discussion 
of the Bolognese composer Vicenzo Bernia and his solo lute pieces published by John 
H. Robinson, where the author convincingly attributes the galliard copied by Wurstisen 
to that composer.
20
There are three further initials that at the present time remain unclear. These are “C. 
P. R.” for a Passomezzo-Saltarello (WLB, 198–199), “F. P.” for Wan ich für das Hauss 
spatzieren (WLB, 260) and “L. B.” for a Passamezzo (WLB, 145).
These initials, juxtaposed to various pieces of music, do not necessarily refer to the 
actual authors of those pieces. This situation is frequently encountered among sources 
from this period, where the letters in question sometimes appear side by side with some 
fully written-out name (of the presumed composer). An example of this procedure 
is provided by Fantasia XVIII, which supplements the title with “Jud. Wormaciensis  
G. L.”. The piece itself is widely disseminated in lute literature and can be found in prints 
of Emanuel Adriansen of Antwerp (1584
6
, 1600). John H. Robinson compares the first 
part of the inscription with the name “Juden von Mainz”, the author of two lute fantasias 
19 
Leszczyńska, “Emanuel Wurstisen”, 12.
20 
See Robinson, “Vicenzo Bernia of Bologna”, 1. Let me remind that among the not too many 
sources of Bernia’s music is the 1617 edition of Besard’s Novus Partus.

201
Yavor Genov: Authorship and Attribution in the Wurstisen Lute Book
in other manuscripts, having in mind the closeness of the two German towns – Mainz 
and Worms. He writes that “could be the initials of the person who made the lute arrange-
ment from music for other instruments composed by Juden Wormaciensis, although G. 
L. could also refer to something other than a name”.
21
 Although not impossible, I think 
nothing certain proves the existence of one lutenist moving between Mainz and Worms. 
Moreover, the full word ‘Juden’ behind the abbreviation “Jud.” should be read as ‘Jew’ 
or ‘Jews’, keeping in mind that Mainz and Worms were important centres of Jewish set-
tlement. Thus the initials G. L. could belong to a person, probably a Jew from Worms, 
from whom the piece was heard and/or copied. These scattered hints make the idea of the 
origin of the piece obscurer rather than clearer. It is obvious, however, that the fantasia 
is intended, at least by Wurstisen and Adriansen, for a seven-course lute, and this fact 
unquestionably points to a period after the mid-1570s – that is, one closer to the lifetime 
of Wurstisen himself.
The case with three other fantasias is different. Fantasia II has multiple concordances 
going back to 1546, when it appeared as Joan Maria da Crema’s “recercar undecimo”. 
It was reprinted many times – by Gerle, Phalèse, Heckel and Mertel – and is listed by 
Arthur Ness as a piece by Francesco da Milano (under the number 84 in Ness’s book).
22
 
It is important to add that Wurstisen’s Fantasia XIX is an elaborated version of the same 
piece and that a very close variant of it was published by Elias Mertel in 1615. Leaving 
aside the contested authorship of this Fantasia, what is definite is that it belongs to an 
earlier repertory, preceding the Wurstisen copy by almost half a century. In other words, 
it may well have been regarded as a “classical” piece by the end of the century.
Another fantasia copied by Wurstisen is included in Ness’s list of music by Francesco 
da Milano (1497–1543). This is Fantasia IV in the Basel manuscript, which is not a literal 
concordance but rather an elaborated version of a “ricercha” (Ness 75). What makes those 
two pieces dubious as part of da Milano’s legacy is the fact that they appear in only two 
sources: respectively, the Wurstisen Lute Book and the Cavalcanti Manuscript, which, 
coincidentally or not, both originate from the start of the 1590s. So there are no known 
traces of the music from a period closer to the life of the great master. Moreover, the 
scholar Victor Coelho inclines to the view that “the majority of the Cavalcanti fantasias 
attributed to Francesco are probably not authentic […]”: one should rather view them as 
music composed “in the style of”, thus probably imitating to some extent the manner of 
Francesco.
23
Wurstisen wrote out several chansons composed during the first part or the middle of 
the century, probably as a part of the “classical” repertory in the lute anthologies. These 
are three chansons by Claudin de Sermisy – Il es[t] jour, Orcum bien [O combien] and 
Languir me fait [fais], the very famous chanson Doulce memoire by Pierre Sandrin and 
Je prens en gre by Clemens non Papa. At the other end of the chronological frame are 
two famous canzonette by Orazio Vecchi: Mentrogo compai contento [Mentre io compai] 
and Il col che mi rubosti [rubasti]. Vecchi’s two pieces are exactly contemporary with the 
21
 Robinson, Fantasias and Recercars, Ix .
22 
Ness, Lute Music, 216.
23 
Coelho, “Reputation of Francesco da Milano”, 71.

De musica disserenda XIX/2 • 2023
202
manuscript of Wurstisen, perhaps being copied at some later stage of the book’s compila-
tion. This hypothesis receives support from the positioning of the intabulations at the end 
of the part dedicated to arrangements of secular vocal music.
All that has been said so far leads to the following conclusions: (1) The music in 
Wurstisen’s collection had a predominantly continental, in particular a central European, 
origin. (2) The works it contains have a wide chronological span stretching approximately 
from the 1540s to the very end of the century or the beginning of the next one. This 
particular early repertory can be often traced out in sources from the last decades of the 
century. The contemporary pieces often belong to persons little-known or even completely 
unknown today. Music originating from the 1560s and 1570s predominates with regard 
to both authority and quantity. (3) The highest degree of authority in the Wurstisen Lute 
Book belongs to Orlando di Lasso. This is not surprising, bearing in mind the high regard 
and glittering career Lasso enjoyed in his lifetime. Lute arrangements of his music, both 
sacred and secular, form a significant part of the repertory from the second half of the 
century. In this respect Wurstisen shared the common tastes and preferences of his milieu. 
Melchior Neusidler emerges as a second celebrity respected and copied by Wurstisen. 
The exact contemporary of Lasso, this great lutenist belonged to the most prominent vir-
tuosos of his time and was especially influential in central Europe. (4) The concordances 
clearly reveal some of the sources on which Wurstisen drew and the sources that might 
have been copied from, or influenced by Wurstisen. As a result of the research presented 
here, the print by Phalèse (1571
6
) and probably Neusidler (1574
5
) emerge as very possible 
sources accessible to the scribe. All the pieces originating from Melchior Neusidler’s print 
(1566
2–3
) find themselves copied in Phalèse (1571
6
). That notwithstanding, certain pieces in 
Wurstisen are clearly concordant with the latter, whereas in the former a different version 
of the same piece is published (Vray dieu is such an example). This leads to a conclusion 
that Wurstisen probably had access to Phalèse (1571
6
), but not to Neusidler (1566
2
).
The Wurstisen Lute Book demonstrates an indisputable relationship with Jean 
Baptiste Besard’s Thesaurus. If, as is assumed, the former precedes the latter by about a 
decade, how was it possible that the student in Basel had in his hands music printed only 
much later, if he had not earlier been in contact with Besard and his circle? Moreover, 
the manner of distribution of the Wurstisen source among its eight “books” according to 
genre offers another clear parallel with Besard’s print (and with the Hainhoffer Lute Book 
as well), while the same is not evident in earlier lute collections.
These conclusions naturally need additional proofs, but they already suggest possible 
interrelationships between personalities and sources in the very late sixteenth century. The 
investigation also evidences the uncertain and flexible meaning of marks and inscriptions, 
which we are often tempted to interpret too readily as the initials of composers (rather 
than of arrangers, owners or places of origin).

203
Yavor Genov: Authorship and Attribution in the Wurstisen Lute Book
Appendix
Table
Concordances and cognates of Wurtisen lute book. The sign 
*
 will be used for cognates. All call 
numbers of the concordances listed here are reproduced exactly as named in the database of 
Peter Steuer and Markus Lutz, cited above in footnote 18.
Number 
in source
Title Concordances
†
 and/or cognates
24 Praembulum Equitis. 
Rom.
*
D-LEm, II.6.15, untitled, 62; CZ-Pnm, IV .G.8, Tocata, 
fol. 43v; Besard (1603), Praelud. Equitis Romani, fol. 
10v; GB-Cu, Add.3056, Exercitiu(m) Equitis Romani, 
fol. 29v; PL-Kj, 40143, Fuga equitis Romani, fol. 33v; 
D-Dl, 1-V-8 (Loss), Praeambulum del Cavaglier del 
liuto, fol. 75v; D-W, Guelf. 18.7, III., Praeambulum, fol. 7v
25 (1) Orland. Benedicam 
Dominum. Prima Pars
M. Neusidler (1566
3
), 10;
 
D-Mbs, 1627, fol. 3v; Phalèse, 
1571
6
,
 
fol. 89v; Neusidler (1573
1
), G4r; Kargel (1586
5
), 
fol. 28v
In Domino laudabitur. 
Secunda Pars.
M. Neusidler (1566
3
), 12; D-Mbs, 1627, fol. 4v; Phalèse 
(1571
6
), fol. 90v; Neusidler (1573
1
), G4r; Kargel (1586
5
), 
fol. 29v
26 (3) Omnia quae fecisti. 
Orland.
Neusidler (1566
3
), 2; Phalèse (1571
6
), fol. 84v; Neusidler 
(1573
1
), F4r; Kargel (1586
5
), fol. 18v; D-B, 40632, fol. 
43v
27 (4) In me transierunt. 
Orland.
Neusidler (1566
3
), 6; Phalèse (1571
6
), fol. 85v; Neusidler 
(1573
1
), G1v
29 (1) Fantasia Besard (1603), Fantasia Alberti Dlugorai Poloni, fol. 
27r
30 (2) Fantasia CH-Bu, F.IX.70, 56; I-Fn, Magl.XIX.168, fol. 11v [Ness, 
Lute Music, no. 84]; Mertel (1615), 140; Crema (1546
10
), 
B4v [Ness App. 14]; Phalèse (1549
8
), B2r; Gerle (1552
1
), 
C1r
32 (4) Fantasie
*
B-Br, II.275, fol. 37r [Ness, Lute Music, no. 75]
35 (7) Fantasia (on “Vestiva i 
colli”)
Adriaenssen (1584
6
), fol. 35r; Adriaenssen (1592
6
), fol. 
21v; Adriaenssen (1600), fol. 18v; B-Br, 16.663, fol. 9v; 
Besard (1603), fol. 43v; CDN-Mc, fol. 56r; D-Dl, 1-V-8, 
fol. 3v; D-W, Guelf. 18.7, II.38v; Galilei (1568
2
), 15; 
Galilei (1584), 26; GB-H, AC23, 22; GB-Lbl, Add29247, 
fol. 43r; I-COc, 1-1-20, fol. 82v; I-Moe, C311, fol. 41r; 
I-PE, Salb2-33, fol. 29v; I-PE, Salb2-34, fol. 85v; I-PE, 
Salb2-34, fol. 94v; Melii(III) (1616), 25; NL-Lt, 1666, 
fol. 182r; PL-Kj, 40032, 10, 12; Rude (1600), B4v; Terzi 
(1593
7
),
 
19
36 (8) Fantasia M. N. Mertel (1615), 52

De musica disserenda XIX/2 • 2023
204
Number 
in source
Title Concordances
†
 and/or cognates
38 (10) Fantasia M. N. GB-Cu, Add.3056, Fantasia Laurentini, fol. 21v; Besard 
(1603), Fantasia Laurenc., fol. 14r
41 (13) Fantasia
‡
Drusina (1556
2
), A4r;
 
Waissel (1592
12
), G3r;
 
Besard (1603), 
fol. 35r; UA-LVu, 1400, fol. 44r
42 (14) Fantasia Besard (1603), Preal. Iac. Reys, fol. 10r; Mertel (1615), 
53 [Praeludiae]
43 (15) Fantasia M. N. B-Br, 275, fol. 97v; D-LEm, 6-15, III.10v; D-W, Guelf. 
18.7, Phantasia Fabritius Dentici, III.10v; D-Mbs, 266, 
fol. 93v; PL-Kj, 40598, fol. 31v; A-Wn, S.M.8967, fol. 4r; 
Neusidler (1574
5
), N2v
46 (18) Fantasia Jud. 
Wormaciensis G. L.
Adriaenssen (1584
6
), fol. 4r; Adriaenssen (1600), fol. 4r; 
D-KNh, R 242, Fantasia Emanuelis Adriani, fol. 28r; 
D-Lr, 2000, 41; D-Ngm, 33748-1, fol. 80v; NL-Lt, 1666, 
fol. 156r; D-KA, Mus.Bd.A.678, fol. 20v
47 (19) Fantasia Commune 
D. M.
CH-Bu, F.IX.70, 41; I-Fn, Magl.XIX.168, fol. 11v [Ness, 
Lute Music, no. 84]; Mertel (1615), 140; Crema (1546
10
), 
B4v [Ness App. 14]; Phalèse (1549
8
), B2r; Gerle (1552
1
), 
C1r
48 Fantasia di Napoli CH-Bu, F.IX.70, Ricercar, 77
51 Fantasia Belissima Mertel (1615), 239
53 (3) Si purdi guardo
*
CH-Bu, F.IX.70, Allein nach dir Herr, 96, 320; D-W, 
Guelf. 18.7 I., Allein nach dir Herr, fols. 25v, 26v; 
Gorzanis (1563
8
), fol. 60r; IRL-Dtc, 410-1, Si pur ti 
guardo, 30, 76, 105; Jobin (1572), B1v; NL-Lt, 1666, 
Si pur ti guardo, fols. 167r, 168r; Phalèse (1552
11
), 34; 
Phalèse (1563
12
), fol. 37r; Phalèse (1568
7
), fol. 26r; 
Phalèse (1571
6
), Si pur ti guardo, fol. 58r; PL-Kj, 40032, 
Se pur ti guardo, 72; Rotta (1546
15
), Se pur ti, fol. 35r; 
Waissel (1573
3
), Se pour ti, C4r
54 (4) Je prens en gre Drusina (1556
2
), 28; Heckel (1556
5
), fol. 137r
*
; Jobin 
(1572
1
), D2r
*
; Phalèse (1545
5
), 62
*
; Phalèse (1547
9
), 
A2r
*
; Phalèse (1549
8
), E1v
*
; Phalèse (1552
11
), 23
*
; 
Phalèse (1563
12
), fol. 13v
*
; Phalèse (1568
7
), fol. 19v
*
; 
Phalèse (1571
6
), fol. 27v
*
; Waissel (1573
3
), D2r
*
Table
(continued)

205
Yavor Genov: Authorship and Attribution in the Wurstisen Lute Book
55 (5) Dulce memorie CH-Bu, F.IX.70, 83; D-B, 40632, fol. 18v
*
; D-Mbs, 
266, fols. 52r, 90v
*
; D-DEl, BB 12150, fol. 74v; D-Mbs, 
2987, fol. 10v; Drusina (1556
2
), 59
*
; Heckel (1556
5
), 
152
*
; IRL-Dtc, 410-1, 110
*
; NL-Lt, 1666, fol. 173r; 
Phalèse (1547
9
), C3r
*
; Phalèse (1549
8
), F2v
*
; Phalèse 
(1552
11
), 50
*
; Phalèse (1563
12
), fol. 15r
*
; Phalèse (1568
7
), 
fol. 13v
*
; Phalèse (1571
6
), fol. 23v
*
; Phalèse (1574
7
), fol. 
22r
*
; PL-Kj, 40032, 86
*
; PL-Kj, 40598, fol. 57v
*
; Rippe 
(1562
9
), fol. 8v
*
; Waissel (1573
3
), C2v
56 (6) Gott is mein Liecht
*
A-Wn, 19259, fol. 10v; NL-Lt, 1666, fol. 155v; Phalèse 
(1563
12
), fol. 36r; Phalèse (1568
7
), fol. 26v; Phalèse 
(1571
6
), fol. 32r; PL-Kj, 40598, fol. 58v; Waissel 
(1573
3
), B2v
57 (7) Orcum bien (= O 
combien est)
*
Phalèse (1546
18
), fol. 12v; Phalèse (1571
6
), fol. 21v
58 (8) La cortesia Phalèse (1571
6
), fol. 52v; Kargel (1574
1
), D4v
59 (9) In Meyenn CH-Bu, F.IX.70, 74
*
; D-LEm, 6-15, XI.17v
*
62 (12) Recercar Waissel (1592
11
), Fantasia 4, G4r
63 (13) Recercar CH-Bu, F.IX.70, Fantasia di Napoli, 57
66 (16) Susanne ung jour. A 
cinq. Orland.
Adriaenssen (1592
6
), fol. 17r
*
; Besard (1603), fol. 57v
*
; 
D-Mbs, 266, fol. 13v; Neusidler (1566
3
), 18; Neusidler 
(1573
1
), H4r; Phalèse (1571
6
), fol. 71v; PL-Kj, 40032, 46
*
68 (18) Proficiat. alio modo. Jobin (1573
2
), Dantz Proficiat, fol. 22r
70 (20) Bon jour mon coeur. 
Orland.
Phalèse (1571
6
), fol. 50v
71 (21) Bon jour mon coeur. 
Orlando Lassus. M.N.
Neusidler (1574
5
), fol. 53r
72 (22) Bon jour mon coeur. 
Orland.
Kargel (1574
1
), B3v
73 (23) Madonna mia pieta. 
Orland.
CH-Bu, F.IX.70, 100
*
; Phalèse (1571
6
), fol. 52r; Kargel 
(1574
1
), D4; D-Sl, G.I.4(2), fol. 57r
74 (24) Sto core mio. Orland. Phalèse (1571
6
), fol. 52v
76 (26) Avecques vous. Orland. Neusidler (1566
2
),
 
12; Neusidler (1573
1
), C3r; Phalèse 
(1571
6
), fol. 46r; Adriaenssen (1584
6
), fol. 15v
*
81 (31) Languir me fait Gerle (1546
9
), V2r; D-Mbs, 266, fol. 128v; D-Mbs, 272, 
fol. 11r
*
; Waissel (1573
3
), C2r
*
83 (33) Vray Dieu disoit. 
Orlando.
A-Wn, 19259, fol. 6r; D-Dl, 1-V-8, fols. 91v, 92r; Denss 
(1594
5
), fol. 93v
*
; LeRoy (1574
2
), fol. 48r; NL-Lt, 1666, 
fol. 197v; Phalèse (1563
12
), fol. 30r; Phalèse (1568
7
), fol. 
37r; Phalèse (1571
6
), 44; PL-Kj, 40032, 90
85 (35) O s’io potessi donna Neusidler (1566
2
), 2; Neusidler (1573
1
), B2r; Phalèse 
(1568
7
), fol. 31v; Phalèse (1571
6
), fol. 55v

De musica disserenda XIX/2 • 2023
206
Number 
in source
Title Concordances
†
 and/or cognates
96 (45) Mentrogo compai CH-Bu, F.IX.70, 105
*
; Besard (1603), fol. 42r
*
; D-Sl, 
G.I.4(2), fol. 49r
*
; D-KNh, R 242, fol. 253v
*
; Denss 
(1594
5
), fol. 24r; D-W, Guelf. 18.7, II.13v; Waissel 
(1592
12
), G1v
*
97 (46) Il cor che mi rubasti D-Dl, 1-V-8, fol. 73r; D-W, Guelf. 18.7, II.14v; Denss 
(1594
5
), fol. 25r
105 J’aij trouve CH-Bu, F.IX.70, Branle J’ai trouve, 318
*
; Besard (1603), 
fol. 81v
107a (1) Passemezo (p. 114) Wecker (1552
10
), e1v
107b Il sua Saltarello (p. 
115)
Wecker (1552
10
), e2v
110 Passomezzo Laurentii 
(p. 118)
CH-Bu, F.IX.70, Passomezo Laurenz. A.F ., 232
111 Passomezzo dela 
Galliarde
(p. 120)
CH-Bu, F.IX.70, Gagliarda, 304
113a (3) Passomezo (p. 122) I-BDG, Chilesotti, 22
113b Saltarello (p. 123) I-BDG, Chilesotti, 23
126 (6) Passomezzo
*
D-Lem, ms.II.6.15., Dlugorai Lute Book, 34
130a Passomezzo in Gg Adriaenssen (1592
5
), fol. 75v
130b Galliarda Adriaenssen (1592
5
), fol. 76v; D-Bhove 1, fol. 171r
130 Passomezzo in GG (p. 
148)
Tertia Parte
D-KNh, R242, fol. 18r
142 (1) Passomezzo CH-Bu, F.IX.70, 162; CH-Bu, F. X.11, fol. 14r
143a (2) Passomezzo DK-Kk, Thott 841, fol. 122v
154b (13) Saltarello DK-Kk, Thott 841, fols. 133r, 134r
156 (15) Passomezzo D-KNh, R 242, fol. 160r
174a Passomezzo Adriaenssen (1592
5
), fol. 77r
174b Galliarda Adriaenssen (1592
5
), fol. 78r
180 (4) Saltarello CH-Bu, F.IX.23, fol. 12r
*
185 (1) Passomezzo CH-Bu, F.IX.70, 202
186 (2) Passomezzo D-LEm, 6-6 IV , fol. 12v
193 (9) Passomezzo Waissel (1591
13
), H3v
*
194 (10) Passomezzo CH-Bu, F.IX.70, 225
219 (3) Ein polischer Tantz
*
CH-Bu, F.IX.70, Potorae Königin Inn Polen Tantz, 288
Table
(continued)

207
Yavor Genov: Authorship and Attribution in the Wurstisen Lute Book
225 (9) Ich bin zu lange 
gewesenn
*
DK-Kk, Thott 841, fols. 56v, 57r; Waissel (1592
12
), G1r
226 (10) Tantz
*
CH-Bu, F.IX.11, Salve puella, fol. 5v
227 (11) Les bouffons
*
CH-Bu, F.IX.70, 240; CH-Bu, F.IX.11, fol. 19v
231 (15) Buss beyss mich nicht
*
CH-Bu, F.IX.70, 257; CH-Bu, F.X.11, fol. 12r; D-W, 
Guelf. 18.8, IV .38v; Dalza (1508
2
), Pavana alla 
venetiana, fol. 11v; Gardano (1611), Bassa imperial, 25; 
Negri (1604), Bassa imperial, 206
238 (23) Was wöllen wir uff
*
CH-Bu, F.IX.23, fol. 15r; DK-Kk, Thott 841, fol. 57r
239 a, b 
(24)
Was wöllen wir uff CH-Bu, F.X.11, fol. 17v; D-W, Guelf. 18.8, IV .32v
*
242 (27) Dantz Hecke (1556
5
), 121
244 (29) Jungfrauw Christina 
dantz
CH-Bu, F.IX.70, 255
245 (30) Studiosorum chorea CH-Bu, F.IX.23, Studenten tantz, fol. 8v
*
; CH-Bu, 
F.X.11, fol. 8r; CH-Bu, F.X.11, Helena tantz; D-KNh,  
R 242, fol. 217v; D-W, Guelf. 18.8, IV .39v
*
; DK-Kk, 
Thott 841, fol. 76r
*
247 (32) Studiosorum chorea. 
Alio modo
DK-Kk, Thott 841, fol. 76r
*
249 (34) Man ladt uns
*
Adriaenssen (1584
6
), Almande de don Federico, fol. 86v; 
CH-Bu, F.IX.70, 248, 249; D-B, 40141, fol. 94r; D-Dl, 
M297, 74; D-Hvonbusch, Herhold, fol. 16v; D-Kl, 
Montbuysson, fol. 26v; D-KNh, R 242, fol. 228v; Hove 
(1601), fol. 100v
250 (35) Man ladt uns. Alio 
modo
*
D-W, Guelf. 18.8, IV .3, fols. 20v, 3r; Waissel (1573
3
), 
M1v
253 (38) Schwartzknab der 
Hoffdantz
*
CH-Bu, F.IX.23, fol. 13v; D-B, 40588, 63, 72; D-KA, 
Au1, fols. 2r, 5r; D-Mbs, 1512, fol. 44v; D-Rou, Med3, 
fol. 148r; D-Usch, 131b, fol. 4v; Heckel (1556
5
), 153
254 (39) Der Bettler dantz
*
A-Wn, 41950, fol. 12v; D-B, 40588, 71; D-Mbs, 1512, 
fol. 49v; Heckel (1556
5
), 151; Newsidler (1547
4
), C3v; 
PL-Kj, W510, fol. 45r; PL-Wrk, 352, fol. 65v
256 (41) Jungfrauw Gretta dantz Waissel (1591
13
), Е3v
258 (43) Mit lieb bin ich 
umbfangenn
*
CH-Bu, F.X.11, fol. 16r; D-DEl, BB 12150, fol. 46v;  
PL-Kj, 40143, fol. 93v
262 (46) Ich weiss mir ein 
stoltze Müllerin
Jobin (1573
2
), Dantz, fol. 27v; Newsidler (1540
1
), B1v
*
; 
Newsidler (1544
3
), C2v
*
; Newsidler (1547
4
), B4v
*
264 (49) Chorea
*
D-KNh, R 242, fol. 217v
267 (52) Dantz Jobin (1573
2
), fol. 26v
271 (56) Heckherlin
*
DK-Kk, Thott 841, fol. 76v

De musica disserenda XIX/2 • 2023
208
Number 
in source
Title Concordances
†
 and/or cognates
283 (68) Ein lieblicher guther 
dantz. M.N.
Neusidler (1574
5
), K2r
284 (69) Wo geht die 
Bamberger
*
Newsidler (1544
3
), B2v; Newsidler (1547
4
), B2v
301 (77) Der Marüschcat dantz
*
D-Mbs, 1512, fol. 46v; Heckel (1556
5
), 147
304 (80) Venus du und dein 
kind
*
Waissel (1592
12
), G1
305 (81) Venus du. Alio modo
*
D-B, 40141, fol. 85r; D-Sl, G.I.4(1), fol. 39v
313 (89) Ganz lustig
*
D-W, Guelf. 18.8 IV .20v, fol. 33r
314 (90) Ich gieng einmal 
spazieren
*
D-Sl, G.I.4(1), fol. 40r
321 (97) Wolauff gut gesell
*
D-B, 40141, fol. 78r; DK-Kk, Thott 841, fol. 52v
325 (101) Dein bin ich einmal frei D-KNh, R 242, fol. 58v
*
; D-W, Guelf. 18.7, II.36v
*
;  
DK-Kk, Thott 841, fol. 50r
331 (107) Ach meidlin fahr CH-Bu, F.X.11, fol. 10v; D-Usch, 131b, fol. 3v
*
332 (108) Wie möcht ich frölich CH-Bu, F.IX.70, 244; Newsidler (1574
5
), K4r
*
; PL-Kj, 
40598, fol. 128v
*
341 (117) Hennen dantz
*
D-W, Guelf. 18.8., fol. 43r
342 (118) Dantz
*
D-W, Guelf. 18.8 / IV .19r; DK-Kk, Thott 841, fol. 63v; 
Terzi (1599
11
), 22
346 (122) Es ist ein bawr
*
DK-Kk, Thott 841, fol. 77r
348 (124) Ach hertziges hertz
*
D-W, Guelf. 18.7, II.18r; DK-Kk, Thott 841, fol. 21r; 
CH-Bu, F.IX.70, 264, 290
349 (125) Ach wehe mir ist D-KNh, R 242, fol. 65v
353 (129) Ich gieng einmal
*
CH-Bu, F.IX.70, Allemande, 283; CH-Bu, F.IX.70, 
Dantz, 285; CZ-Pnm, XIII B 237, fol. 3v; D-LEm, 
6–15 / XIII., fols. 2v, 8v; D-Sl, G.I.4(1), fol. 40v, Ball 
Alemano; D-W, Guelf. 18.8 IV ., fol. 23v, Deutscher 
Dantz; F-Pn, 29, Principio della Monicha, fol. 4r; F-Pn, 
941, Allemande, fol. 9r; I-Fn, XIX30, fol. 5v; I-Nc, 7664, 
fol. 70v; I-PE, Salb, Ms. 2–34, fol. 84r; I-PE, Salb, Ms. 
2–34, fol. 86v; I-PES, Ms. C–b14, fol. 2v; LT-Vs,  
Ms. 285-MF-LXXIX, fol. 2v
374 Bransle d’Angleterre D-KNh, R 242, fol. 204r
375 Courante CZ-Pnm, IV G 18, fol. 32v; D-B, 4022, fol. 43v
378 Chorea Austriaca à 
Besardo composta
Besard (1603), Allemande, fol. 133r
Table
(continued)

209
Yavor Genov: Authorship and Attribution in the Wurstisen Lute Book
379 Courante de Mons: 
Bocquet tres excellente
Besard (1603), Courante de seur Jacob Reys, fol. 159r
381 Chorea Polonica 
Diomedis Poloni
Besard (1603), fol. 138v
382 Ballet de Mons. de 
Varennes
Besard (1603), fol. 149r; PL-Kj, 40143, fol. 60v
383 Branle de Poictou Besard (1603), fol. 141v
385 Ach liebste Besard (1603), Galliarda Ioannis Dooland, fol. 120v; 
D-Dl, 1-V-8, fol. 14v
*
; D-Ngm, 33748-1, fol. 16r
*
; GB-Cu, 
Dd 2.11, fol. 99v
*
; GB-Cu, Dd 4.22, fol. 6v
*
; GB-Cu, Dd 
9.33, fol. 4r
*
; GB-Ge, 25, fol. 21r
*
; GB-H, AB1, fol. 95v
*
; 
GB-Lam, 603, fol. 16r
*
; GB-Lbl, Add38539, fol. 15v
*
; 
GB-Lcm, Loan 2029-01, fol. 7v
*
; IRL-Dtc, 408-1, 17
*
387 V olte d. Be Besard (1603), fol. 160r
388 V olte Alberti Besard (1603), Villanellae Alberti Dlugorai, fol. 48r; 
D-KNu, 6745, Villanella Polo, 10
391 (2) Galliarde D-Lem, 6-15, VI, fol. 16v
395 (6) Galliarde Noricirum CH-Bu, F.IX.70, 311
401 (12) Galliarde
*
 (Cara Cosa) D-Mbs, 266, fol. 31v; D-Mbs, 272, fol. 7v; D-Z, 115-3, 7; 
Waissel (1592
12
), E3v
401 (14) Alio modo (Cara Cosa) A-Wn, 18688, fol. 25r
*
; Abondante (1546
1
), C1v
*
; 
Bianchini (1546
5
), C1v
*
; CH-Bu, F.IX.23, fol. 16r; 
D-Mbs, 1511b, fols. 12v
*
, 22r
*
; D-Mbs, 266, fol. 30r
*
; 
D-Mbs, 270, fol. 3v
*
; D-Mbs, 270, fol. 3v
*
; Gerle 
(1552
1
), N1r
*
; IRL-Dtc, 410-1, 175
401 (15) Alio modo (Cara Cosa) CH-Bu, F.IX.23, fol. 6r; D-Mbs, 266, fols. 30v
*
, 31r
*
; 
D-W, Guelf. 18.7, II.49r; D-Z, 115_3, 6; NL-Lt, 1666, 
fol. 4v
*
; PL-WRk, 352, fol. 75v
402 (16) Galliarde (Val Cercha) D-B, 40141, fol. 93v
*
; F-LYm, 6244, fol. 12v
*
; LeRoy 
(1568
3
), Gaillard Milanoise, fol. 36v; NL-Lt, 1666, fol. 
24r; Phalèse (1568
7
), fol. 82r; Waissel (1573
3
), L4v; 
DK-Kk, Thott 841, 51av; Morlaye (1558
3
), Gaillarde 
piemontoise, fol. 22r
404 (18) Galliarde D-KNh, R 242, fol. 136v
*
; I-Fgalileo, Ms.Gal. 6, 254
*
; 
Morlaye (1558
3
), fol. 22v
*
; Waissel (1592
12
), F3r
*
406 (20) Galliarde
*
D-W, Guelf. 18.8, VI.6v; Besard (1603), fol. 108v
407 (21) Galliarde
*
Waissel (1592
12
), F2v
414 (27) Bella Gagliarda
*
D-W, Guelf. 18.8, VI., fol. 12r
422 (29) Galliarda CH-Bu, F.IX.70, 309, Galliarda XXX
425 (31) Galliarda Barbetta (1585
1
), Saltarello O val cerca, 44; Jobin 
(1573
2
), fol. 14r; Phalèse (1568
7
), Gailliarda la Royne 
d’escosse, fol. 82r
*

De musica disserenda XIX/2 • 2023
210
Number 
in source
Title Concordances
†
 and/or cognates
pp. 312–
313
§
Courente D-KNh, R 242, fol. 186r
450 Galliarda Anglicana Barbetta (1585
1
), Saltarello O che doni, 48
456 (4) Danckhet dem Herren D-B, 4022, 19v; D-B, 40141, 17r; D-LEm, 11-26, 5; 
D-W, Guelf. 18.7, I.68r
457 (5) Auss dieffer noth schrei D-B, 40141, fol. 101v; D-B, 40588, 6
456 (6) O Mensch bewein dein 
Sünde gross
*
D-W, Guelf. 18.7, I.21r
457 (7) Herr Christ der einig 
Gottes Sohn
*
A-LIa, 475, fol. 91v; D-B, 40141, fol. 101r; DK-Kk, 
Thott 841, fol. 147r; LT-Vs, Ms.285–MF-LXXIX, fol. 
73r
461 (9) Ein veste Burckh
*
A-LIa, 475, fol. 90r
462 (10) Ach Gott von Himel 
sieh darin
*
D-B, 40588, 37
466 (14) Der Tag der ist so 
fröudenn reich
CH-Bu, F.IX.23, fol. 17v
468 Mon Dieu IRL-Dtc, 410–1, 156
471 Chorea Anglicana A.F. CH-Bu, F.IX.70, Galliarda Anglicana, 319; D-LEm, 
6–15, X.13r
474 Galliarda A.F. D-LEm, 6–15, VI.2v
476 Der Englisch Roland
*
Besard (1603), Allemande, fol. 134v; CZ-Pnm, 
XIIIB237, Onactbas Voulandt, fol. 3r; D-LEm, 6–15, 
X.4v; D-W, Guelf. 18.8, IV .36r; DK-Kk, Thott 841, fol. 
12v; GB-Cu, Dd211, My Lord Willoughby’ s Welcome 
Home, fol. 14v; GB-Lam, 602, fol. 11v; GB-Lbl, 
Eg2046, fol. 33v; GB-Ob, Top90, fol. 99v; Hove (1601), 
fol. 107v; Robinson (1603), 39; US-Ws, Vb280, fol. 9v
477 Galliarda Adriaenssen (1592
6
), fol. 57v
478 Galliarda D-LEm, 6-15 X, fol. 21r
480 V olte
*
A-Lia, 475, fol. 68v; Waissel (1591
13
), E3r
† 
Quotations of printed instrumental sources follow the bibliography of Howard Mayer Brown 
Instrumental Music Printed before 1600 (1979), or else indicate the year of publication.
‡
 Wurstisen’s fantasia no. 9 shares the same first four bars, but its further development differs.
§
 Page numbers are given in the first column in the single instance (Courente) where a piece is 
unnumbered.
Table
(continued)

211
Yavor Genov: Authorship and Attribution in the Wurstisen Lute Book
Bibliography
Brown, Howard Mayer. Instrumental Music Printed before 1600: A Bibliography. Cambridge, 
MA: Harvard University Press, 1979. https://doi.org/10.4159/harvard.9780674731677.
Coelho, Victor. “The Reputation of Francesco da Milano (1497–1543) and the Ricercars 
in the Cavalcanti Lute Book”. Revue belge de Musicologie 50 (1996): 49–72. https://
doi.org/10.2307/3687037.
Griffiths, John, and Dinko Fabris. Neapolitan Lute Music. Middleton, WI: A-R Editions, 
Inc., 2004. https://doi.org/10.31022/R140.
Kmetz, John. Die Handschriften der Universitätsbibliothek Basel: Katalog der 
Musikhandschriften des 16. Jahrhunderts. Basel: Verlag der Universitätsbibliothek, 1988.
Leszczyńska, Agnieszka. “Emanuel Wurstisen, His Tablature and Links to Poland: Lute 
Music with Medicine in the Background”. Muzyka 65, no. 2 (2020): 3–24. https://
doi.org/10.36744/m.445.
Ness, Arthur J., ed. The Lute Music of Francesco Canova da Milano (1497–1543). 
Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1970.
Robinson, John H., ed. Fantasias and Recercars for Renaissance Lute. V ol. 3, Lute Fantasias 
and Recercars Transcribed from Manuscripts in German Tablature c. 1580–1620. 
Lübeck: Tree Edition, 2012.
———. “Lorenzino’s Preludes and Toccatas”. The Lutezine: Supplement to Lute News 
118 (2016): 1–124.
———. “Music Ascribed to A. F. in Basel F.IX.70”. Music supplement to Lute News 60 
(2001): 1–12.
———. “Vicenzo Bernia of Bologna”. Music supplement to Lute News 106 (2013): 1–27.

De musica disserenda XIX/2 • 2023
212
UGOTA VLJANJE A VTORSTV A V WURSTISENOVI  
KNJIGI LUTENJSKIH TABULATUR 
 
Povzetek 
Emanuel Wurstisen je sijajni rokopis z lutenjsko glasbo domnevno sestavil v letih med 1591 
in 1594, ko je študiral medicino na univerzi v Baslu. Knjiga vsebuje več sto skladb, ki so 
po zvrsteh razdeljene v osem sklopov oziroma knjig. Avtorji so navedeni na sorazmerno 
majhnemu številu skladb in ostajajo večinoma neznani. Tovrstne zbirke so bile navadno 
ustvarjene za osebno rabo kompilatorjev, ki se jim ni zdelo potrebno posebej zabeležili 
imen skladateljev. Kadar pa je ime izrecno omenjeno, ima to poseben pomen.
Pričujoča raziskava se posveča predvsem tistim skladbam, pri katerih je avtor zabe-
ležen z začetnicami ali pa s celim imenom, in skuša ugotoviti oziroma pojasniti njihov 
pomen. Predstavljene so glasbene poti, ki vodijo do rokopisa ali iz njega. Članek pozornost 
namenja nekaterim začetnicam in virom, ki jih skuša kontekstualno osvetliti: prvič glede 
poti glasbe in repertoarja, priljubljenega v srednji Evropi v času pozne renesanse, drugič 
v luči analize prepisovalčevih oznak, ki jih lahko razumemo kot navedbe avtorja ali pa 
tudi česa drugega, tretjič v primerjavi različnih virov iste skladbe, ki so včasih pripisane 
različnim avtorjem; vprašanje je, če smemo Wurstisenove oznake razumeti kot zanesljive 
namige, ki navajajo prave avtorje skladb, saj so med njimi tudi take, ki se pojavljajo samo 
v njegovi zbirki. In četrtič se je treba vprašati tudi to, do katerih virov je Wurstisen lahko 
dostopal, ko je pripravljal svojo knjigo, in kako si lahko razlagamo povezavo z viri, ki so 
bili natisnjeni več let po nastanku te knjige tabulatur.
Raziskava dodatno osvetljuje tudi vprašanje vloge avtorstva v prenosu inštrumen-
talnega repertoarja poznega 16. stoletja, in kako nezanesljivo in prilagodljivo je lahko 
ugotavljanje avtorstva.