Düben Collection Database Catalogue

The Düben Collection Database Catalogue (DCDC) is a digitised catalogue presenting metadata and scanned facsimiles of the Düben Collection, a large and important collection of musical manuscripts and prints from the 17th and early 18th centuries. DCDC contains about 2,300 musical works in manuscript, mostly hand writings of liturgical vocal and instrumental music, and some 25 prints. The collection was obtained by the leaders of the Swedish Royal Court Orchestra during the Swedish Empire Period [1611-1721] and was donated to Uppsala University in 1732 by Anders von Düben. The position of Court Musician was held by various members of the Düben family from 1640 to 1718. Gustav Düben the Elder (1628-1690) is generally regarded as the main assembler of the collection, which contains works by more than 300 composers from Germany, Italy, France, Poland, England, the Baltic countries and Sweden, beside a large number of anonymous works. The Collection remained untouched for a long time and was therefore intact from the time of the donation. It includes a large amount of vocal music by Buxtehude and many other German church musicians. The collection reflects the musical life in the cities around the Baltic Sea, but it also includes many pieces of Italian, English and French music. French opera repertoire from Lully's time is the biggest profane part of the collection. DCDC is a dynamic and open resource. It will be continuously updated with new data, representing the state of the art of relevant research. The Catalogue is managed by the Department of Musicology at Uppsala University. Purpose: The aim of the Düben Collection Database Catalogue is to provide a searchable database for the collection.