Song books

Collection history: The collection was acquired in 1935.
Size: The collection comprises ca. 3000 titles.
Accessibility: The books have been listed in the card catalogues and the online retrieval system. Most of the books can be found in the STCN. They can only be read at the Special Collections reading room.
More information: Marieke van Delft 070-3140329

Collection description

In 1935, the purchase took place of an important part of the famous music library of the late dr. D.F. Scheurleer. It consisted of his collection of song books and the corresponding reference works, which fitted in quite well with the collection of the Koninklijke Bibliotheek in that field. The majority of those songbooks date from before 1800. They have been shelved in cases 1-12. Scheurleer's printed and manuscript music books and his collection of historical musical instruments are presently in the Hague Municipal Museum.
The catalogue which Scheurleer compiled in 1924 of all his collections lists over 3000 volumes from the international song repertoire, with a broad geographical dispersal. Notable are amongst other the Geuzenliedboek (including the Dutchh national anthem "Wilhelmus") and the Souterliedekens (a 16th century rhymed version of the Psalms) in numerous 16th and 17th century editions; the Pseaumes de David (Marot and De Bèze) from 1556, etc. About the Souterliedekens Scheurleer wrote a comparative study of various editions which are kept scattered over the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium.

Literature

D.F. Scheurleer. De Souterliedekens. Bijdrage tot de geschiedenis der oudste Nederlandsche psalmberijming. Leiden 1898. Reprint Utrecht 1977.
D.F. Scheurleer. Nederlandsche liedboeken. 's-Gravenhage 1912. Supplement 1923. Reprint Utrecht 1977.
D.F. Scheurleer. Catalogus van de muziekwerken en de boeken over muziek. 's-Gravenhage 1923-1925. Signatuur LHO OD.A 31fb CMBM met bijgeschreven KB­signaturen.
J. Bos. 'D.F. Scheurleer'. In: Verzamelaars en verzamelingen. Koninklijke Bibliotheek 1798­1998. Zwolle 1998, p. 154-159.