Eighteenth-Century Music in Swedish Libraries. A Database Catalogue

Engelhart’s collection

The collection includes the music library of Hinrich Christopher Engelhart (1694–1765) and comprises approximately 750 numbers. It contains in main the repertoire for the academic ensemble in Uppsala 1727–1764, the time Engelhart was active there. The collection includes, among other repertoire, church music and music for academic ceremonies, composed both by himself and by well-known contemporary composers. In 1798, his son Carl Diedrich donated his father’s music collection to the Academic Orchestra in Lund, where it is now kept together in Lund University Library.

Eighteenth-century music in Uppsala University Library

In addition to specific music collections in Uppsala University Library, such as the Kraus collection, there is a large amount of eighteenth-century manuscript music in the library. The provenances of these musical manuscripts has not been fully ascertained. A smaller part originates from the end of the 1760s and the 1770s, when the university music was led by director musices Nils Litzelius (1734–1783).

Hallardt’s collection

The music collection of Johan Fredrik Hallardt (c. 1726–1794). The postmaster in Wismar (then Swedish) Hallardt was a diligent music collector but also a music lexicographer. The collection contains music manuscripts and printed music, and also some literature on music. The music repertoire dates from the 1660s to the 1790s. Purchased for the Swedish Royal Academy of Music in 1795. The collection is preserved and shattered in the Musik- och teaterbiblioteket.

Utile Dulci’s collection

The collection includes the music library of the learned society Utile Dulci (1766–1795). The collection contains both instrumental and vocal music in print and manuscript, mainly by German and Italian composers. Donated to the Swedish Royal Academy of Music in about 1806. The collection is preserved and shattered in the Musik- och teaterbiblioteket.

”The Roman Collection”

The collection includes works by and music copied by Johan Helmich Roman (1694–1758) and has been created by bringing together works by Roman taken from other collections in the library of the Swedish Royal Academy. The largest contributions to the collection come from the organist in Kalmar Anders Holmberg’s donation in 1858 and from the Utile Dulci music library. The collection was compiled, arranged and rebound in 1929 and is kept together in the Musik- och teaterbiblioteket.