The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book

The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book is a famous collection of keyboard music from late 16th and early 17th-century England. It features compositions for the virginal, a keyboard instrument similar to a small harpsichord, and showcases the musical styles of the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras. Comprising around 300 pieces by various composers, it provides valuable insight into the period's musical practices, decorative keyboard techniques, and the cultural importance of chamber music at the time. Preserved as a key historical manuscript, it remains a rich resource for understanding early English keyboard music.