NAUDOT (Jacques-Christophe). Chansons notées... - Lot 98 - Pescheteau-Badin

NAUDOT (Jacques-Christophe). Chansons notées de la très vénérable confrérie des Francs Maçons. Preceded by a few pieces of poetry appropriate to the subject, and a march. S.l.n.n., 1737-[1744]. In-12, granite brown basane, spine ribbed, cloisonné and fleuronné with black title page, filleted edges, marbled edges (period binding). 91-(one)-(3) pp, "Table du premier recueil" and "Marche des Franches-Maçonnes" bound at the end of the volume after the "table du second recueil"; binding a little rubbed with one headband, two spine ends and corners worn, title-piece renewed. THE FIRST COLLECTIVE EDITION OF THIS COLLECTION ENTIRELY ENGRAVED ON COPPER. THE FIRST FRENCH MASONIC CHANSONNIER. It contains Masonic songs with notated music (doubtless sometimes composed by Naudot), some of which are taken from Anderson's Constitutions, with the notated music published in the English original of 1723, but in texts from the French translation that Johan Kuenen had just published (without music) in 1736. It also includes two three-part instrumental marches composed by Naudot, one "des Francs-Maçons", the other "des Franches-Maçonnes". A RICH AND COMPLEX PUBLISHING HISTORY. The book is in two parts. The first, Chansons, appeared in various successive forms: in 1737, 32-page copies were put into circulation, and were the subject of 2 other editions, one perhaps authorized in Berlin by the Freemason bookseller and businessman Frédéric-Alexandre Fromery (Chansons notées de la très vénérable confrérie des Maçons Libres"), the other a counterfeit of this one. In the following months, enlarged copies of 40 pp. were published (a known copy of 39 pp. without the parodic text on p. 40 may simply be incomplete). An undated sequel to the Chansons, entitled Receuil [sic] de chansons nouvelles, appeared separately in 1744, with its own pagination. Also in 1744, a first collective edition was published (to which the present copy belongs), containing all the songs in continuous pagination: copies of the first collection printed in 1737 or withdrawn in 1744, followed by the second collection withdrawn with repaginated brass and corrected title ("Recueil" for "Receuil"). It was probably at this time that 3 additional unpaginated copperplates were engraved, the "Table du premier recueil" (one copperplate) and the "Marche des Franches-Maçonnes" (2 copperplates), as they were often bound, as here, after the "Table du second recueil". A second collective edition then appeared, dated 1744, with a new general title bearing the arms of the Comte de Clermont, elected Grand Master in December 1743, and with a dedication added to this eminent personality (2 copperplates, where Naudot apologizes for having delayed placing this tribute). THE FLUTIST AND COMPOSER JEAN-BAPTISTE NAUDOT (c. 1690-1762) WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS IN 1736 OF THE COUSTOS-VILLEROY LODGE, where he was the introducer of Louis-Nicolas Clérambault. The lodge was officially closed in 1737, following Cardinal Fleury's ban on Freemasonry, but secret meetings were still held, and Jacques-Christophe Naudot was caught in a police raid in 1740 and locked up for a time at the Fort-L'Évêque. EXTREMELY RARE.