Then comes in pencil a note probably made when the volumes came into the possession of the British Museum:-- "These are original MSS. by the hand of Bernardo Pasquini, 1637-1710, the greatest organist of Italy in the second half of the 17th century, and written for his nephew B. Ricordati. They are the only MSS. of Pasquini known to be in Europe. This vol. is dated at the end, Dec. 3, 1704; at the beginning, May 6, 1703." And now for its contents. The first piece is a short suite,[51] consisting of a Tastata (the old term for Prelude), a Corrente and an Aria; and it shows that Pasquini could write homophonic as well as polyphonic music. Then follows a piece in the key of D major, headed "A due Cembali, 1704, Bernardo Pasquini," which consists of three movements. First one commencing with chords, after which, fugal imitation. Next we have a fugal movement, like the preceding one, in common time; lastly, one in six-eight time. All three movements are in the same key. The part for each cembalo is written on a separate stave, the one below the other. Only the bass notes are written, and the upper parts are indicated by figures. But this will be clearer presently, for we shall give one or more illustrations. At the close of the six-eight movement is written _fine_, and on the following page another piece begins in C major, marked merely 2a, commencing thus:-- [Music illustration] This theme reminds one of Bach's Adagio from the 2nd Organ Concerto-- [Music illustration] or even Handel's "Along the Monster Atheist strode."[52] The movements of this second piece are similar in structure and character to those of the first. Next we have a piece of lighter character in two movements, and, apparently, for one cembalo: there is, of course, only one bass part (figured). At the commencement is merely marked _Basso continuo_. The following piece is headed 3a Sonata (3rd Sonata). It is in the key of D minor, and it has three movements, all in the same key. Now, as all the pieces for _two cembali_ in the volume after this are marked as sonatas, coupled with the fact that before this 3rd Sonata there are two pieces for two cembali, the latter of which is marked 2a (second), we may conclude that these two are also sonatas. The piece for one cembalo between the 2nd and 3rd Sonatas is, as we have remarked, of lighter character, and was possibly considered a suite. After the 3rd Sonata comes a fourth, then a _Basso continuo_ (containing, however, by exception, more than one suite), and so on, alternately, until the 14th Sonata is reached. Then follows the last piece in the volume. The superscription, "For one _or_ two cembali,"[53] leads us to believe that the preceding _Basso continuo_ numbers were intended for one cembalo. It should be stated that movements in binary form are rare among the sonatas, frequent among the _Basso continuo_ pieces,--another reason for considering the latter suites.