First modern edition: John Reading's Five Anthems for Solo Voice

English composer and organist John Reading (c.1685–1764) published A Book of new Anthems Containing a Hundred Plates fairly Engraven with a Thorough Bass figur’d for the Organ or Harpsichord in c.1715. The title-page states that the collection was available ‘By Subscription’ only, and in the prefatory Advertisement the composer explains why: ‘‘Tis a very hard, tho usual Case, that when A Person has with great Labour and Study Compleated A Work of this Nature, Others should Pirate upon him and run away with its Profit’; he was thereby ensuring that the public would be spared ’Spurious and Incorrect Copies’ and that he himself would receive his just rewards.

John Reading's Five Anthems for Solo Voice is published by Edition HH.