[1] As motets, madrigals, and other choral music were originally published only in separate parts, it became necessary, for this object, to reproduce them in score.
The separate parts were difficult to obtain, and not in all cases correct; the editors had therefore a considerable amount of labour, and occasionally of thought, in making the scores.
Nevertheless, the duties were cheerfully undertaken by eminent musicians of the time, some of whom added biographies of the composers, or other interesting introductory matter, all without remuneration, as the object was a national one.
Besides the editors, there were many eminent musicians who assisted on the council and at the rehearsal of each work, being then occasionally called upon to advise in cases of doubtful notes.
[1] The society lasted seven years, and in its second year numbered nearly a thousand members, but they gradually fell away, chiefly alleging as reasons that the works were more fitted for societies than for private families, in which there are rarely a sufficient number of voices; and, secondly, that the books occupied too much space.