Abstract
The two predominant sacred genres of French and Russian baroque music are compared in relation to authorship/anonymity. The well-developed French publishing activity and the then existing market of musical manuscripts led to prevailing of authorial works. In Russia, the development both of publishing activity and musical manuscripts selling soon brought the authorship/anonymity proportion near to the French level. However, during the baroque era the information on the authorship usually circulated orally, together with rear indications in manuscripts, including those by initials. Moreover, the tradition to name the author of an arrangement as the only author of the work was still alive.