Montréal, McGill University - Rare Books and Special Collections - Manuscript Collection, MS Medieval 0087

Cantus Siglum

CDN-Mrb MS Medieval 0087

Holding Institution

Montréal, McGill University - Rare Books and Special Collections - Manuscript Collection (CDN-Mrb)

Manuscript/Print

Manuscript

Summary

Antiphonal, one leaf, probably German, late 15th century. 55 x 38 cm. Square notation in black ink on four-line staff, with partial rhythmic indications.

Liturgical Occasions

Ambrose (Eastertide); Common of one Martyr (Eastertide); Common of several Martyrs (Eastertide).

Description

Antiphonal leaf, probably German and late 15th or early 16th century.

The music notation is square on a four-line black staff; the f-clef is a typical German “Hufnagel” style clef, and occasionally appears alongside the c clef on the same staff.
The music was apparently corrected or altered, possibly to give rhythmic indications: occasional isolated diamond-shaped notes appear, and in several places tails have been added, or the shape of the pes changed so that the second note is to the right of the first.

Script is Northern Textualis Formata, sharply pointed, with well defined feet on the minims, even hairlines at the tops of minims, and some clubbed ascenders.

Decorated with fine, elaborate curling vines in the margin, delicately shaded in a pale green-rose-blue-gold colour palette. Several identifiable bird species (magpie, woodpecker, heron) are depicted in the foliage.
A large initial red F sits inside a trompe-l’oeuil frame on a black and gold background, textured with more foliage. The colours, naturalism, and interest in texture are reminiscent of German work of the later 15th century (a dating and provenance also supported by the script); the square music notation, rather than Hufnagel, might suggest a geographic placing to the north or west (near Belgium or the Netherlands). Compare the similar decoration style, also with square notation, used in a fragmented German antiphoner at the Victoria and Albert:
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1028908/manuscript-cutting/?carousel-image=2023NP1601
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O87087/manuscript-cutting-unknown/)

On the “frame” of the illuminated F, several Arabic numbers are visible; possibly this is a date (1500).

Chants for Ambrose (or another confessor) in Paschaltide, for a single martyr in Paschaltide, and for several martyrs in Paschaltide.

(The McGill library description identifies this source as "Spanish," but it is more likely German as described above.)

Notes on the Inventory

Manuscript description updated in 2024 by Anna de Bakker.

Other Editors

Anna de Bakker

Full Texts Entered by

Martha Culshaw

Melodies Entered by

Martha Culshaw

Full/Partial Inventory

Full Inventory

Complete Source/Fragment

Fragment

Fragmentarium ID

F-pldp

DACT ID

D:0pldp