PRoMs - The Production and Reading of Music Sources

Mise-en-page in manuscripts and printed books containing polyphonic music, 1480—1530

Manuscript: Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, MS Cappella Giulia XIII 27

Manuscript type: choirbook

RISM siglum: I-Rvat CG XIII.27

DIAMM Source Key: 944

Image repositories: Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana

Folio(s): All folios

Date: 1492-4

Atlas 1975–6

Location of origin: Florence, Italy

Provenance

Copied by a single scribe, with corrections and emendations by two other hands. All pieces have text incipits only, frequently garbled or corrupt. Copied in Florence. Compiled for Giuliano de' Medici, Duke of Nemours (1479-1516), youngest son of Lorenzo de' Medici (AtlCG). Giuliano probably took or sent manuscript to Rome c. 1513; after Giuliano's death, manuscript may have passed to his brother, Pope Leo X. Later in library of Giuseppe Ottavio Pitoni (1657-1743), director of Cappella Giulia from 1719; placed in Archivio della Cappella Giulia following Pitoni's death. Transferred to present library in 1942. (DIAMM)

Artists/Scribes

Person: Anonymous, Anonymous
Person type: scribe

Basis for description: original

Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, MS Cappella Giulia XIII 27, All folios

Physical description

Material: paper

Number of leaves: i + 131 + ii

Format: upright

Page dimensions: 232 x 172

Quire structure: Text version

Index / Table of Contents: original alphabetical index, 2r-5v

Other devices: 1. Original (or near-original) foliation red ink recto top right, 1-119 (= 8-126). 2. Modern foliation stamped bottom right, 1-131

Page details (zoom):

Preparation and Copying

All folios

Preparation

Disposition of Voice Parts Key

Pricking none visible
Ruled grid always,
single line to left and right, no lines for text
Ruling pattern highly regular
9 pentagrams, very parallel and even
Staves omitted from grid never
Incomplete staves never
Medium and colour of grid Frequency Folios Note
red ink always
Colour of staves Frequency Folios Note
red always
Ruling medium Frequency Folios Note
triple rastrum always 11.5/11/12 mm, distance 7.5 and 8 mm (from top to bottom)
Indentation for initials Frequency Folios Note
none always Music (and text) indented over ruled staves to accommodate initials
Extra space between voice parts Frequency Folios Note
empty ruled staves on grid normally
Space provided for separate text Frequency Folios Note
no separate text always
Adhoc adaptation Frequency Folios Note
notation and staves extended into margin rarely
notation extended into margin occasionally custodes regularly in right-hand margin

Copying of text and music

Language(s) French, Latin
Order of Copying music first
always
Presence/absence of text Voice part Frequency Folios Note
provided with single incipit discantus normally
untexted all except discantus always
untexted discantus rarely
Music
Colour(s) of notation black
Type(s) of notation void mensural
Type of notation note slender and very even rhomboid shape. Stems notated separately from noteheads
Monophonic notation absent
Level of calligraphy high
Non verbal performance instructions Folios Note
signa congruentiae rarely
Text
Types of script cursive (humanistic)
Level of calligraphy high
Colour(s) of text black
Multiple texts no
Text repetitions n/a
Abbreviations none
Non underlaid vocal text none
Liminary text Canon instructions, rarely. Composer names, normally. Verte, occasionally. Voice names in lower voices with voice-name initials followed by written-out name, both upright in left margin

Decoration

Level of Decoration fair
Decoration border frequency Border type Folios Size Position Description Discrepancies
rarely scatter 7v partial borders: one-sided lower margin Two angels holding a wreath which surrounds a coat of arms (damaged, but presumably again the Medici palle).
Decoration initial type Frequency Folios Initial type(s) Size position Description Discrepancies
painted initials rarely 7v-8r decorated Display opening at beginning of book Elaborate initials, on the basis of cadel-type, in gold, blue and other colours. 'P' in D occupied by Medici coat of arms, others with faces. All surrounded by floral ornaments. Voice names in lower voices continuing on from voice-name initials in banderoles
penned initials normally calligraphic cadel-type, quite elaborate. D: sung text. Lower voices: turned sideways and facing downwards, partially in left margin and partially in indentation, followed by rest of voice name in display script, also sideways in left margin