PRoMs - The Production and Reading of Music Sources

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

Manuscript: Sion, Switzerland, Archives du Chapitre, MS 87-1

Manuscript type: single leaf

RISM siglum: CH-Sk 87-1

DIAMM Source Key: 1994

Folio(s): All folios

Date: c. 1494

Büchi 1914

Provenance

Motet text (in Latin on recto, with German translation on verso) praises Jost von Silenen, Bishop of Sitten 1482-96; latter's coat of arms painted in gold, red, green, and blue on lower center recto. Copied in Bern; presented to Jost von Silenen, Bishop of Sitten. (DIAMM)

Artists/Scribes

Person: Anonymous, Anonymous
Person type: None

Basis for description: high-quality image

Sion, Switzerland, Archives du Chapitre, MS 87-1, All folios

Physical description

Material: parchment

Number of leaves: 1

Format: oblong

Page dimensions: 600 x 780

Quire structure: Text version

Title page / Frontispiece: Dedication/explanation above music ('Hie volget nach ein nüw Mutet oder Cantilen' etc.)

Non-musical texts: Canonic instruction (in the form of 18 hexameters) how to derive the Tenor in centre of recto. German translation of motet text on verso

Page details (zoom):

Preparation and Copying

All folios

Preparation

Disposition of Voice Parts Key

Pricking none visible
Ruled grid never
Ruling pattern fairly irregular
Staves omitted from grid n/a
Incomplete staves never
Note Staves (and correspondingly notation) for D notably bigger (c. 35 mm) than for B and A (c. 19 mm)
Medium and colour of grid Frequency Folios Note
n/a n/a
Colour of staves Frequency Folios Note
reddish brown always
Ruling medium Frequency Folios Note
straightedge always
Indentation for initials Frequency Folios Note
single always Identation for voice designation and initial in D, in B and A music indented over ruled stave to accommodate voice designation
Extra space between voice parts Frequency Folios Note
none always
Space provided for separate text Frequency Folios Note
provided, in dedicated space always Poem containing canonic instruction in centre of page. German translation on verso

Copying of text and music

Language(s) Latin
Order of Copying unclear
always,
Music and text are notated without apparent reference to each other.
Presence/absence of text Voice part Frequency Folios Note
fully texted with one text discantus always
provided with single incipit all except discantus always
Music
Colour(s) of notation brown
Type(s) of notation void mensural
Type of notation note rounded rhomboid
Monophonic notation absent
Level of calligraphy fair
Text
Types of script cursive (German)
Level of calligraphy high
Colour(s) of text brown
Multiple texts no
Text repetitions none
Abbreviations some
Non underlaid vocal text none
Liminary text voice designations, all; title with dedication/explanation; poem containing canonic instruction

Decoration

Level of Decoration high
Decoration miniature frequency Folios Size position Description Discrepancies
always 1r c. 210 x 200 mm, bottom centre of the page Coat of arms of Jost von Silenen, Bishop of Sitten (1482-96) painted in gold, red, green
Decoration initial type Frequency Folios Initial type(s) Size position Description Discrepancies
penned initials always 1r calligraphic with decoration D initial, top left cadel-type initial in black and blue, surrounded by penned figures (two humans and a hare)