Toledo, Spain, Catedral, Obra y Fabrica, MS Reservado 23, All folios
Physical description
Material: parchment
Number of leaves: iv + 306 [Flyleaves unfoliated, first three folios unfoliated, with foliation commencing with iiii on f. 4; f. CXCIIII erroneously numbered "CXCIIIbis"; "CCIX" applied to two consecutive folios, but "bis" added to second number.]
Format: upright
Page dimensions: 600 x 415
Quire structure: Text version
Index / Table of Contents: Original index on ff. [iiv-iiir] lists pieces in order of appearance (one piece listed out of proper order).
Non-musical texts: none
Other devices: Original red ink foliation, IV-CCCV (flyleaves unnumbered; first three folios unnumbered but counted in enumeration; f. CXCIIII erroneously numbered "CXCIIIbis"; "CCIX" applied to two consecutive folios, but "bis" added to second number). Some alphanumeric quire numbering visible in the lower right margin of rectos, in the first half of the quire.
Page details (zoom):
Preparation and Copying
All foliosPreparation
Disposition of Voice Parts Key
Signe de renvoi
| Pricking |
sometimes,
pricking visible on various folios in: upper margin e.g. ff. 129-132, 254; lower margin e.g. ff. 259-260; outer margin e.g. ff. 157-183 |
| Ruled grid |
always,
text on single line, sometimes omitted when there is little text to be underlaid |
| Ruling pattern |
fairly regular
Slightly varying width of text block, usually around 275 mm; height varying considerably depending on the number of staves. |
| Staves omitted from grid | often |
| Incomplete staves |
rarely,
5v-6r, 59r, 68v, 75v, 78r, 84r, 87v, 89v, 93r, 94r, 151v, 165r, 172r, 196r, 248r, These may be later additions, but they are so neatly drawn (with the use of the same rastrum) that it is impossible to tell. |
| Medium and colour of grid | Frequency | Folios | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| lead point | always | sometimes faint, but regularity of grid suggests it was always drawn | |
| Colour of staves | Frequency | Folios | Note |
| black | always | ||
| Ruling medium | Frequency | Folios | Note |
| single rastrum | always | 22.5-23mm (depending on spread of ink) | |
| Indentation for initials | Frequency | Folios | Note |
| single | often | At the start of new movements, at the start of new compositions not given two-stave indents. | |
| triple | rarely | [IV]v-1r | each voice has three staves indented for the first opening |
| double | rarely | 23v-24r, 45v-46r, 57v-58r, 98v-99r, 103v-104r, 116v-117r, 151v-152r, 199v-200r, 239v-240r, 271v-272r | At the start of each mass and of the Et exultavit of Pichafort, the Passio Domini and the Pater noster. |
| double | often | Two staves slightly indented at the start of each voice for 'Residuum', which is written vertically. This indent is much smaller than those for initials. | |
| Extra space between voice parts | Frequency | Folios | Note |
| empty ruled staves on grid | sometimes | ||
| staves not ruled on grid | often | ||
| Space provided for separate text | Frequency | Folios | Note |
| no separate text | always | ||
| Adhoc adaptation | Frequency | Folios | Note |
| notation extended into margin | occasionally | ||
| notation and staves extended into margin | rarely | Usually only slightly; more extensive examples occur on ff. 84r, 195v, 294r. | |
| staveline added | rarely | ||
| partial additional staves | none visible | Perhaps the incomplete staves noted (ff. 5v-6r, 59r, 68v, 75v, 78r, 84r, 87v, 89v, 93r, 94r, 151v, 165r, 172r, 196r, 248r) were in fact added during the copying as opposed to the preparation stage. However, they are no different in appearance from the full staves. |
Copying of text and music
| Language(s) | Latin |
|---|---|
| Order of Copying |
text first
normally |
| Presence/absence of text | Voice part | Frequency | Folios | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| fully texted with one text | all voice parts | always |
Music
| Colour(s) of notation | black |
| Type(s) of notation | void mensural |
| Type of notation note | rhomboid noteheads |
| Monophonic notation | absent |
| Level of calligraphy | very high |
| Non verbal performance instructions | Folios | Note |
|---|---|---|
| coronae | not extensively used | |
| end symbol | single or double barline | |
| signes-de-renvoi | Various different forms; combined with 'residuum' on ff. 15v, 136v. | |
| Line fillers | Folios | Note |
| occasionally | Sometimes the word 'verte' is contracted or expanded to fill the space to the stave end, e.g. f. 59r has 'vte' in the alto voice, and 'verte cito' in the bassus voice, each reaching the stave end. | |
| Later changes | Folios | |
| clef of bassus voice corrected | 44r | |
| all music and staves erased | 84v | |
| small piece of parchment/paper pasted over first clef of Bassus part and in third stave of same part in order to make a correction | 183r | |
| erasure of one note leaves section of folio transparent | 183v | |
| three unused staves erased | 275v | |
| music and text erased, new music and text written on top | 261r, 286r |
Text
| Types of script | cursive (bastarda) |
| Types of script size position | liminary text sometimes larger in size. 'Residuum' written vertically. |
| Level of calligraphy |
very high,
Occasionally very long (decorative) descenders on lowest line of text. |
| Colour(s) of text | black red Normally text is written in black. Some underlaid words are occasionally written in red. Red is often used for liminary text (e.g. voice names, 'verte', 'residuum'), but this is not always the case, e.g. the first two quires (up to f. 16) have liminary text in black. |
| Multiple texts | no |
| Text repetitions | few |
| Abbreviations | few |
| Non underlaid vocal text | none |
| Liminary text | voice names, 'tacet', tacet instructions, 'verte (cito/folium)', 'tourne' (f. 26v - only instance of French in the manuscript), 'duo', 'residuum', 'canon', canon instructions, 'secunda pars', composer attributions. |
| Later changes |
'duo' first written in black, then in red over the top,
44r |
Decoration
| Level of Decoration | very high |
| Decoration border frequency | Border type | Folios | Size | Position | Description | Discrepancies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rarely | decorated | 23v-24r, 45v-46r, 57v-58r, 98v, 116v-117r, 151v-152r, 199v-200r, 239v-240r, 271v-272r | full borders | inner margin, lower margin, outer margin, upper margin | Illuminated 23v-24r, 45v-46r, 116v-117r, 271v-272r: foliate and inhabited by birds, insects etc. 57v-58r, 199v-200r, 239v-240r: foliate and inhabited by men holding banners with biblical verses (ff. 57v-58r), texts mentioning Thomas (ff. 239v-240r); 57v has crest with blue shield, erect gold lion, holding branch in its mouth. 98v: foliate and inhabited by man kneeling 151v-152r: foliate and inhabited by birds, insects; includes same crest as f. 57v. Completed after the copying of the notation | |
| rarely | historiated | [IV]v-1r, 99r, 103v-104r | full borders | inner margin, lower margin, outer margin, upper margin | Illuminated [IV]v-1r: figures from the Liber Generationis (the song copied on this opening) 99r: seven depictions of Jesus (accompanies 'Pater noster') 103v-104r: foliate and inhabited border, with other less usual items e.g. dice, a ladder; 103v also includes image of Mary Magdalene holding the cloth of Jesus's face, and a severed ear; 104r depicts a whipped man tied to a column Completed after the copying of the notation | |
| Decoration initial type | Frequency | Folios | Initial type(s) | Size position | Description | Discrepancies |
| painted initials | rarely | [IV]v-1r, 23v-24r, 45v-46r, 57v-58r, 98v-99r, 103v-104r, 116v-117r, 151v-152r, 199v-200r, 239v-240r, 271v-272r | decorated, historiated, zoomorphic initial | Two or three staves tall, at start of each voice part; square or rectangular shape At the start of new masses, accompanied by borders | Illuminated [IV]v-1r: two related to the liber generationis; one of the church; one of the wedding of Mary 23v: annunciation of Mary 57v-58r: four nativity scenes 98v-99r: Jesus praying on Mount Gethsemane whilst disciples sleep; crucifixion 103v-104r: four scenes from the Passion of Christ 116v-117r: four depictions of Jesus 151v-152r: Ascension; Monkey riding on an ostrich 199v: Mary, saints and dove 239v-240r: Last supper; three images appearing to depict Dominican friars 271v-272r: Jesus in heaven; miracle of Lazarus; three noblemen pursued by three figures of death; the fires (and sea?) of hell all others zoomorphic or foliate initials, often accompanied by pictures of flowers or, more rarely, jewels (ff. 98v-99r) | [IV]v-1r: three staves tall, all others two staves tall |
| painted initials | often | decorated, decorated with grotesque heads, zoomorphic initial | One stave tall, at start of each voice part At the start of new songs | Illuminated, foliate, grotesque or zoomorphic initials on a square/rectangular coloured/illuminated background. Jewels occasionally present: ff. 58v-59r, 120r, 121v. Perhaps completed before the copying of the text/music, as illuminated initials are present on f. 85r where no other copying has taken place. | f. 1r: used in addition to larger (3 stave) initials, to give first letter of underlaid text on first opening. ff. 73v-74r: f. 73v has 'residuum', no initials, f. 74r has initials, no 'residuum'. Typically, in the first half of the manuscript the Discantus initial gives the first letter of the underlaid text and all other voices have an initial of their voice part name. Towards the end of the manuscript, all voices tend to have the first underlaid text letter as their initial. There manuscript alters between these two practices, occasionally using both on one opening. | |
| initials planned | rarely | 45r, 215v-216r | Notation indented on one stave, cue letter present. ff. 215v-216r: for tacet voice not provided with notation. | |||
| initials planned | occasionally | 241r-260r, 275r-277v, 286r | staves indented, first letter missing, sometimes cue letter present | |||
| Other decoration frequency | Folios | Other decoration type(s) | Size position | Description | Discrepancies | |
| rarely | [IV]v, 45v, 52v, 57v, 89v, 125v, 194v, 199v | banner | [IV]v, 194v, 199v: in upper border/margin 45v, 57v, 89v: between the Discantus and Tenor voices 52v, 125v: lower margin | Gold lettering with composer attribution, on a pink (45v, 57v, 194v) or blue ([IV]v, 52v, 89v, 125v, 199v) background. Composer named: [IV]v, 52v: Josquin des Pres 45v, 125v: Johannes Richafort 57v, 89v: Johannes Mouton 194v: Adrian Thibaut alius Picart 199v: Matheus Gascogne | ||