PRoMs - The Production and Reading of Music Sources

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

Manuscript: Berlin, Germany, Staatsbibliothek Preussischer Kulturbesitz, MS Germ. 8º 190

Manuscript type: poetry collection with some notated music

RISM siglum: D-B Germ. 8º 190

DIAMM Source Key: 658

Image repositories: Digitale Sammlungen der Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin

Folio(s): All folios

Date: c. 1470-1500

C. 1470-80 (Gottwald 1964b); c. 1500 or slightly before (RISM).

Location of origin: Utrecht, Netherlands

Provenance

Probably from a Franciscan monastery near Utrecht (Geering 1952). The name "Vincentius Traiecti" [= Vincent of Utrecht] inside the back cover may be in the hand of the principal scribe, and probably refers to the first owner of the manuscript, or the person for whom it was copied (HusML). Purchased in Leiden by August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben in 1821; acquired by the Prussian State Library in 1850.

Artists/Scribes

Person: Anonymous, Anonymous
Person type: None
Note: number of different scribes

Basis for description: original

Berlin, Germany, Staatsbibliothek Preussischer Kulturbesitz, MS Germ. 8º 190, All folios

Physical description

Material: parchment

Number of leaves: 186

Format: upright

Page dimensions: 165 x 110

Quire structure: Text version

Colophon: f. 184v: 'Vincentius Traiecti'

Non-musical texts: mostly poems without musical notation

Other devices: 1. Original quire signatures, A-Z (starting on fol. 4), large black ink, bottom right
2. Modern library foliation (19th century?), black ink top right, 1-184 (ff. 185-186 not foliated)

Page details (zoom):

Preparation and Copying

4-34, 39-72

Preparation

Disposition of Voice Parts Key

Pricking always,
mostly visible at top and bottom, none left and right
Ruled grid always,
single line to left and right, no horizontal ruling for text
Ruling pattern highly regular
all,
basic pattern of 6 tetragrams, integrated into continuum of copying textual and musical sections; first voice begins where text ends, always at the beginning of a line. Second (and third) voice begins directly after preceding voice ends, either at beginning of next stave or in the middle of the current stave
Staves omitted from grid never
Incomplete staves often,
Stave ends in middle of line where music ends; rest of the line filled by verbal text
Medium and colour of grid Frequency Folios Note
light brown ink always
Colour of staves Frequency Folios Note
brown always
Ruling medium Frequency Folios Note
single rastrum always
Indentation for initials Frequency Folios Note
single sometimes indentation of ruled staves rare; music and text normally indented over 1 stave to accommodate initials at beginning of voice parts
Extra space between voice parts Frequency Folios Note
none never
Space provided for separate text Frequency Folios Note
provided, in dedicated space always Often remainder of text of previous song above the notated music or beginning of following song (or subsequent stanzas) below it
Adhoc adaptation Frequency Folios Note
notation and staves extended into margin often

Copying of text and music

Language(s) German, Latin
Higlighting Initial letters of stanzas under music highlighted alternating in in red and blue
Order of Copying text first
always,
all
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 full mensural, void mensural, German hufnagel
Monophonic notation present
pervasive as alternative to polyphony
Level of calligraphy fair
Text
Types of script textura
Types of script note with cursive elements
Level of calligraphy fair
Colour(s) of text black
Multiple texts no
Text repetitions none
Abbreviations some
Non underlaid vocal text additional
additional stanzas, frequent; often written over ruled staves
Liminary text rubrics, normally
Later changes added text, occasionally

Decoration

Level of Decoration poor
Decoration miniature frequency Folios Size position Description Discrepancies
never
Decoration initial type Frequency Folios Initial type(s) Size position Description Discrepancies
painted initials never plain initials large monochrome initials ('Lombards', alternating red and blue) over one-line indentation or gap at the beginning of every voice part
78-79

Preparation

Disposition of Voice Parts Key

Pricking never
Ruled grid never
Ruling pattern fairly irregular
2-7 tetragrams, stavelines drawn without a ruler, very uneven
Staves omitted from grid never
Incomplete staves never
Medium and colour of grid Frequency Folios Note
n/a never
Colour of staves Frequency Folios Note
black always
Ruling medium Frequency Folios Note
freehand always
Indentation for initials Frequency Folios Note
single always music and text indented over 1 stave to accommodate initial at beginning of voice part
Extra space between voice parts Frequency Folios Note
none never
Space provided for separate text Frequency Folios Note
provided, in dedicated space always additional stanzas following music

Copying of text and music

Language(s) Latin
Order of Copying text first
always,
all
Presence/absence of text Voice part Frequency Folios Note
fully texted with one text all voice parts always
Music
Colour(s) of notation brown
Type(s) of notation German hufnagel
Monophonic notation absent
Level of calligraphy poor
Text
Types of script textura
Types of script note often with cursive elements
Level of calligraphy fair
Colour(s) of text brown
Multiple texts no
Text repetitions none
Abbreviations some
Non underlaid vocal text additional
additional stanzas starting on fol. 79r
Liminary text rubrics, normally

Decoration

Level of Decoration poor
Decoration miniature frequency Folios Size position Description Discrepancies
never
Decoration initial type Frequency Folios Initial type(s) Size position Description Discrepancies
painted initials always plain initials red monochrome initials in left margin at beginning of voice parts