PRoMs - The Production and Reading of Music Sources

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

Manuscript: Brussels, Belgium, Library Koninklijk Conservatorium / Conservatoire Royal, Brussels, MS 16857

Manuscript type: monophonic manuscript with interpolated polyphony

RISM siglum: B-Bc 16857

DIAMM Source Key: 1265

Folio(s): All folios

Date: late 15th century

Dates 1490 and 1491 in manuscript.

Location of origin: Italy (North)

Provenance

Dates 1490 and 1491 in manuscript. Copied in a monastery in northern Italy (RISM).

Artists/Scribes

Person: Anonymous, Anonymous
Person type: scribe

Basis for description: high-quality image

Brussels, Belgium, Library Koninklijk Conservatorium / Conservatoire Royal, Brussels, MS 16857, All folios

Physical description

Material: parchment

Number of leaves: 42

Format: upright

Page dimensions: 110 x 80

Quire structure: Text version

Index / Table of Contents: Index on unnumbered folios at beginning.

Non-musical texts: The 'Cantorinus' manuscript primarily contains monophonic liturgical pieces (a tonary and simple chants for mass and office) as well as a Guidonian hand and hexachord, and an incomplete calendar.

Other devices: 36 of the folios are numbered; the first four and the last two folios are without numbers.

Page details (zoom):

Preparation and Copying

20v-21r

Preparation

Disposition of Voice Parts Key

Pricking none visible
Ruled grid always,
single line on left and right, 32 equidistant horizontal lines
Ruling pattern highly regular
notation on grid lines, without specifically drawn stavelines
Staves omitted from grid never
Incomplete staves never
Medium and colour of grid Frequency Folios Note
hard point often
light brown ink often
Colour of staves Frequency Folios Note
n/a always
Ruling medium Frequency Folios Note
straightedge always
Indentation for initials Frequency Folios Note
none always
Extra space between voice parts Frequency Folios Note
none always
Space provided for separate text Frequency Folios Note
no separate text always

Copying of text and music

Language(s) Latin
Order of Copying text first
always
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
Type of notation note 'cantus fractus' notation
Monophonic notation absent
Level of calligraphy fair
Line fillers Folios Note
often at the end of both pages, large teardrop shape filled with yellow wash
Text
Types of script textura
Level of calligraphy fair
Colour(s) of text black
Multiple texts no
Text repetitions none
Abbreviations fairly many
Non underlaid vocal text none
Liminary text Voice designations 'Superanus' and 'Tenor' at top of page.

Decoration

Level of Decoration poor
Decoration initial type Frequency Folios Initial type(s) Size position Description Discrepancies
painted initials always plain initials under staves with text Simple capitals in red, blue and black
Other decoration frequency Folios Other decoration type(s) Size position Description Discrepancies
often littera notabilior under staves with text large black capitals with yellow wash