A choirbook, mostly or entirely copied in Spain by many scribes. FabregasMBC rejects the proposed Valencian orgin of the manuscript (KnightonMM, LeeSPS) and affirms a Catalan origin.

The manuscript is in three distinct sections, re-ordered when bound together, with some later additions at the end. The oldest section ('A') comprises folios 73-137 & 179-181, and was apparently compiled from sections copied by some 18 scribes independently. 5 scribes did most of the copying and copied only Franco-Flemish (not Spanish) music; it is possible that some of this music was copied outside Spain. The second ('B') section completes a mass begun in 'A', so was clearly conceived as extending the prior collection. It consists of folios 21-59 as well as most of 60-72 & 138-154, and was mostly copied by 2 Spanish scribes (one of whom copies the music by Ockeghem & Busnoys); 5 other Spanish scribes made small additions. The third ('C') section (the only section indexed) was copied by a single Catalan scribe, who oversaw the compilation of the whole manuscript and supplied additional music for it. An inscription in Catalan on the last folio (dated December 1520) identifies him as "jo, Anthoni Johan". 'C' comprises folios 3-20, most of 60-72, and much of 138-188.

Folios 145-148 & 182-191 mostly contain later additions, although two bifolios (179-181 including 180bis) form part of the earliest 'A' section. The two scribes who added this music, all secular, also added a piece on f. 20v on previously-empty staves.

The manuscript was acquired by the (then) Biblioteca Central in 1892 from the private library of Joan Carreras y Dagas, at one time maestro di capilla at the Cathedral of Gerona.

190 folios in 23 gatherings. The top edges have been cropped, resulting in the loss of some ascriptions. Pages in 'A' are 296 x 195 mm; in 'B' 291 x 213 mm.

Some fragments were found inside the binding when the manuscript was restored in 1958; one contains part of another index.

Original covers of black leather over boards, with metal clasps (one missing). Leatherwork is in Catalan mudejar style.

'A' has two watermarks: one, appearing on all but one gathering, is a helmet(? - HardieP) or an M or N (cf. Briquet 8437); the other appears on the last folio of the first gathering (f.82), and resembles a sword (HardieP) or a crosier (FabregasMBC). 'B' and 'C' have a watermark in the shape of a serpent similar to (but different from) Briquet 13758.

black void mensural

the dates 1525, 1530, 1532, 1534, and 1535 are found in various places.

FabregasMBC proposes that the manuscript was compiled between 1520-1525 - the first date in 'scribe C's hand on a note on the last folio, the second in his hand on one of the Penalosa motets. He suggests that the others were added later, along with the Spanish secular pieces at the end. Section 'A', the oldest, may have been copied over the period 1500-1510; sections 'B' and 'C' most likely during c.1520-1525.

Most pages in 'A' contain 10 or 11 staves

Original foliation. (Sections 'A' and 'B' have evidence of earlier, separate foliations, now impossible to reconstruct.)

Black calligraphic initials only. 'A' contains most of the decorated initials in the ms. 'B' and 'C' have spaces left for initials which were never added.

Incomplete index on fol. 2r

paper

Correction to shelfmark kindly notified by Paul L. Ranzini.

6 Masses, 2 Mass sections, 11 Magnificats, 3 psalms, 9 hymns, 1 Lamentation, 1 Passion, 53 motets, 26 Spanish pieces, 10 textless pieces = 122

(A. Agricola)-1, (Aldomar)-1, Anchieta-3, Brumel-2, (Busnois)-1, (Compère)-4, Cubells-1, Cuvenor-1, (Encina)-1, Escobar-1, A. Févin-1, A. Fevin/(Craen/C. Festa/Josquin/Morales)-1, Flecha-5, Grauiel-1, Illario-1 + 1?, (Janequin)-1, Josquin-2, Josquin/(Penalosa)-1, Mondejar-4, Petrus de Monte-1, Morales-1, Mouton-1, Mouton/(A. Févin/C. Festa)-1, (Ockeghem)-1, Pastrana-2, Penalosa-7, Penalosa/(Anchieta/Compère)-1, Prederiaca-1, Quesada-1, Ribaflecha-1, Vaena-2, Venalt-2, Weerbecke-2, (Wreede)-1, anon-63

190 paper folios, 307 x 224. The manuscript was trimmed at the top when bound, with loss of many composer attributions. Original foliation. Original covers of black leather over boards, with metal clasps. Original index, incomplete, on f. 2'. Copied by at least 15 scribes over a considerable period of time.

Late 15th-early 16th century, with later additions; the dates 1525, 1530, 1532, 1534, and 1535 are found in various places. Of Spanish origin; acquired in 1892 from the private library of a certain Carreras y Dagas of Gerona.

Vol 4

Composers: Change "Cuvenor-1" to "Cuvenor/(A. Agricola/Aulenus)-1 "; change ' ' Quesada-1 " to " Quixada-1. "