GB-Cmc MS 1760

Magdalene College, Cambridge, England

manuscript of polyphony: Early 16th century

Archive Magdalene College, Cambridge, England (GB-Cmc)
Shelfmark MS 1760
Surface Parchment
Numbering System Foliation
Format portrait
Measurements 222 x 147 mm
Other Identifiers
  • CCM: CambriP 1760
Notations
  • black void mensural
Relationships
External Links
Provenance
  • France
Contents Contains 58 compositions from 16 composers.
General Description

Copied by a single scribe. Copied in France (French illumination, initials, music and text hands); the manuscript can be associated with the French royal court: the frequent use of the heraldic ermine tail of Brittany as a continuation sign suggests Anne of Brittany (d. 1514), as recipient or giver (KellML). If the overpainted cross is that of the Order of St. Michael, an association with Louis XII (d. 1515) is possible (LitteMR).

Probably compiled for Arthur, Prince of Wales, who died in 1502 (MerrC, BraitI, CharHH); for Henry VII, who died in 1509 (Kahl); for Henry Tudor, during the time he was Prince of Wales (MGG), or during the first years of his reign as Henry VIII (BernC); in 1514 and offered to Mary Tudor as part of her marriage celebrations to Louis XII (Brobeck2016, Robinson2017); or for Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon to celebrate the birth of their daughter Mary in February 1516 (LowMB).

DIAMM, 2017
Physical Description

Excellent

DIAMM, 2017
Binding

covers of gold and blue-green cloth on boards; red leather spine with inscription 'K. Hen. 7 / Mvsick.'; 17th-century

DIAMM, 2017
Notation

black void mensural

DIAMM, 2017
Foliation

Original foliation in red ink, i-lxxxvi.

DIAMM, 2017
Foliation

1-88v plus 4 front and 1 rear flyleaves, covers etc. Some IR and UV imaging

DIAMM, 2017
Decoration

Illuminated floral borders on ff. 1-2; painted initials. A miniature on f. 1' was cut out of the manuscript sometime after 1697. A catalogue of that date states that the miniature portrayed a Prince of Wales in the time of King Henry VII; this may have been Prince Arthur (d. 1502), but was more likely his brother Henry (Henry VIII after 1509). Other proposals: Mary Tudor (Brobeck2016), Louis XII of France (Robinson2017).

The royal arms of England appear at the beginning of the index; another coat of arms (a red cross on a silver ground, probably the Cross of the Order of St. George) appears twice, on f. 1' and f. 2. Both coats of arms are partly overpainted, and the royal arms are defective (Kellman); the St. George Cross appears to cover a thin white cross on a red ground, which may be the Cross of the Order of St. Michael (LitteMR).

DIAMM, 2017
Index

Original index on ff. ii'-iii'

DIAMM, 2017
Surface

parchment

DIAMM, 2017
Census Catalogue of Music Description

This information is reproduced here by kind permission of the publishers. It is COPYRIGHT and copying/reproduction of this content without permission may result in legal action.

3 hymns, 3 Lamentations, 24 motets, 26 French secular pieces, 1 Italian secular piece = 57

Bontemps-1, Bortel-1, Brumel-2, A. Fevin-20, A. Févin/(Craen/C. Festa/Josquin/Morales)-1, A. Fevin/R. Févin-2, A. Févin/Ninot le Petit-1, A. Févin/Therache-1, Gascongne-10, Josquin-5, Mouton-4, Obrecht-1, Prioris-5, Richafort-2, Turleron [Hyllayre]-1. [All of the conflicting attributions except those enclosed in parentheses arise from discrepancies between the original index and the main body of the manuscript].

iv + 88 + i parchment folios, 222 x 147. Original foliation in red ink, i-lxxxvi. 17th-century covers of gold and blue-green cloth on boards; red leather spine with inscription "K. Hen. 7 / Mvsick." Original index on ff. ii'-iii'. Copied by a single scribe. Illuminated floral borders on ff. 1-2; painted initials. A miniature on f. 1' was cut out of the manuscript sometime after 1697. A catalogue of that date states that the miniature portrayed a Prince of Wales in the time of King Henry VII; this may have been Prince Arthur (d. 1502), but was more likely his brother Henry (Henry VIII after 1509). The royal arms of England appear at the beginning of the index; another coat of arms (a red cross on a silver ground, probably the Cross of the Order of St. George) appears twice, on f. 1' and f. 2. Both coats of arms are partly overpainted, and the royal arms are defective (Kellman); the St. George Cross appears to cover a thin white cross on a red ground, which may be the Cross of the Order of St. Michael (LitteMR).

1503-9 (MGG); 1509-16, probably ca. 1509 (BernC); before 1514 (Keilman); 1516 (LowMB); 1498-1502 (BraitI). Copied in France (French illumination, initials, music and text hands); the manuscript can be associated with the French royal court: the frequent use of the heraldic ermine tail of Brittany as a continuation sign suggests Anne of Brittany (d. 1514), as recipient or giver (KellML). If the overpainted cross is that of the Order of St. Michael, an association with Louis XII (d. 1515) is possible (LitteMR). Compiled for Henry Tudor, during the time he was Prince of Wales (MGG), or during the first years of his reign as Henry VIII (BernC); written for Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon to celebrate the birth of their daughter Mary in February 1516 (LowMB); probably compiled for Henry VII, who died in 1509 (Kahl); compiled for Arthur, Prince of Wales, who died in 1502 (MerrC, BraitI, CharHH).

Census-Catalogue of Manuscript Sources of Polyphonic Music 1400-1550

82

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‡ denotes primary source study

‡ Robinson, Alexander. 2017. The Manuscript Cambridge, Magdalene College, Pepys 1760: a Mirror of the Court of Louis XII (1498-1515). Musica Disciplina, vol 60 (2015, publ 2017): 7-65.

‡ Brobeck, John T. 2016. A Music Book for Mary Tudor, Queen of France. Early Music History, 35: 1-93. Pages: 1-93.

Robinson, Alexander. 2009. Le manuscrit Magdalene College "Pepys 1760" de Cambridge: un miroir de la cour française pendant le règne de Louis XII (1498-1515). Université Paris IV Sorbonne, Masters. Pages: 117 pp.

Benthem, Jaap van. 1976. Josquin's Three-part 'Chansons rustiques': A Critique of the Readings in Manuscripts and Prints. Josquin des Prez: Proceedings of the International Josquin Festival-Conference ... 21-25 June 1971,  London, New York, and Toronto. Pages: 429ff. Notes: contents list (partial); texts (partial); mention of MS; discussion.

Litterick, Louise. 1976. The Manuscript Royal 20. A. XVI of the British Library. New York University, Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation. Notes: physical description; mention of MS; discussion.

Charles, Sydney Robinson. 1974. Hillary-Hyllayre: How Many Composers? Music and Letters, 55: 61-9. Pages: 62-8. Notes: physical description; mention of MS; discussion; transcription (partial).

Bernstein, Lawrence F. 1973. La Courone et fleur des chansons a troys; A Mirror of the French Chanson in Italy in the Years between Ottaviano Petrucci and Antonio Gardano. Journal of the American Musicological Society, 26: 1-68. Pages: 8, 13; 9, 11-2. Notes: physical description; mention of MS; discussion; concordances (partial).

Lowinsky, Edward E. 1970. A music book for Anne Boleyn. Florilegium Historiale: Essays presented to Wallace K. Ferguson, 161-235. Toronto. Pages: 162-4. Notes: physical description; mention of MS; discussion.

Douglas, Conrad Edward Mary. 1969. The motets of Johannes Prioris with a prefatory bio-bibliographical study. University of Illinois, Ph.D. Dissertation. Pages: 86-8. Notes: physical description; mention of MS; discussion.

Jeppesen, Knud. 1968-70. La Frottola. Acta Jutlandica, vol. XL/2, XLI/1, & XLII/1. 3 vols. Copenhagen. Pages: II, 17. Notes: physical description; contents list (partial); concordances (partial).

Lowinsky, Edward E (editor). 1968. The Medici Codex of 1518: A Choirbook of Motets Dedicated to Lorenzo de' Medici, Duke of Urbino. Monuments of Renaissance Music, vol. III-V.  Chicago. Pages: III, 129ff. Notes: concordances (partial).

Braithwaite, James Roland. 1967. The Introduction of Franco-Netherlandish Manuscripts to Early Tudor England: The Motet Repertory. Boston University, Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation. Pages: I, 54-5; II, passim; V, 79-200. Notes: physical description; contents list; concordances; transcription (partial).

Russell, Theodore C. 1967. Cantus Firmus Technique in the Music of Fifteenth Century Manuscripts of English Provenance. Student Musicologists at Minnesota, 2: 52-77. Pages: 64. Notes: physical description.

Brown, Howard Mayer. 1964. The Genesis of a Style: The Parisian Chanson, 1500-1530. Chanson & Madrigal 1480-1530: Studies in Comparison and Contrast, 1-50,141-72. Cambridge, Massachusetts. Pages: 5. Notes: mention of MS.

Picker, Martin. 1960. The Chanson Albums of Marguerite of Austria: Manuscripts 228 and 11239 of the Bibliothèque Royale de Belgique, Bruxelles. University of California at Berkeley, Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation. Pages: 351. Notes: physical description; contents list; incipitsst of contents (partial).

Kabis, Mary Elise. 1957. The Works of Jean Richafort, Renaissance Composer (1480?-c. 1548). New York University, Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation. Pages: 19, passim. Notes: concordances (partial); mention of MS.

Lowinsky, Edward E. 1957. The Medici Codex: A Document of Music, Art, and Politics in the Renaissance. Annales Musicologiques, 5: 61-178. Pages: 120ff. Notes: concordances (partial).

Merritt, Arthur Tillman. 1957. A Chanson Sequence by Fevin. Essays on Music in honor of Archibald Thompson Davison by his Associates, 91-9. Cambridge, Massachusetts. Pages: 91-9. Notes: physical description; contents list; concordances (partial); transcription (partial).

Kahmann, Bernhard. 1956. Über Inhalt und Herkunft der Handschrift Cambridge Pepys 1760. Bericht uber den Internationalen Musik- wissenschaftlichen Kongress Hamburg 1956, 126-8. Notes: physical description; mention of MS; discussion.

Lewis, Anthony (editor). 1951-. Musica Britannica: A National Collection of Music.  London. Pages: XVIII, 108. Notes: mention of MS.

Bukofzer, Manfred F. 1950. Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Music. Pages: 190-216. Notes: mention of MS.

Blume, Friedrich (editor). 1949-79. Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart: Allgemeine Enzyklopädie der Musik.  Kassel. Pages: VI, 70. Notes: mention of MS.

James, Montague Rhodes. 1923. Bibliotheca Pepysiana: A Descriptive Catalogue of the Library of Samuel Pepys. Part III: Mediaeval Manuscripts.  London. Pages: 36-8. Notes: physical description; contents list.

Frere, Walter Howard. 1894-1932, repr. Hildesheim, 1967. Bibliotheca Musico-Liturgica: A Descriptive Handlist of the Musical and Latin-Liturgical Mss. of the Middle Ages Preserved in the Libraries of Great Britain and Ireland. 2 vols. London: The Plainsong and Medieval Music Society. Pages: II, 145, #937. Notes: physical description.

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Richard Yates

Thursday, 30 January, 2025

added 'Margot beatrix' (f. 81v) to the inventory

Alex Robinson

Wednesday, 1 August, 2018

1 name has now updated. 2 & 3 fixed: thesis 'downgraded' & date of Musica Disciplina changed to 2017, with volume number annotated to explain dual date

Alex Robinson

Wednesday, 1 August, 2018

Additional bibliography entry added (Robinson article). Description updated to include latest datnig proposals; and 'decoration' section updated to include new proposals for the missing illuminated portrait.

Census-Catalogue of Manuscript Sources of Polyphonic Music 1400-1550

Monday, 23 January, 2017

NB: Migrated from old site. Credit for notes may not be completely accurate. Census Catalogue of Music Description