Notre Dame-type notation (presumably)

22 r+v, 32 r+v, 65 r+v

Parchment

RISM B/IV 1: A composite manuscript compiled during the present century and mainly consisting of odd parchment fragments of music, principally Gregorian. Although this is mostly medieval, there are one or two later paper pages of the 18th century at the front and back. Altogether there are 107 folios, excluding 2 blank unnumbered paper flyleaves at the back and 1 at the front. The three fragments of polyphonic music are to be found at f. 22, 32 and 65. The first is the most substantial and contains 2 three-part motets. It dates from c. 1300 and meas. 308 x 200 mm., but it is cut away at the top and right margins, so that it probably was originally c. 340 x 230 mm. The notation is typical of the late 13th century, though it may well date from the early 14th. The Gothic script employs blue initials. There are 12 red five-line staves per page, and the notation reveals such typical English traits as rhombs for breves and the English form of the conjunctura. The other two fragments belong together, that is, they form left and right corners of the same folio, so that the middle is missing. Although measuring only 137 x 68 and 137 x 75 mm. respectively, and they were obviously cut up as front and back flyleaves of the same volume, they have considerable interest. The music is from an English ms containing music of Notre Dame type older than f. 22, and as far as one can judge, the contents consist of motets and a Benedicamus for no less than four voices. As in f. 22, the notation betrays English origin by the use of rhombs for breves and the English form of conjunctura. This undoubtedly 13th century ms is modern enough to employ c.o.p. ligatures. It was apparently alphabetically arranged, for all the pieces begin with B, while the items here numbered 3 and 4 bear the numbers X and XI in the original. All the pieces are fragmentary. Red as well as blue is used for the initials of this codex, the main colour having contrasting filigree. Red five-line staves are also used, probably some 12 per page originally.

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