The Koblenz fragments (for whose contents, see below) consist of the front and rear pastedowns (or, following the nomenclature of the Landeshauptarchiv, ‘Spiegel 1’ and ‘Spiegel 2’) used in the binding of a manuscript copy of sermons (‘sermones de tempore’, from the first Sunday of Advent to Palm Sunday) by the Austin friar Jordan of Quedlinburg (Iordanus de Quedlinburgo). Also known as Iordanus de Saxonia, Jordan of Quedlinburg was a prominent and highly influential member of his order in the German-speaking lands during its heyday in the early to mid 14th century. The two folios are still in situ in a 15th-century binding. Overgaauw’s catalogue indicates that there are additional fragments (parchment strips) taken from the same or other music manuscripts that have been worked into the binding of Best. 701 Nr. 243 as binding reinforcements (sewing guards).

Contents: Spiegel (= Pastedown) 1: … turris iustorum / Gaude virgo / O Xpisti pietas.Tenor 3vv motet Concordances: B-Br 19606, recto (no.5); D-DS 521, fol.192r (triplum text paraphr.); D-DS 2653, fols.74v–75r (triplum text paraphr.)

Spiegel (= Pastedown) 2: Firmissime / Adesto / … 3vv motet Concordances: F-Pn fr. 146, fol.43r; B-Br 19606, recto (no.4); GB-Lbl Add. 28550, fols.43v–44r (intabulation); D-DS 521, fol.228r (triplum text only) [olim A-Wn 7977 (motetus text)8]

The host manuscript (Best. [= ‘Bestand’] 701 Nr. 243) was probably copied between 1450 and 1455 at the Carmelite convent of Boppard, a small town about 20 kilometres upstream (south) of Koblenz in the Middle Rhine region of Germany. An ex libris on fol.2v indicates that the volume was used—or perhaps owned—by one Heinrich of Montabaur (Henricus de Montebuir de Boppardia). A native of Boppard, Heinrich studied logic, then philosophy (1439–42), followed by theology (1443–5) at the University of Cologne, interrupted by a year as informator in the Carmelite friary of his home town, Boppard (1442–3). He later occupied teaching positions with the Carmelites in Trier and, by 1449, was lector at the Carmelite establishment in Mainz. Heinrich’s career within the order, his professional interest in theology, and his pastoral practice as lector sufficiently account for his acquiring a copy of Jordan’s sermons for his own use. Heinrich ended his days at the Carmelite friary in Boppard, although no specific dates of birth or death are given in the secondary literature.

The binding of Koblenz Best. 701 Nr. 243 dates to the 15th century and consists of two wooden plates covered in brown leather. It exhibits traces of a chaining mechanism typical of the Carmelite friary in Boppard. Various call numbers and an ex libris (‘Carmeli Boppardiensis’) dating from the 18th century confirm that the host book was in the possession of the Boppard Carmelites before reaching its present repository. However, it is not clear if the book reached the Boppard Carmelites in its present binding, or whether the Carmelites had it bound after they acquired Heinrich of Montabaur’s personal copy of Jordan of Quedlinburg’s sermons. Nor is there any clarity concerning where the binding was produced. Any of those variables have significant impact on scenarios that might plausibly account for the dating and provenance of the music fragments.

Discovered in 2018 by Karl Kügle