A Gradual (the first 428 pages have been published in facsimile). The remainder contains the letter to Liutward and Notkerian sequences. The corpus is provided with music throughout; Episemas and occasional litterae significativae are added above the notes. The script is of the Irish type associated with St. Gall, where the manuscript must have originated. Ludwig thought the antiphon Monasterium istud to be polyphonic, on the basis that there are two rows of neumes above the text. It is possible that the two parts are independent, though, if not, this would be the oldest piece of polyphony originating in a practical rather than a theoretical source.

"Recent research has established that the codex was written in Einsiedeln itself (in about 960-970), most likely for the third abbot of the cloister, Gregor the Englishman." (e-codices)

blue silk; 19th century

staffless St. gall neumes

usually 13 lines of text and music per page.

modern pagination at t.r.r. and t.l.v. from 1-600 (excluding the two folios added later)

many initials are illuminated

parchment

RISM B/IV 1: An 11th century parchment Gradual meas. 153 x 110 mm and containing 300 folios in unnumbered quaternios. The first two folios, which were added later, are not included in the 300 just mentioned. The latter bear a modern pagination at t.r.r. and t.l.v. from 1-600, of which the first 428 pages have been published in facsimile. The rest of the volume contains the letter to Liutward and Notkerian sequences. The corpus is provided with music throughout in staffless St. Gall neumes, usually 13 lines of text and music per page. Episemas and occasional litterae significativae are added above the notes. The script is of the Irish type associated with St. Gall, where the manuscript must have originated. The binding is of 19th century blue silk and many initials are illuminated. Ludwig was of the opinion that the antiphon Monasterium istud was polyphonic, since there are two rows of neumes above the text. In any case, it is possible that the two parts are independent, though, if not, this would be the oldest piece of polyphony originating in a practical rather than a theoretical source.

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