De institutione musica of Boethius (f. lv-50), the Musica Enchiriadis (f. 50-54v) and De organo (f. 54v-56v). The polyphonic composition (described by Apel as the earliest work of this kind) is on f. 56 and takes up most of the page. It is a complete work based on the sequence melody Benedicta sit for the Feast of the Holy Trinity. The note-against-note two-part organum is of the oblique or converging type which makes use of unisons, seconds and thirds as well as fourths and fifths. The plainsong is usually above but also moves below the organal voice.

Chocolate brown leather. The 3 blank, unnumbered paper flyleaves at each end belong to the modern binding of chocolate brown leather

unique notation with a Daseian scale at the beginning of every section, which fixes the pitch. The notes of both parts are generally represented as small circles joined together by straight lines. The latter are used to indicate the connection of one part to the other, and also further lines joining the individual notes of one part indicate the movement of the two separate lines. A number of supplementary indications, such as 'y' = the end of a phrase and 'e' = the interval of a fifth, clarify the rudimentary notation.

Foliated at t.r.r. in 17th or 18th century ink; excludes 3 blank, unnumbered flyleaves at each end

typical minuscule script of the period with orange rubrics and green and yellow ornament for diagrams.

iii paper + 56 parchment + iii paper

RISM B/IV 1: An 11th century parchment manuscript meas. 338 x 216 mm. and containing 56 folios numbered at t.r.r. in 17th or 18th century ink. The 3 blank, unnumbered paper flyleaves at each end belong to the modern binding of chocolate brown leather. The contents are musical treatises, namely the De institutione musica of Boethius (f. lv-50), the Musica Enchiriadis (f. 50-54v) and De organo (f. 54v-56v). The polyphonic composition, which has been described by Apel as the earliest work of this kind, is on f. 56 and takes up most of the page. Although it looks like a series of musical examples, it is in fact a complete work based on the sequence melody Benedicta sit for the Feast of the Holy Trinity. The note-against-note two-part organum is of the oblique or converging type which makes use of unisons, seconds and thirds as well as fourths and fifths. The plainsong is usually above but also moves below the organal voice. The unique notation has a Daseian scale at the beginning of every section of the composition, which fixes the pitch. The notes of both parts are generally represented as small circles joined together by straight lines. The latter are used to indicate the connection of one part to the other, and also further lines joining the individual notes of one part indicate the movement of the two separate lines. A number of supplementary indications, such as "y" = the end of a phrase and "e" = the interval of a fifth, clarify the rudimentary notation. The codex employs the typical minuscule script of the period with orange rubrics and green and yellow ornament for diagrams.

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