A early ars nova motet - Prosa beati Martialis

Chaque fournée des mises en ligne sur Gallica possède son lot de surprises. Cette semaine c'est un manuscrit de la bibliothèque de l'Arsenal qui a attiré notre attention.

Il s'agit d'un manuscrit hagiographique en l’honneur de Saint Martial contenant "vie, lettres, messe et office de saint Martial de Limoges".

Si cette polyphonie a bien été repérée dans le "Répertoire de manuscrits médiévaux contenant des notations musicales" (Vol.III,1974) elle a cependant été oubliée dans le RISM.

Paris, Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal, Ms 666, 39r

Extrait du RMM

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Replies

  • Richard -- the Amen is the continuation of the piece on f. 39r (Exultemus sit).  The tenor is provided for the first four lines -- each is in matching pairs (sequentia).  After that, beginning with "Hic con Christo" there is no tenor, until the Amen.  The piece has no rubric, but the following piece has the rubric "sequitur prosa alia de tra[n]slatc[i]one ip[sius]" -- "Following: an alternate prosa [sequence] for the translation [of the body, resumably] of the same [saint = Martial]".  No idea what the tenors did for the other 6 verses.  Sing with the cantus? improvide? Try to make the other parts work?  Check their monk-mail?

  • It looks like the subsequnt Amen on 39v is also a 2-voice polyphonic piece.

    https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b550134173/f86.item

    Vita, epistolae, officium sancti Martialis [Vie, lettres et office de saint Martial de Limoges]
    Vita, epistolae, officium sancti Martialis [Vie, lettres et office de saint Martial de Limoges] -- 1301-1400 -- manuscrits
  • Wonderful rediscovery!
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