Original manuscript leaf from a late 15th century Italian Gradual. Five lines of music on a four-line stave, written in liturgical gothic script on animal parchment. (630 x 465 mm - 25.2 x 18.6").
Interlinear musical notation is in dark brown on a red four-line stave. One 85 mm (3.25'') square illuminated initial ''V'' in a floral motif and in colors of red, pink, blue, and green with white tracery on a heavily burnished gold ground; one 65mm (2.5'') and three 32mm (1.25’’) unusual and elaborate knot-work initials decorated with a floral motif in red and green and on a golden ground; two 55mm square(2 1/8’’) illuminated initials alternating in red/blue with a blue/red floriated background.
Northern Italy c. 1450-1500.
The large illuminated ''V'' begins part of Psalm 44 (King James 45): ''Vultum tuum...'' (All the rich among the people shall entreat Thy countenance: after her shall virgins be brought to the King: her neighbors shall be brought to thee in gladness and rejoicing. My heart hath uttered a good word: I speak my works to the King...).
Provenance: Other leaves from the parent manuscript were in Maggs Bulletin 5 (1967) and in Houston, Rice University MS. 510-6 - pictured in Sacra et Profana, Music In Medieval Manuscripts (2012), p 57.
As is usual with Medieval and Renaissance parchment, the hair side of the leaf is darker than the flesh side, but may take ink somewhat better. The differences in tone caused scribes to arrange their quires so that the hair side of one sheet faced the hair side of the next, and the flesh side faced the flesh side.
Graduals contain the musical chants for the proper of the Mass: introits, graduals, tracts, alleluia, offertory and communion verses, and sequences for special feasts. They may also include chants for the ordinary of the Mass: kyrie, gloria, sanctus, agnus dei and for the introductory ‘asperges’ rite.
Shipped unmatted.
