St Gall neumes (Early German neumes)
Antiphonal, in Latin, manuscript on vellum [Germany, first half of the 11th century]
A table listing the incipits of chant texts for offices of saints, with marginal notes showing the modal formulae associated with each antiphon supplied with primitive German neumes.

A bifolium, c.222 x 158mm, blind-ruled for 25 lines written in a regular Caroline minuscule, ruled space c.170 x 100mm, initials in red, psalm tone differential musical cues in the margins, St Gall (Early German) linear, staffless neumes (formerly used as a pastedown, slight darkening of the margins, the margins slightly trimmed, with the loss of parts of marginalia, some creasing).


Provenance:
(1) Internationaal Antiquariaat Menno Hertzberger, Amsterdam 22 June 1966, lot 1126, purchased by:

(2) Ludwig Rosenthal Antiquariaat, Hilversum, Netherlands.

(3) Bernard Rosenthal, his ‘I/203’ (1966-1987).

(4) Bernard Quaritch, Bookhands of the Middle Ages, III, cat. 1088 (1988), no 35.

(5) Schøyen Collection, MS 98.

Text:
The text is non consecutive and contains a table of Sanctoral offices, from St Paul the Apostle (30 June) to St Pantaleon (7 July), and St Maurice (22 September) to All Saints (1 November).

Music:
Linear, staffless neumes represent the most primitive stage of notation, without any cue to the pitch of each neume, making performance fully dependent on oral tradition.