[Gradual]

[Gradual]

Paper; f. 1 but torn in half (?); 4 lines of text printed in Roman font, and 4 staves of 4 lines each, with square notation. Major initials (P and F) printed in red, as are the rubrics. In the lower margin of the verso, "Pars Aestiva" (so the text is not from the feast of the Epiphany?) and "eee." In upper left corner of the recto, the usual label, "No. 2 <?>, Elson Collection." In the lower margin of the same page, "BECPL."

European printed text and music, 19th century, although the actual location and date of the printing are not known. The very uncertain identity of this fragment may explain its presence in this collection that belonged to Louis Charles Elson (1848-1920) who was a professor of music theory and history at the New England Conservatory of Music from age 34 onwards; he had begun studying music with his mother, then went on to study in Leipzig; he composed songs, operetta and works for the piano, but mainly he studied and wrote on the history of music; he published in a number of Boston newspapers, and was the editor-in-chief of Modern Music and Musicians (1912; 20 vols.) and of the University Musical Encyclopedia (1912-14; 10 vols.), among the ca. 50 items that he published over the course of his life. The collection of medieval fragments of music that had belonged to Louis Charles Elson was acquired in 1924 by the Grosvenor Library in Buffalo NY; this library, together with the Erie County Library and the Buffalo Public Library merged in 1953 to form today's Buffalo and Erie County Public Library. This leaf (presumably because it is not dated to medieval or Renaissance times) was not described by De Ricci. Elson no. 28.

The chant for communion on the recto (Ponam visitationem) is identified on the Cantus Database and on the Musica Hispanica database as being from the Hispanic rite, for Epiphany, with the Cantus ID: h03550b ; this piece of text is from London, British Library, Add. 30844, f. 127 (Spain, second half of the 10th century, or 11th century). However, none of the other texts on this fragment are listed in either database, nor did movement forward or backward in the manuscript identify any other pieces of text or chant, nor did an online examination of the description of this British Library manuscript. No results found in Liber usualis, ed. by the Benedictines of Solesmes (Tournai: Society of St. John the Evangelist, Descľe, 1952); none in W. H. Iacobus Weale, Analecta liturgica, pars 1, Clavicula missalis romani (Insulis et Brugis: Typis Societatis s. Augustini, 1889); nor in the mass in time of war (introit, Reminiscere miserationum) in a printed Missale Romanum ex decreto sacrosancti Concilii Tridentini restitutum (Regensburg, 1861).

Bibliography: De Ricci, p. 1209, n. 2 (although this fragment is not mentioned)

Formerly classified as RBR MSS. C33F7 900Z, item 4

[19th century]

2023-12-14

Louis C. Elson Collection. no. 28

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Text

image/jpg

1 leaf (fragment) of music ; 27 x 35.5 cm

paper

RBR Mss. C33G79 1800z

[Europe]

Recto: //Communio de 5. Ponam visitationem tuam pacem: non audietur ultra iniquitas in terra tua, vastitas et contritio in terminis// -- Verso: //<? populo ?>in pace. Temp. Pasch. loco Gradualis dicitur, Alleluia. Vers., Dominus ut supra. Deinde, Alleluia. Vers., Tu exurgens ut supra in Missa pro Tempore Belli. Offertorium de 4, Facient Sacerdotes super altare holocausta <in lower margin: Pars Aestiva; eee>//