Antiphonary

About this Item

An antiphonary, probably early 16th century. Covers are wooden boards covered in leather, with hand-wrought iron clasp affixed to top cover but lacking the clasp, iron edges, and iron nails. There are 45 parchment leaves. Each staff of five lines is ruled in red, with musical notation in black. Text in Latin, with occasional marginal notes in Spanish. Many decorated initials. There are several pages with clumsy restorations. See photos. An antiphon is a short chant in Christian ritual. Antiphonals were a simplification of a music type called motet. An antiphonary is a choral book used to provide religious orders with the musical portions of their daily observances, which are organized around the canonical hours of the day and the yearly cycle of feasts. A very large antiphonary such as this one would have been placed before members of the religious group, so all could see the notes of the music and the text of the chant. CONDITION: Good SIZE: 27.5" high, 19.5" wide, 3" deep (atlas folio) WEIGHT: about 15 pounds.

Seller Inventory # 114210

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Antiphonary
• Language: Latin
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: Good
• Weight: 15 pounds
• Seller catalogs:
  • Scarce
  • Manuscript
  • Rare or antiquarian