LaurieStras

Theperformanceofpolyphonyinearly

16th-centuryItalianconvents*

Thirtyyearsago,inachapterthatliftedtheveilonthemusicalworldofmedieval

conventsinEurope,themusicologistAnneBagnallYardleycalledfor‘an

increasedsensitivity…tothemusicalactivitiesofnuns’.1Sincethen,interestin

conventmusichasflourished,yetlacunaestillexist—particularlyinrespectof

the16thcentury,bothintermsofperformanceandscholarlyliterature.

Performinggroupsappeartohavemorefreedomtoexploreoneithersideofthe

HighRenaissance:whilenumerousensembles(Sequentia,Anonymous4,

EnsemblePeregrina,EnsembleKorymbos,TrioMedieval,Reverdie,tonamebut

afew)investigatenuns’musicuptothe15thcentury,andperhapsfewer(for

example,CappellaArtemisia,NewberryConsort,CappellaClausura,Schola

PietatisAntonioVivaldi)concentrateonthe15thand18thcenturies,thesonic

worldof16th-centuryconventmusichasremainedlargelyclosedtoourears.

Musicology,too,hasfoundthe16th-centuryconventdifficulttofathom.

ThiscouldbedowntowhatNatalieZemonDaviscalled‘thefictionofthe

archives’;thatis,theideathatthestorieswecantellareinevitablyshapedbythe

completenessoftheavailableevidenceandhowitisrecorded.2Evidencerelating

tomusicalpracticeatItalianconventsinthefirsthalfofthe16thcenturyis

mostlyfragmentary,rarelyconcentratedinanextendedrunofdocumentsora

coherentmusicalsource.3Yetwemayneverthelessconsiderhownunsmight

havedealtwiththelegacyofFranco-Flemishpolyphony,performingbothvoci

piene(‘fullvoices’orfullrange)andvocipari(‘equalvoices’orrestrictedrange)

2

works,bothbyusingtechniquesthatareattestedincontemporarytreatises,and

bycloserreadingofwhatdocumentsdoexist.Thisessaybringstogethera

varietyofsources,someofwhichhavealreadybeendiscussedinscholarship,

andplacesthemindialoguewitheachother—offeringnewperspectives,andat

timeschallengingexistingones,onhowtheymightbeinterpreted.

Themusicalinstitutionsof16th-centuryconventswerenourishedand

admired,despitetheeffortsofsomereformerstosilencethem,andwhereaselite

malechapelchoirswereheardonlybythefew,nuns’musicwasavailableto

everycitizen,onadailybasis.Nunsregularlyperformedpolyphonybothduring

liturgicalworshipandoutsidechapel,whetheritwaswrittenexpresslyforthem,

oradaptedfortheiruse.Theysangatthecommandofpopesandnobility,and

wereevenusedasexamplestoinspire(orshame)lessermusicians.4Restoring

femalevoicesto16th-centurypolyphonyhasthepotentialtotransformour

modernconceptofthesoundoftheHighRenaissanceintooneinwhichboth

maleandfemalevoiceshaveauthority.

Documentaryevidenceofconventpolyphonyinthe16thcentury

Practicalevidence,intheformofmusicmanuscriptsorprintsdirectlylinkingthe

compositionandsingingofpolyphonyinItalianconvents,isnotplentifulpriorto

theendofthe16thcentury.5Thefirstmusicalpublicationattributedtoanun,

theSacraecantionesquinque,septem,octo,&decemvocibusdecantandebythe

FerrareseSuorRaffaellaAleotti,didnotemergeuntil1593.6Inthesecondhalfof

thecentury,however,thereisarelativelysmallnumberofdedicationstonunsin

printedbooksofbothsacredandsecularmusic(Table1).Fromthesewelearn

thatnunsinmanyItaliancitieswerefamiliarwiththeperformanceofpolyphony

3

intheirdailylives,bothinchapelaspartoftheirdevotionandrecreation.For

instance,thededicationofTiburtioMassaino’sSacricantusquinqueparibus

vocibus...libersecundus(Venice:Gardano,1580)statesthatthemotetswerea

commission,andthattheywereintendedtobeusedbothinchurchandin

privatemusic-making:7

EtperchefosserocantatiinChiesa,etpercheservisseronellehoredelriposo

perunhonestointrattenimentoàquellehonorategiovani,chesottolasanta

disciplinadellaR.vostra…fuihonoratodasuoicomandamentiàcomporre

comehofattodiversiMotettiàvocepari…

AndbecausetheymightbesunginChurch,andbecausetheymightserve

duringthehoursofreposeasadecententertainmentforthosehonourable

maidensthatareunderthedisciplineofyourReverence…Iwashonouredby

yourcommandtocomposeasIhavedoneseveralmotetsinequalvoices…

--InsertTable1nearhere[fileonS1]--

Theearliestofthesebooksis,infact,secular:theFerrareseFrancesco

dallaVioladedicatedhisPrimolibrodemadrigaliaquattrovoci(Venice:Gardano,

1550)toSuorLeonorad’Este(1515–1575),onlysurvivingdaughterofDuke

AlfonsoId’EsteandLucreziaBorgia.8Butthispublicationisanoutlier:liturgical

settingsonlybegintoappearinthelasttwodecadesofthecentury,andby1600

theyarestillbarelyindoublefigures.Therealexplosionofconventualmusicin

printbeginsinearnestattheturnofthe17thcentury,withmorebooks

emerginginthefirstdecadethanhadbeenissuedinthepreviouscentury.9This

burgeoningofconventcultureisperhapsindicativeofthesocioeconomicreality

ofanexpandingconventpopulation,fortherewasasteepincreaseinthe

4

numberofnoblewomenmonachizedduringthesecondhalfofthecentury.10

Morewell-educatednuns,increasedcompetitionbetweenconventstoattract

bothdowriesandmemorialbequests,andasubtle(ornotsosubtle)pressure

frompost-Tridentinereformerscouldallhaveincreasedthedemandfornew

bespokecompositionsthatsatisfiedboththeneedforprestigeandmoreself-

evidentadherencetomusicaldecorum.And,ofcourse,themoreaccomplished

themusicatanyparticularconvent,thebetterforitsowneconomichealth:itis

bynomeansacoincidencethattheconventswiththefinestmusical

establishmentsoftenattractedwomenfromtheupperechelonsofpatrician

society,withappropriately-sizeddowries.11

Yetdespitetherelativepaucityofdirectlyverifiablemusicalmaterials

relatingtoconventpolyphonypriortothislate-centuryflowering,wecanbe

certainthatitwasmanifestedmuchearlierinurbancentresacrossItalythrough

evidencegleanedfromthedocumentaryrecord.Frequently,accountsofvisitsby

dignitaries,royaltyornoblesrevealtheimportanceofthemusical,asmuchas

spiritual,experiencetotheevent.Thesevisitswerevisibleevidenceof

institutionalsupportforconvents,asnodoubttheyculminatedindonationsand

patronage,buttheconventswerealsoofferingaquidproquo:nuns’continual

prayerwasconsideredvitaltothespiritualhealthofthecity.12

EspeciallypopularforpublicattendancewereVespersservices,when

congregationscouldgatherintheouterchurchtohearthenuns’singingthrough

thegrillesthatseparatedtheouterchurchfromtheinnerchoir.13In1475Sixtus

IVwenttotheClarissanconventofSanCosimatoinTrasteveretohearVespers,

anditwasreportedthatthenuns’singingmovedhimtotears.14Attimes,visitors

wereinvitedtostayafterwardstoreceiverefreshment,andmayalsothenhave

5

beenentertainedfurther:forinstance,on2January1492theFerrareseDuke

ErcoleId’EsteattendedtwoVespersservices(‘quellodelaMadon[n]aprimaet

poiquellodelSignore’)atCorpusDominiinBologna,andafterwardswitnessed

sixnunssinginglaude.15InVenice,nuns’musichadalsobeenattractingattention

sincethemid-15thcentury:EmperorFrederickIIIvisitedtheBenedictine

conventofSanZaccariain1469,andwasdelightedbythenunssingingpsalms

andlaude;in1502Isabellad’EsteandElisabettaGonzagaweresimilarly

impressedbytheAugustiniancanonessesofLeVergini.16Inthe1520sthediarist

MarinSanudorecommendedthesetwoconventsastouristattractions,

equivalenttotheDoge’spalaceandthePiazzaSanMarco.17Musicalcuriosityand

pietycouldbesatisfiedinasinglevisit:themostimportantClarissanhousein

Veniceduringthelate15thandearly16thcenturieswasattachedtothepopular

pilgrimagechurchofSantaMariadeiMiracoli,wherethechoirwasplacedabove

theentrancetothechurch,heardbutnotseen.18

Thepresenceoforgansinconvents’innerchoirs,evenasthe16thcentury

dawned,suggeststhatthepracticeofpolyphonywaswidespread.Organswere

notnecessaryforchant,yettheyplayedavitalroleinfacilitatingwomen-only

performanceastheycouldprovidesupporttothewholeensemble,principally

bycoveringordoublinganyofthevoices—inparticularthelowestpart.Asearly

as1480,theFerrareseambassadortoFlorencenotedinhisdispatchesthatthe

qualityofbothsingingandorganplayingattheBenedictineconventofLe

Muratewasequaltothatheardina[ducal]chapel.19Wemightthenconclude

thattheEstes’subsequentsupportintheformoforganbuildingand

maintenanceatnearlyallofthecity’sconvents—whichcontinuedthroughout

6

the16thcentury—wasperhapsprompted,oratleastsustained,bydynastic

rivalry.20

Duringthelastdecadeofthe15thcentury,Florentinenuns’familiarity

withpolyphonycameinforspecialcriticismfromGirolamoSavonarola,who

deemedtheiruseoforgansparticularlyfrivolous,evenheinous.21Yet

Savonarola’sowndetractor,AngelodaVallombrosa,disagreedthatthesisters

wereneglectingtheOfficebychoosingpolyphonyoverchant.Inwhatseemsa

deliberatechallengetothosewhousedSt.Paul’swords‘Mulieresinecclesiis

taceant’(1Corinthians14,verse34;‘Womenshouldbesilentinchurch’)to

argueagainstconventpolyphony,FraAngeloselectsanalternativePauline

dictum,suggestingthatthenuns’singingwasanappropriatewaytopraiseGod,

edifyingtheircongregationthroughsheerpleasureatthesound.Heisclearthat

thenunsofFlorencewereskilledpractitioners,musicallyadvancedenoughto

singpolyphony‘inimitationofthePope’schapel’:22

inalcunimonasteriilesanctemonialieranoconsuetelaudareDioconcanto

figuratoadimitationedellacappelladelpapavicariodiDio.Essipropheti

hannotantogridatoaquellecheloroperignorantiafeminilesonomancate

dacosìlaudabileoficio,perqualecessandoneseguitaragrandidelicti,cum

sitchemoltiallectidalladulcedineditalemusichalasciavanoligiuochi,

bestemmie,lascivieetfurti,etandavanoaudirequella:ilchemancatosi

dannoavitii.Persuadenoaquellesemplicimonachecheeranoandatiperché

intalmodocantavanoperpiaceregl’huomini.Cheprocededagrande

presumptioneaguidicarelementedegl’huomini,cognitaalsuoDio:etionon

existimochesitruoviunotantoignorantechegiudichicheessemonache

fondassinolasuamenteprincipaleintaleerroremainlaudareDiosiein

piaceredegl’huominiseguitandoladoctrinadelloapostoloRomaxv:

unusquisqueplaceatproximoinbonumadaedificationem.

7

InsomeconventstheholysisterswereusedtopraisingGodwithpolyphony

inimitationofthechapelofthePope,thevicarofGod.Thoseprophetshave

shoutedmuchatthenuns,thatthey—throughtheirfeminineignorance—are

neglectingthatmostpraiseworthyOffice,andceasingitwouldleadtogreat

offences,sincemany,attractedbythesweetnessofthismusicleavetheir

games,theirblaspheming,whoringandthieving,andcometohearit:butifit

werelackingtheywouldgivethemselvestovice.They[i.e.theprophets]

triedtopersuadethesimplenunsthatthepubliccamebecausetheywere

singinginthatwaytopleasemen.Thisiswhatcomesofthegreat

presumptionofguessingthemindsofmen,knownonlytotheirGod.AndI

don’treckonthatonecouldfindanyonesostupidastobelievethatthese

nunsgroundedtheirprimarythinkinginsucherror,butinpraisingGodand

inpleasingmen,followingthedoctrineofRomans15,‘leteachpleasehis

neighbourforhisgood,toedification’.

Practicalconsiderationsforfemale-voicepolyphony

Singingpolyphonyrequiredsomeknowledgeofmusictheory,inparticularthe

hexachordalsystemandtherulesregardingmusicaficta.Tuitionwasoften

providedbyoutsiders;in1512,Isabellad’EsterequestedthatthesistersofSan

GiovanniinMantuareceiveinstructionfrom‘learnedanddiscreet’teachers,as

theirinexpertsinging‘offended’herears.23TheBenedictinesistersatLeMurate

inFlorence,whohadcultivatedthelearningofpolyphonyfromatleastthe

middleofthe15thcentury,alsobenefittedfromthetuitionofpriests.24Asmall

groupofnunswouldgatheratthegratetoreceivesinginginstruction,

chaperonedbyseniormembersoftheconvent;thesesisterswereexpectedthen

toteachtheothers.Thissystemofcascadedlearningbecamethenormfor

8

maintainingandextendingmusicalexpertiseinconvents.Bythelater16th

centurymanycommunitieswereexpectedtobeself-sufficient,eitherthrough

teachingin-houseorbyrecruitingyoungwomenwhohadalreadyreceiveda

thoroughmusicaleducation.25

15th-centurymusiciansattemptingtoschoolyoungnovicesinthe

fundamentsofmusicaltheorymighthavefoundappropriateteachingmaterials

hardtocomeby.26Yetin1508theMilanesetheoristandcomposerFranchinus

GaffuriusbroughtoutavernaculartranslationandcondensationofhisPractica

musicaeandMusicatheorica,theAngelicumacdivinumopusmusicae…materna

linguascriptum.TheAngelicumacdivinumexplainshexachords,themodes,

mensuralnotationandmetre.Itsopeningparagraphevenstatesthatthe

translationwouldspecificallybenefitnuns,amongotherswhowerenotableto

readLatin:

Perchemoltiilliteratifanoprofessionedemusica:etcongrandedifficultade

pervenganoalaveracognitionedelipraeceptiharmonicipernonintenderele

operenostreetdealtridegniauctorilatiniqualesonscripteconqualcheornato

etalquantoobscurostillo:havemoconsyderatosubvenirenonsolamentealor

votietdesiderii:maanchoraaladevotionedemoltedonnereligioseintentead

laudareloeternoDiocontuttalacorteceleste:imitandoleangeliceIerarchie:et

adornamentodelcultodivino…descrivaremoinlinguamaternaconbrevitade

moltedegneconsyderationenecessarieacheestudiosodeperveniread

perfectacognitionedequestaangelicadoctrina.

Becausemanyilliteratepersonsmakeaprofessionofmusic,andwithgreat

difficultyarriveatthetrueunderstandingoftheharmonicpreceptsbecause

theydonotunderstandourworksandthosebyotherworthyLatinauthorsthat

arewritteninasomewhatornateandobscurestyle:wehavethoughttosubmit

9

notonlytotheirwishesanddesires,butalsotothedevotionofmanywomen

religiousintentonpraisingtheeternalGodwithallthecelestialcourt,imitating

theangelichierarchies,andtotheornamentofthedivineworship…wewill

describeinthemothertonguewithbrevitymanyworthyconsiderations

necessarytoonewhoisstudioustoarriveataperfectunderstandingofthis

angelicdoctrine.27

AfterGaffurius,directallusionstonunsmakingmusicdonotappearin

didacticliteratureagainuntilOrazioVecchimakesafleetingreferenceinan

undatedmanuscript,writtentowardstheendofthecentury.28Nonetheless,nuns

couldfindtheinformationtheyneededintreatisespublishedforgeneraluse,in

particularthosethatexpoundatlengthonperformance,suchasthosebyNicola

VicentinoandGioseffoZarlino.Thesetreatisesmakeclearsomeofthechallenges

thatfacedconventchoirs,andthepracticalsolutionsthatwereavailable.

Regardlessoftheerainwhichtheyflourished,Italy’snunmusiciansfacedthe

samefundamentalissuewhenitcametoperformingmuchoftheexisting

polyphonicrepertoire.Themostprestigiousconventswereabletoscoutfor

singerswithlowvoices,butthesewomenwerealwaysexceptional.29Sochoirs

wouldhavetoadaptexistingmusic,unlesscomposedspecificallyinatessitura

appropriatetohighvoices,inordertorenderitsuccessfully.Inpractice,this

meantachoiceofeitherinstrumentalaccompanimenttosupplyorsupplement

thelowervoicesortranspositioninordertobringthemusicintotherightrange;

inmanyinstancesbothtechniquesmightbeused.

ThechaptersontranspositionatthekeyboardinZarlino’sLeistitutioni

harmonicherevealapracticalunderstandingofmusic-makinginreligioushouses

wheretherangesofchoirsmightberestricted:

10

Trasportationisonovtili,etsommamentenecessarieancoadogniperito

Organista,cheseruealleMusichechoriste;etadaltriSonatorisimilmente,

chesonanoaltresortidiistrumenti,peraccommodareilsuonodiquellialle

Voci,lequaliallevoltenonpossonoascendere,odiscenderetanto,quanto

ricercanoiluoghipropijdelliModi…30

Transpositionsareusefulandaboveallalsonecessaryforeveryskilled

organistwhoserveswithchoirs;andsimilarlytootherplayersthatplay

othersortsofinstruments,toaccommodatethepitchtothatofthevoices,

whichsometimescannotascendordescendfarenoughtoreachtheproper

placeofthemodes...

Zarlinosuggeststhattranspositionwassobasictomusiclearningthatonlythose

organistswhohadnotreceivedacompletemusicaleducation(suchasthosewho

learnttheircraftinaconvent,perhaps)wouldfindhisinstructionshelpful,

particularlyinthesingingofdailyoffices:

Lassohoragiudicareadogn'vnoperitonellaMusica,quantopotràessere

vtiletalecognitioneadogniOrganistanoncosibeneistruttonellaMusica:

conciosiachedallimostratiessempipotràvedere,etconoscerequello,che

haueràafare,quandogliaccascaràditrasportarealcunacantilena,quando

seruiràalleCapelle,ouesicantanovariecantileneappartinentiallichori,non

solonelleMesse,etnelliVesperi;maanchenell'altreHore,tantodiurne,

quantonotturne.31

Ileaveitnowtothejudgmentofanyonelearnedinmusichowmuchthis

knowledgeisusefultoanyorganistwhohasnotbeenwellinstructedin

music…whenitfallstothemtotransposewhateverpiece,whentheyare

servinginchapelswherevariousworkspertainingtothechoiraresung,not

11

justinMassesandinVespers,butalsoinotherHours,bothdiurnaland

nocturnal.

Zarlinodiscussesthreekindsoftransposition:attheoctave;upordowna

fourth;orbyatone.32Stepwisetransposition(forallbutmodes3and4)couldbe

accommodatedrelativelyeasilywithinthemeantonetuningsystem,andmight

bedonetoimprovethesingers’comfortortone;itrequiredpracticeratherthan

achangeofnotation.33Hexachordaltransposition—thatis,transpositionatthe

fourthfromthenaturaltosofthexachordorviceversa—wasgenerally

expressedasatranspositionofthework’smode,whichgoverneditsmelodicand

harmonicorganization,andrequiredalterationoftheclefsinwhichthevoices

werewritten.Hexachordaltranspositionwasparticularlyimportanttonunsasit

wasthemostefficient,theoreticallygroundedmethodforbringingvocipiene

piecesintoaworkablefemalerange,althoughthebasswouldstillneedtobe

supportedorprovidedbyanorganorviol.OrazioVecchiexplainsthis

transpositionintermsofadaptingpolyphonyforstrings,‘colfavordellacorda’

(Examples1aand1b).34

--Example1anearhere,fullpage-width--

--Example1bnearhere,fullpage-width--

Althoughchiavinaturali(lowclefs:C1-C3-C4-F4)wereestablishedasthe

normforvocipienepolyphonyearlyoninthe16thcentury,chiavialti(highclef:

G2-C2-C3-F3)works,usingthedispositionofVecchi’stransposedexample,also

appearregularlyintheirownright.35High-clefworkshaveposedapractical

problemwithinthetraditionalnarrativeofpolyphonygiventhatmany,if

attemptedatnotatedpitch,arenotoptimal—orindeedareevenunsingable—for

12

male-voiceensembles.Agreatdealofevidencehasbeencompiledrelatingto

stipulationsin17th-centurytheory(andthenextrapolatedbackwardtothe

16th)regardingmandatorydownwardtranspositionofhigh-clefworksbya

fourthorafifth,supportedbypracticalexamplesfrominstrumentalmanuals,

downward-transposedintabulations,andscores.36Butnoneofthe17th-century

advicespecificallyfocusingontheproblemofhighclefs,orindeedthe

scholarshipithasinspired,considersperformancebyfemale-voicechoirs.37This

isdespitethefactthathigh-clefvocipienepolyphonyisreadilyperformable—

withouttransposition—bywomen,ifthebassissuppliedbyorreinforcedwith

instruments.Somehigh-clefworksmayevenhaveoriginatedasworksfor

conventperformance,andnotjustthosethatappearinvolumesdedicatedto

nuns.Whileitwouldbedisingenuoustosuggestthatallsuchworkswerewritten

forfemalevoices,itwouldbeequallyill-advisedtoexcludethatpossibilityfor

individualworkssolelyontheassumptionthathighclefsmustalwaysbe

transposed,andthereforehavenosignificanceintermsofperformancepitch.

Anearly17th-centuryworkdedicatedtoanunrevealsthatdownward

transpositionofhigh-clefpieces,farfrombeingmandatory,isjustoneofasetof

options;andinthiscase,atleast,itspecificallybringsmusicwrittenforwomen

intoalowerrange,suitableformen.PompeoSignorucci’s1603Salmi,

falsibordonietmotettiatrevoci,whichwasdedicatedtohisex-pupil,SuorUritia

SerguilianioftheconventofSantaMargheritainBorgoSanSepolcro,contains

psalmsettingsinthreevoices—twohigh,onelow—whichcanbesungassolos,

duetsortrios.Theprintedrubricsonthecontinuopartgivetheoptionof

downwardtranspositionforallpieces,notjustthoseinhighclefs.Forinstance,

theopeningwork,‘Endilectusmeus’—notatedinlowclefs—hastherubric‘In

13

tuonoetallaquartabassa’(‘atpitch,andatafourthbelow’).38Atwrittenpitch

theuppervoicessitcomfortablyforfemalevoices(Example2a),butdownward

transpositionbyafourth(Example2b)bringsthemintoamaletenorrange

(whilemakingthelowestvoiceunsingable).Adviceregardingdownward

transposition,then,canbeseenasprimarilyrelevanttomale-voiceensembles

andaspartofaflexibleperformancepractice,ratherthansomethingthatshould,

orevencan,berigidlyapplied.

--Example2anearhere,fullpage-width--

--Example2bnearhere,fullpage-width--

Afurtherfeatureofhigh-clefvocipienepolyphonyrendersitevenmore

suitableforconventperformance.Asignificantnumberofhigh-clefworks

compresstherangebetweenthehighestandlowestvoicesbyraisingthe

tessituraofthelowestvoicebyathird(typically,G2-C2-C3-C4insteadofG2-C2-

C3-F3),sothatnotationallythisvoicesitsaninthbelowthecantusandathird

belowthetenor.39Compressedcleffingoptimizesvocipienepolyphonyfor

maturemaleensemblesthatlackfalsettistsorboys,butinhighclefsitalsooften

bringsallthevoicescomfortablyintotherangeofamaturefemaleensemble—

particularlyifthechoirincludesspecialistfemaletenorsorbasses.

Octavetranspositionandthevociparidisposition

Nunmusiciansnegotiatedissuesofperformancepitchandrangeonadailybasis,

usingtranspositionandaccompanimentastheirprimarytoolsforadaptationof

existingrepertoire;butnotallpolyphonywasreadilyadaptable.Ifthebassand

tenorvoicescrossfrequently,forexample,theadditionalweightoninstruments

onthebasslinecanmakeitseemasiftheharmonyinvertswhenthebassis

14

higherthanthetenor.Forsomeworks,solvingproblemsofrangeinonevoice

createstheoppositeproblemattheotherextreme,andfortheseselective

transposition—thatis,transposingonlysomeofthevoicesbyanoctave—might

beanacceptablesolution.40Determiningthebestsolutionforindividualworks

wasamatteroftrialanderror:late16th-centurysourcesconfirmthat

preparationandrehearsalwerekeytothesuccessofconventmusic.41

Transpositiontechniquescouldalsobecombined,asOrazioVecchi

recommendsinrelationtoconventpractice:

Oravediamounamanieraditrasportationechesifaun'ottavapiùaltoperB

molle,laqualeèmoltoattapercanzonette,napolitane,arie,eper

composizionidamonache,operconcertarfanciulli,perchél'armonia

ristrettaetunitanell'acutoèmoltoallegra;oltrecheallevoltepercarestiade

bassi,taicomponimentisonocomodissimi.42

Nowweturntoamanneroftranspositionthatismadeanoctavehigherwith

Bflat,whichisveryaptforcanzonette,napolitane,songs,andfor

compositionsfor[orby]nuns,orforchildren’sensembles.Becausethe

harmony[is]restrictedandunitedinthehighregister,itisveryconvivial;

moreover,onoccasionswhenthereisalackofbasses,suchcompositionsare

veryhandy.

Todemonstrate,Vecchitreatshisprevioustranspositionupafourthtofurther

selectiveoctavetransposition.Heleavestheuppermostpartaloneandbrings

thelowerthreeupanoctave,creatingpolyphonyforthreeequalhighvoicesand

a‘bass’voiceinarangeafifthlower,notatingtheexampleinaG2-G2-G2-C2clef

arrangement(Example3).

15

--Example3nearhere,fullpage-width--

Vecchi’stranspositioncreatesadispositionforthevoicesthatisseen

sporadicallyinthe15th-and16th-centurypolyphonicrepertoire,called

variouslyvocipari,vocimutate,orvocesaequalesintreatises,ontitlepages,and

inrubricstoindividualcompositions.43ThisdispositionisdiscussedbyPietro

Aron,Zarlino,andVicentino—invariably,however,asacombinationoflower

voicesnotatedinlowerclefs.44Itismostfrequentlyseenwithaslightlywider

compassandwiththerangesoftheinnervoicesduplicated,typicallyemploying

G2-C1-C1-C3orC3-C4-C4-F4clefs.LikeVecchi,Vicentinoshowshowthe

dispositionmayarisefromoctavetransposition:eitherbycomposingacantus

partspecificallyfordownwardtransposition(sopranomutabile),oratenorpart

thatmaybetransposedup(tenormutabile).45

Vociparipolyphony—mostlyfrequentlyfoundinthreeorfourvoices,but

sometimesinfiveorevensix—appearsinmanyearly16th-centurypublications,

sometimeswitharubricbutmostoftenundifferentiatedfromthevocipiene

works.However,around1540,Venetianpublishersbegantoissuespecialized

collectionsofvocipariworks,possiblytocaterforthemarketprovidedby

religiousestablishments.46Vociparipolyphonyisidealfornuns’ensembles;

indeed,theearliestsacredpublicationsdedicatedtonunsindicateontheirtitle

pagesthattheworksareinequalvoices(seeTable1above).Whilesomevoci

pariworksarenotatedinhighclefs,most,eveninrepertoireunequivocally

associatedwithconventuse,arepublishedwiththehighestvoiceinC3orC4clef,

obligingfemalechoirstotransposeinordertobringtheworktoperformance.

Curiously,itisnotuncommontofindasmallnumberofcompressed-clefworks

inotherwisevociparipublications.47Thissuggeststhatpublishers(and

16

purchasers)understoodthetitle-pagelabelvociparidifferentlytotheorists:

moreasapracticalindicationthattheworksaresuitableforsingle-sex

ensemblesthanasaprecisedescriptionoftheirclefdisposition.

Refininganunderstandingof16th-centurynuns’repertoire:two

manuscriptsexplored

Whileevenasmallnumberofprintscantellusagreatdealaboutnuns’

polyphonicpractice,thetextstheypreserveareinevitablymediatedbythe

publisher,andchangesintroducedatthepublicationstagemightwellobscure

detailsthatwouldotherwisebeinformative.Forinstance,Gardano’sapparent

desiretorationaliseclefcombinationsinordertomakehispartbooksmore

uniformledhimtotransposevocipariworksoriginallypublishedinhighclefs

downanoctavewhenreissuingthemsomeyearslater.48Manuscripts

commissionedandusedbyconventsmayrevealmore,butsuchvolumesare

scarce.Nevertheless,twomanuscriptslinkedwithItalianconvents—Verona,

BibliotecaCapitolareMs761(c.1495)[VeronaMs761]andBrussels,

BibliothèqueduConservatoireRoyaldeMusiqueMs27766(c.1560)[Brussels

Ms27766]—corroboratetheideathatnunsinthefirsthalfofthe16thcentury

foundsuitablerepertoireincompressed-clefandvocipariworks.Atthesame

time,theyalsoshowthatthoughuntransposedlowclefswerenotabarrierto

performance,highclefnotationwasmorepractical.

VeronaMs761

VeronaMs761joinsthemusicoftheSistineChapeltoiconographicalevidence

ofnunssingingpolyphony.49Themanuscriptpreservesmasses,credos,andaTe

17

Deum,andincludesworksbyJosquin,Brumel,Martini,BusnoysandObrecht,

severalofwhichalsoappearinVaticanchoirbooks.50Basedonitsopening

heraldicilluminations,JudithBenfieldarguedthatthemanuscript

commemoratedtheweddingofIsabettaBrenzoniandGiorgioMaffeiin1495.51

Usingthisdateasapointofdepartureforhisowninvestigation,JoshuaRifkin

thenidentifiedthescribeasoneGirolamoBeltrandi,asingerwhowasemployed

atbothSanPietroandtheSistineChapelinRomeinthe1490s.52Whilethere

mightbeanotherexplanationfortheheraldicilluminations(seethediscussion

ofBrusselsMs27766below),1495alsosawtheestablishmentoftheLeagueof

Veniceon31March,aneventthatwasmarkedinVeronawiththreedaysand

nightsofcelebration.53Aconnectionwiththiseventwouldaccountwellforthe

manuscript’scontents,includingthreeL’hommearmémasses(byBusnois,

FauguesandBrumel),ananonymousMissaDapacem,andtheTeDeumsetting,

aswellastheexhortationfromPsalm88featuredonthefirstopening,‘Beatus

populusquiscitjubilationem’(‘blessedisthepeoplethatknowsthejoyful

sound’).

--Illus.1nearhere(Fig1onScholarOne),fullpage-width,colour--

Acertaindissonancebetweenthismanuscript’scontentsandits

iconographyhascausedcontroversyinmusicologicalcircles.Itsprominent

illuminationsincludeaportraitofanunontheopeningpage,andbelowonthe

samepageisaminiatureofagroupofnunsandnovicessingingaroundalectern

supportingachoirbook,inwhichapolyphonicworkisclearlyindicated(illus.1).

Benfieldnotedthatearlierscholarshiphadassumedthatthemanuscriptwas

ownedbyaconvent,thoughshediscountedthetheory.54However,usingthe

symbolismembeddedintheillumination,HowardMayerBrownshowedthatthe

18

nunisFebbroniaBrenzoni,abbessoftheBenedictineconventSantaLuciasopra

ilChievobetween1492and1511;hethussuggestedthatthemanuscriptwas

compiledforconventualuse.55FollowingBenfieldindisputingthattheimage

hadanysignificanceforthemanuscript’sprovenance,JoshuaRifkinspeculated

insteadthatthecollectionwasintendedforthenewchoirschoolattheduomo,

basedonitscontemporaneitywiththeestablishmentoftheschool’sstatutes,the

connectionsofitsscribetooneofthecathedral’scanons(amemberoftheMaffei

family),anditslongpresence—sincethe17thcentury—inthecathedrallibrary.

Thereare,however,goodreasonswhyavaluablemusicmanuscript

belongingtoSantaLuciacouldhavechangedownershipevenasearlyasthefirst

halfofthe16thcentury.ThemusicaltraditionsfosteredatSantaLuciaduring

Brenzoni’srulewouldundoubtedlyhavebeendisruptedbytheImperialwars,in

whichtheconvent’s‘moltograndi,emagnifici’churchandbuildingswereso

comprehensivelydamagedthattheyhadtobedemolishedin1518.56Thenuns

wereforcedtomovetoamuchlesssalubriouscomplexinthecity,anditisat

thismomentthatthemanuscriptmighthavemovedtobehousedatthe

cathedral.Moreover,in1539,theBishopofVeronabannedconventpolyphony

outrightthroughoutthediocese,atwhichpointthemanuscriptmighthavebeen

surrendered.57

ItisentirelypossiblethattheBrenzoni-Maffeiweddingtookplaceat

SantaLucia,andindeedthatIsabettaBrenzonihadsomeyouthfulexperienceof

theconvent.58Yetthedecidedlyrisquécontentofsomeofthechansonmodels

forthemassesperhapsmakesthemanuscriptappearinappositeforconventuse.

ThechansonOrsus,orsus,themodelforoneofthemassesbyMartini,mocks

bridegroomswhobecomecuckolds,whilethemodelforJosquin’sMissaL’ami

19

Baudichonrelatesalewdproposition(delicatelyskirtedbythescribe,whoomits

asinglewordofanatomicaldetail).TheincipitofOrsus,orsusandthe(nearly)

completetextofL’amiBaudichonareeachinsertedunderthetenorcantus

firmusoftheirrespectivefirstKyriesectionsand,inthecaseofJosquin’sMissa

L’amiBaudichon,atthebeginningoftheGloriaaswell.59Nevertheless,itisfar

fromcertainthatthesetextsareintendedtobesung—theyareincomplete,and

itissimpletosupplythecorrectOrdinarytextateachpoint,evenextempore.

Moreover,othermanuscriptsproducedby16th-centurynunsalsoinclude

suggestive,evenobscenematerial,showingthatnunswerenotimperviousto

secularhumour.60

BrownobservedthattheworksinVeronaMs761arenotsuitablyscored

forfemalevoices,andassumedthattherepertoirewasassembledwithout

regardtowomen’sranges.Henoted,forinstance,thattheoverallrangein

Martini’sMissaMaboucheritisA-e''.61However,hisdataweretakenfrom

moderneditions.Inthemanuscriptitself,thebassusonlydescendstoAat

cadences,andthenoteisgivenwithanoptionalanotatedabove.Thelowest

noteotherwiseisc,andgiventhatthee''isalsoexceptional,thewholecould

easilybetransposedupaminorthirdorevenafourth,bringingitwithin

comfortablefemaleranges.Brownalsoreasonablysuggestedthatinstruments

mightbeusedtosupportthelowervoices.Thiswouldbeinkeepingwithwhat

weknowofFlorentinepractice,andfurtherexaminationofthemanuscript

suggeststhemassesmayhavebeenchosenwithexactlythispracticeinmind.

--Table2nearhere[fullpage,through90degrees;useversioninGoogleDocs]--

Fifteenoutofseventeenmassesareineithervocipariorcompressed

cleffing:Table2showstheprincipaldispositionusedforeachmasscycle,and

20

notesothersthatoccur.Thevociparimassesmighthaveneededtransposition,

dependingonthepitchstandardintheconvent;butconspicuousinallthe

massesthatarenotvocipariisthenear-universaluseofpairedinnervoicesthat

sita5thbelowthesuperius,andeithera5th(inonecasea7th)abovethe

bassus—ineffect,doublingthealtusrangeratherthanthetenor.Onlythefinal

massandtheCredosthatconcludethemanuscriptdonotconformtothis

pattern.Whilethisisnotararedispositionfor15th-centurypolyphony,the

consistencyisstriking,andtheseparationbetweentheuppervoicesandthe

bassmakesinstrumentalsubstitutionofthatpartmorepractical.DonAngeloda

Vallombrosa’sdescriptionofthenunssinginginimitationofthepapalchoir,

quotedabove,makestheconventualuseofVeronaMS761historicallyplausible.

Mycontentionisthatthemusicalqualitiesofthemanuscript’smasses,taken

togetherwithitsexceptionaliconography,supportBrown’stheorythatthe

manuscriptwasindeedcompiledfornuns.

BrusselsMs27766

AuniqueFlorentinemanuscript,dated1560andcompiledfortwoFlorentine

Clarissannuns,SuorAgnoletaBiffoliandSuorClementiaSostegni,BrusselsMs

27666(c.1560)isperhapsthemostcomprehensivedocumentthathasyet

emergedtoshedlightonthemusicalpracticesof16th-centurynuns.62Aswith

VeronaMs761,theheraldicemblemsoftwofamiliesareprominentinthe

illuminations;however,thenuns’namesarealsoembossedinthebinding,

makingitclearforwhomthemanuscriptwascompiled.BrusselsMs27666was

described,catalogued,anditsClarissanassociationsidentified,byLuciaBoscolo

in1996,butithasreceivedlittlefurtherattentionoranalysis.63Therepertoirein

21

thevolumeimpliesthatSuorAgnoletaandSuorClementiabelongedtoahouse

withastrongmusicaltraditionthathadevolvedoveraperiodoftime.Mostof

theworksareanonymous,thoughthemanuscriptopenswithamassbasedon

themotet‘RecordareVirgoMater’,whichisfollowedimmediatelybythemotet

itself(aworkelsewhereattributedtoJosquin).64Afewmoreattributablepieces

byCompère,Festa,Mouton,deBillon,Willaert,BocchinoandAntonioMoroshow

thatthecollectioncontainsotherFranco-FlemishandItalianrepertoireboth

contemporarytoitscompilationandfromseveraldecadesbefore.

Thetextscorrespondtothesamefeasts,celebrations,andactivitiesthat

wereimportanttoconventsinbetterdocumentederas:Christmas,HolyWeek,

Marianworship,vestition/professionrites,thenighthoursofVespersand

Compline,andprivatedevotion.TheworksthatpointmostclearlytoaClarissan

contextaretheclustersofantiphonsandhymnsfortheFeastofStClare,

includingbothVespersIandII,andLauds.Thesepropersarenotderivedfrom

theBreviarumromanum,butfromthethirteenth-centuryrhymedofficeofSt

Clare,writtenbyJulianofSpeyer.65Theofficeistransmittedinasmallnumberof

Franciscanbreviariesandantiphoners,withonlytheMagnificatantiphonfor

VespersII,‘SalvesponsaDei’,enteringthepublishedpolyphonicrepertoire—and

eventhenonlytwiceinthe16thcentury.66

ThemusicofBrusselsMs27766showsthatthenunshadarichmusical

life:thevarietyofperformativeapproachestochantisstriking,including

alternatimhymns,psalmsandantiphons;falsobordonepsalmsettings;cantus

firmuspolyphony(includingonemotet,‘VenisponsaChristi’—perhapsthemost

importantchantinnuns’liturgy—inwhichthecantusfirmusisgiveninsquare

notation);andtheremarkablepolyphonicchantsettingof‘SalvesponsaDei’,for

22

whichallfourvoicesaregiveninsquarenotationandinlowclefs(C4-C4-F3-

F4).67Thebookincludesnotonlyliturgicalpolyphony,butalsoanumberof

spiritualsongsandprayersthatcouldhavebeenusedinprivateorpara-

liturgicaldevotion.Some,likeasettingofPetrarch’scanzoneVerginebellaand

theSavonarolanhymn‘Eccequambonum’,mirrormusicalexpressionsofpiety

thatwerepopularoutsidethecloister.Othersaremorecloselyrelatedtoregular

devotion,andappearinmultipleversions:forinstance,aChristmascarolbased

ontheantiphon‘Verbumcarofactumest’hasthreesettings,oneinfourvoices

andtwointhree.

Whilemostofthe78worksitcontainsarewrittenforequalvoices,

roughlyafifthareinvocipieneandcompressedcleffing:therearetwovocipiene,

thirteencompressed-cleffing,andsixty-threevocipariworks,ofwhich22havea

dispositionthatplacestwoorthreeequalvoicesagainsta‘bass’voiceatleasta

fifthlower.Aroundtwo-thirdsoftheworksarecopiedatapitchsuitablefor

femalevoices,usingG2C1andC2fortheupperparts,buttheremainingthird—

includingsomevocipariworks—usethelowerCclefsandevenFclefs(F3and

F4),clearlyrequiringoctavetranspositionand/orinstrumentalaccompaniment.

Themanypsalmsincludechantincipitsinvarioustranspositions(upafourth,

fifth,seventh,octave,andeleventh)andafullrangeofclefs.Oftenthe

transpositionoccurswithouta‘keychange’—thatis,withouttheadditionofa

flatatthebeginningofeachsystem(seeillus.2).

--Illus.2(Fig.2onScholarOne)nearhere,fullpage--

BrusselsMs27766isintimatelyboundwiththemusic-makingatasingle

convent,butwhileitscontentsaregenerous,theyarenotcomprehensive.The

conventmusthavehadafullerrepertoire,perhapsinothermanuscriptsbut

23

likelyalsofoundinprints:afterall,thecollectionshowsthatthenunscould

drawonworksinthefullrangeofclefdispositions,sotheoreticallytheycould

choosetheirmusicfromwhateverprintswereincirculation.Nevertheless,the

majorityofitsworksareinvocipari,includingtheearliestoftheattributable

works;itfollows,then,thattheprintedequal-voicerepertoireisnoless

legitimateaplacetofindtracesofconventpolyphonyinthefirsthalfofthe

century.

Wemayalsoseekoutsettingsoftextsthatweresignificantfornuns,

particularlyifthosesettingsthemselvesarevocipari:thevestitionantiphon

‘VenisponsaChristi’,forinstance,orliturgicaltextslike‘SalvesponsaDei’,with

stronginstitutionalsignificanceforparticularorders.Andthentherearetexts,

suchasthosedrawnfromtheSongofSongs,thathaveaclearrelevancefor

religiouswomencelebratingtheirunionwithChrist.68BrusselsMs27766points

thewayhere,too,byshowinghowsettingsofawellknowntextmight,incertain

circumstances,revealspecificresonanceswithconventualpractice.The

manuscriptcontainstwofour-voicesettings,byFrancescoBocchini(G2-G2-C1-

C1)andAntonioMoro(C1-C1-C1-C3),oftheprayer‘SanctaMariasuccurre

miseris’,whichisincludedinavarietyofMarianoffices:69

SanctaMaria,succurremiseris,

juvapusillanimes,refoveflebiles

orapropopulo,interveniproclero,

intercedeprodevotofemineosexu;

sentiantomnestuumjuvamen

quicumquecelebranttuamcommemorationem.Alleluia.

HolyMary,succourthepoor,

24

aidthefaint-hearted,revivethosewhomourn.

Prayforthepeople,intervenefortheclergy,

intercedeforwomenconsecratedtoGod.

Mayallexperienceyouraid

whocelebrateyourholycommemoration.Alleluia.

Centraltothistextisthepassagewhichreferstothenunsthemselves

(‘intercedeprodevotofemineosexu’).Bothcomposersrespondtothenuns’

oration,highlightingitthroughspecificdevices.Bocchiniusesdurationand

melisma:thepeoplegetthreebreves,theclericsfour,andthenunsfourteen

(Example4).Moro,meanwhile,usesachangeindeclamationandchromatic

alteration(Example5,especiallyatbb.31and34);whileitisnotunusualtosee

E[flat]sintransposedDorianmodeworks,inthissettingtheyonlyappearonthe

word‘femineo’.70Thesecharacteristicsmayhaveexistedinthesettingspriorto

theirinclusioninthemanuscript,buttheirappropriatenesstoconventualuseis

clear.

--Example4(seeS1)nearhere--

--Example5(onS1)nearhere--

*

Seekingoutsuitablepolyphonyforall-femaleperformancemaybeno

morecomplicatednowthanitwasfora16th-centuryconventmaestra:while

someworksneednomodification(highcompressed,orequalclefs),others

requireintervention(accompaniment)oradaptation(transposition),

approachesthathavesoundbasesincontemporarytheoryandpractice.

UnderstandinghowconventsmademusicisvitaltotheunderstandingofItalian

16th-centurymusicalcultureasawhole.Acknowledgingtheroleoffemale

25

voicesinthehistoryofpolyphonywillinevitablychangeourperceptionofhow

themusicsoundsandhowitworks.Butitwillalsorestoreabalancetoourown

musicalculture,andgiveustheopportunitytohearonceagainhowthenuns

mighthavefollowedFraAngelico’sPaulineexhortationinusingtheirvoicesto

pleasetheircitiesfortheirgood,andtotheiredification.

LaurieStrasisProfessorofMusicattheUniversityofSouthampton,andco-

director,withDeborahRoberts,ofMusicaSecretaandthefemale-voicechoir,

CelestialSirens,withwhomshewasawardedtheAmericanMusicological

Society’s2016NoahGreenbergAward.Sheistheauthorofnumerousessays

andarticlesonsixteenth-centurypolyphony,andsheisco-editor,withBonnie

Blackburn,ofEroticisminEarlyModernMusic(Farnham,2015).Hermonograph,

WomenandMusicinSixteenth-CenturyFerrara,isforthcomingwithCambridge

UniversityPress.

L.A.Stras@southampton.ac.uk

*Agreatmanyscholarsandmusicianshavecontributedtomybetter

understandingofmusicinearlysixteenth-centuryconvents.Iamindebtedto

CraigMonson,CandaceSmith,RobertKendrick,PaulaHiggins,andBonnie

Blackburnfortheirinsightsandsupport;anditalmostgoeswithoutsayingthat

themusiciansofMusicaSecretaandCelestialSirenshavebeenindispensablein

thisendeavour:particularthankstoDeborahRobertsandSallyDunkleyfortheir

continuousenthusiasmandwisdom.Alltranslationsaremyownunless

otherwiseindicated;manythankstotheanonymousreadersfortheirinvaluable

suggestionsontheseandothermatters.

26

1A.BagnallYardley,‘“Fullweelshesoongtheservicedyvyne”:thecloistered

musiciansinthemiddleages’,inWomenmakingmusic:thewesternarttradition,

ed.JaneBowersandJudithTick(Urbana,1986),pp.15–38,atp.30.Another

chapterinthebookalsocontainedthefirstpublishedmodernscholarshipon

earlymodernnuns:JaneBowers,‘TheemergenceofwomencomposersinItaly,

1566-1700’,inWomenmakingmusic,ed.BowersandTick,pp.116–67.

2N.ZemonDavis,Fictioninthearchives:pardontalesandtheirtellersin

sixteenth-centuryFrance(Stanford,1987),pp.2–3.

3NotethespecificexceptionofstudiesbyCraigMonson,RobertKendrickand

LuciaBoscolo;C.Monson,‘ElenaMalvezzi’skeyboardmanuscript:anew

sixteenth-centurysource’,EarlyMusicHistory,9(1990),pp.73–128;R.L.

Kendrick,celestialsirens :nunsandtheirmusicinearlymodernMilan(Oxford,

1996),pp.48–75;L.Boscolo,‘L’antologiapolifonicafiorentinadel1560nel

CodiceBruxelles27766’,Rassegnavenetadistudimusicali,11/12(1996),

pp.177–267.

4GiovanniMariaArtusiclaimedthatthenunsofSanVitoinFerrarawerethe

finestensembleinallofItaly;GiovanniMariaArtusi,L’Artusi,ovverodelle

imperfettionidellamodernamusicaragionamentidui(Venice,1600),fol.1v.

5Yardleycompiledalistofmedievalmanuscriptsofpolyphonicmusicfor

convents;Yardley,‘CloisteredMusicians’,pp.15–38.

6RaffaellaAleotti,Sacraecantiones:quinque,septem,octo&decemvocibus

decantandae(1593),ed.C.A.Carruthers(NewYork,2006).Theyhavebeen

recordedbyCappellaArtemisia,LeMonachediSanVito(TactusTC570101,

2012).

27

7TiburtioMassaino’sSacricantusquinqueparibusvocibus...libersecundus

(Venice:Gardano,1580).

8SuorLeonorad’EstewasabbessoftheClarissanconventofCorpusDominiin

Ferrara.ShewasalongstandingcorrespondentwithGioseffoZarlino,andtheir

relationshipprovidedinspirationforhis1588treatiseSopplimentimusicali;see

K.Schiltz,‘GioseffoZarlinoandtheMisereretradition:AFerrareseconnection?’,

EarlyMusicHistory,27(2008),pp.181–216,atpp.212–14.NicolaVicentino

praisedhermusicalability,includingherunderstandingofthethreegeneraof

ancientmusic,shortlyafterdallaViola’sbookwaspublished;NicolaVicentino,

L’anticamusicaridottaallamodernapractica(Rome,1555),fol.10r.

9Apartialpictureofthescaleofthisprintinginitiativecanbegainedfrom

searchingtheprincipalonlinedatabasesforearlymodernsacredmusic:RISM,

‘PrintedSacredMusicinEurope1500-1800’[accessed29July2016];J.G.KurtzmanandA.Schoebelen,‘A

CatalogueofMass,Office,andHolyWeekMusicPrintedinItaly,1516-1770’,JSCS

Instrumenta,Volume2[accessed29July2016].

10G.Zarri,‘Monasterifemminiliecittà(secoliXV-XVIII)’,inStoriad’Italia.Annali.

LachiesaeilpoterepoliticodalMedioevoall’etàContemporanea,ed.Giorgio

ChittoliniandGiovanniMiccoli(Turin,1986),pp.357–429,atpp.361–5.

11Theexistingliteratureonearlymodernconventmusiccontainsrichdetailon

itseconomics;see,forinstance,C.Monson,Disembodiedvoices :musicand

cultureinanearlymodernItalianconvent(BerkeleyandLondon,1995);

Kendrick,Celestialsirens;C.Reardon,Holyconcordwithinsacredwalls :nunsand

28

musicinSiena,1575–1700(Oxford,2001);K.J.P.Lowe,Nuns’chroniclesand

conventcultureinrenaissanceandcounter-reformationItaly(Cambridge,2003);

K.Harness,Echoesofwomen’svoices:music,art,andfemalepatronageinearly

modernFlorence(Chicago,2006);J.K.Page,Conventmusicandpoliticsin

eighteenth-centuryVienna(Cambridge,2014).

12ForcommentsonthecivicpurposeofconventsseeLowe,Nuns’chronicles,

pp.213–18.

13Lowe,Nuns’chronicles,pp.214–15.

14Thevisit‘wasoneofthemostsolemnandimportantoccasionsin[the

convent’s]history’;K.J.P.Lowe,‘FranciscanandPapalpatronageattheClarissan

conventofSanCosimatoinTrastevere,1440–1560’,PapersoftheBritishSchool

atRome,68(2000),pp.217–239,atp.228.

15Letterdated3January1492fromSivieroSivieritoEleonorad’Aragona,

transcribedinT.Tuohy,HerculeanFerrara:ErcoleD’Este(1471–1505)andthe

inventionofaducalcapital(Cambridge,2002),p.482.

16K.J.P.Lowe,‘PowerandinstitutionalidentityinrenaissanceVenice:the

femaleconventsofS.M.DelleVerginiandS.Zaccaria’,ed.K.J.P.LoweandA.

Korhonen,thetroublewithribs:women,menandgenderinearlymodernEurope,

Collegium:StudiesacrossDisciplinesintheHumanitiesandSocialSciences,2

(2007),pp.128–152,atpp.138–41.

17Heunderlinedthisentryinhislistof‘sightsshowntoimportantvisitors’three

times,inred;MarinoSanudo,Venice,CitàExcelentissima:selectionsfromthe

renaissancediariesofMarinSanudo,ed.P.H.LabalmeandL.SanguinetiWhite

(Baltimore,2008),p.392,n.85.

29

18D.ChambersandB.Pullan,withJ.Fletcher(eds),Venice:Adocumentaryhistory,

1450–1630(Toronto,2001),p.10.

19Lowe,Nuns’chronicles,pp.273,278.

20E.Peverada,‘Documentiperlastoriaorganariadeimonasterifemminili

ferrarese(sec.XVI-XVII)’,L’Organo:Rivistadiculturaorganariaeorganistica,30

(1996),pp.119–93.

21Lowe,Nuns’chronicles,p.273;PatrickMacey,Bonfiresongs :Savonarola’s

musicallegacy(Oxford,1998),pp.95–6.

22AngelodaVallombrosa,EpistoladelloheremitadeValleOmbrosadellostato

dellaChiesa(Florence,1496),fol.6v;partiallyquotedinPeverada,‘Documenti’,

p.119.

23W.F.Prizer,‘Una“virtùmoltoconvenienteamadonne”:Isabellad’Esteasa

musician’,TheJournalofMusicology,17/1(1999),pp.10–49,atp.24.

24Lowe,Nuns’chronicles,p.272.

25SeeBowers,‘Theemergenceofwomencomposers’,p.130;Monson,

Disembodiedvoices,p.48.

26PaulaHigginspointstoalate15th-century‘instructionmanualabout

polyphonicmusic’writteninthevernacular,thatmayhavebeenusedbynuns;P.

Higgins,‘TheotherMinervas:creativewomenatthecourtofScotland’,in

Rediscoveringthemuses:women’smusicaltraditions,ed.K.Marshall(Boston,

1993),pp.169–185,atp.181.Thetreatiseisavailableinamodernedition:

Anonimi,Notitiadelvaloredellenotedelcantomisurato,ed.A.Carapetyan,

CorpusScriptorumdeMusica5(s.l.:AmericanInstituteofMusicology,1957).

Theeditorconcludesthatthemanuscriptwascompiledforconventusebasedon

30

aninscription,‘ausoperSr.Landomina’.BonnieBlackburnhasnotedthatthis

namemightbe‘Laudomia’,anameassociatedwiththeMediciinthe15th

century;mythankstoherforthisintriguingsuggestion.

27FranchinusGaffurius,Angelicumacdivinumopusmusice.FranchiniGafurii

laudensisRegiimusici:ecclesiequeMediolanensisphonasci:maternalingua

scriptum(Milan,1508),sig.Bir.

28Bologna,Bibliotecadellamusica,C.30;modernedition,OrazioVecchi,Mostra

dellituonidellamusicatrattatoinedito,ed.M.Pollastri(Modena,1987).Vecchiis

knowntohavetaughtataconventinModena;itisconceivablethatheusedthis

treatisethere.

29Forinstance,in1525LeMurateadmittedagirlfromapoorfamily,SuorMarta,

‘becauseshepossessedthe“raretalent”ofabassvoice’;Lowe,Nuns’chronicles,

p.275.

30GioseffoZarlino,Leistitutioniharmoniche(1588),facsimilereprint(NewYork,

1965),p.319.

31Zarlino,Leistitutioni,p.320.

32Zarlino,Leistitutioni,pp.319–20.

33SeethediscussioninKendrick,Celestialsirens,pp.201–2.

34Vecchi,Mostradellituoni,pp.3–6.

35A.Johnstone,‘“High”clefsincompositionandperformance’,EarlyMusic,

xxxiv/1(2006),pp.29–53,atpp.31–5.Asmallnumberofworksinthe16th-

centuryrepertoireweredisseminatedinbothhigh-andlow-clefsystems;see

Johnstone,‘“High”clefs’,pp.35–40.

31

36Thisliteratureincludes,butisnotlimitedto:A.Parrott,‘Transpositionin

Monteverdi’sVespersof1610:an“aberration”defended’,EarlyMusic,xii/4

(1984),pp.490–516;J.G.Kurtzman,‘Anaberrationamplified’,EarlyMusic,xiii/1

(1985),pp.73–76;P.Barbieri,‘ChiavetteandmodaltranspositioninItalian

practice(c.1500–1837)’,Recercare,3(1991),pp.5–79;R.Rasch,‘Modes,clefs,

andtranspositionsintheearlyseventeenthcentury’,inThéorieetAnalyse

Musicales(1450–1650),ed.B.J.BlackburnandA.-E.Ceulemans(Leuven,2001),

pp.403–32;J.G.Kurtzman,‘Tones,modes,clefsandpitchinRomancyclic

magnificatsofthe16thcentury’,EarlyMusic,xxii/4(1994),pp.641–65;R.

Bowers,‘An“aberration”reviewed:thereconciliationofinconsistentclef-

systemsinMonteverdi’sMassandVespersof1610’,EarlyMusic,xxxi/4(2003),

pp.527–38;A.Parrott,‘Monteverdi:onwardsanddownwards’,EarlyMusic,

xxxii/2(2004),303–17;Johnstone,‘“High”clefs’;R.Bowers,‘“TheHighandLowe

KeyesComeBothtoOnePitch”:reconcilinginconsistentclef-systemsin

Monteverdi’svocalmusicforMantua’,EarlyMusic,xxxix/4(2011),pp.531–45;A.

Parrott,‘Highclefsanddown-to-earthtransposition:abriefdefenceof

Monteverdi’,EarlyMusic,xxxx/1(2012),pp.81–6;A.Parrott,‘Abriefanatomyof

choirs’,inTheCambridgeCompaniontoChoralMusic,ed.AndrédeQuadros

(Cambridge,2012),pp.7–26.AndrewParrottcitesthedownwardtransposition

inthekeyboardpartituraoftwohigh-clefmotetsinAquilinoCoppini’s1607

Musicatoltacontrafacta(madrigalswithLatintextssubstitutedfortheoriginal

vernacular)insupportofmandatorytransposition,withoutmentioningthe

otherninehigh-clefmotetsinthebookthatarenottransposedinthekeyboard

score;seeParrott,‘Monteverdi:onwardsanddownwards’,p.314.Downward

32

transpositioninkeyboardintabulationmayequallyreflectamoreconvenient

dispositionforsoloperformance.

37Parrottlimitshiscoverageofconventensemblesinhis‘briefanatomyofchoirs’

totwopagesoutoftwenty,andbeginshisdiscussioninthe15thcentury;Parrott,

‘Abriefanatomyofchoirs’,pp.22–4.

38PompeoSignorucci,Salmi,falsibordonietmotettiatrevoci,commodissimiper

cantare,etconcertarenelOrgano,conognisortedistrumento(Venice,1603),

fol.2r.

39Johnstonecallsthiscompresseddisposition‘ubiquitous’inhigh-clefworks;

Johnstone,‘“High”clefs’,p.44.

40Selectiveoctave-transpositionhasthelongestandbest-documented

associationwithmonasticfemaleensembles;seeKendrick,CelestialSirens,

pp.188–203.For18th-centurypractice,seeM.Talbot,‘TenorsandBassesatthe

Venetian“Ospedali”’,Actamusicologica,66/2(1994),pp.123–38.

41ErcoleBottrigari,IlDesiderio,overo,Deconcertidivariistrumentimusicali.

DialogodiAlemannoBenelli,etc.(Venice,1594),p.58;Artusi,L’Artusi,fol.3r.

42Vecchi,Mostradellituoni,p.6.

43SeeO.Kinkeldey,‘Equalvoicesintheacappellaperiod’,inEssaysonMusicin

HonorofArchibaldThompsonDavidson(Cambridge,MA,1957),pp.101–9;F.

Carey,‘Compositionforequalvoicesinthesixteenthcentury’,TheJournalof

Musicology,9/3(1991),pp.300–42.Neitherconsidertheperformanceofsacred

musicbyfemalevoicesindetail(Careynotatall).Aforthcomingchapter

considersCiprianodeRore’svociparimotets(again,withoutreferencetofemale

voices);K.Schiltz,‘CiprianodeRore’savociparimotets:sources,context,style’,

33

inCiprianodeRoreatthecrossroads,ed.J.A.OwensandK.Schiltz(Turnhout,

2017),pp.191–227.

44SeeCarey,‘Compositionforequalvoices’,pp.301–12.

45Vicentino,L’anticamusica,fols.92v–93r.

46Inthe1540s,thesepublicationsincludeMissaecumquatuorvocibusparibus

decantandae(Venice:Scotto,1542;RISM15423);Musicaquinquevocum:motteta

maternalinguavocata(Venice:Gardano,1543;RISM15432);Moralishispani,et

multorumeximiaeartisvirorummusicacumvocibusquatuor,vulgomotecta

cognominata,cuiusmagnaparsparibusvocibuscantandaest,reliqueveròplena

voceaptaestdecantari(Venice:Scotto,1543;RISM15435);Liberquartus

missarumquinquecumquatuorvocibusparibuscanendarum(Venice:Gardano,

1544;RISM15443);Musicaquinquevocumquematernalinguamotetavocantur

(Venice:Gardano,1549;RISM15496);Musicaquatuorvocumquematernalingua

motetavocantur(Venice:Gardano,1549;RISM15499).

47Thisholdstrueforallofthebookslistedaboveexcept15443,whichIhavenot

beenabletoexamine.

48SeeJohnstone,‘“High”clefs’,p.35;RISM15496and15499containlow-clef

worksoriginallypublishedinRISM15432and15435inhighclefs.

49TheliteratureonVeronaMS761thatspecificallyaddressesitsuse—ornot—

bynunsisJ.Benfield,‘MusicinVerona,C.1480–1530’(PhDthesis,Universityof

Cambridge,1984),p.179;H.M.Brown,‘MusicforthenunsofVerona:astory

aboutMSDCCLXIoftheBibliotecacapitolareinVerona’,inGestaltund

EntestehungmusikalischerQuellenim15.und16.Jahrhundert,ed.M.Staehelin,

QuellenstudienzurMusikderRenaissance,83(Wiesbaden,1998),pp.111–24;J.

34

Rifkin,‘Ascriptor,asinger,andamothersuperior’,in‘Unogentileetsubtile

ingenio’:StudiesinRenaissanceMusicinHonourofBonnieBlackburn,ed.M.J.

Bloxam,G.Filocamo,andL.Holford-Strevens(Turnhout,2009),pp.309–17.

50AcompletelistofcontentsandconcordanceswithVaticansourcesisgivenin

AppendixBofJ.Rodin,Josquin’sRome:hearingandcomposingintheSistine

Chapel,AMSStudiesinMusic(NewYork,2012),pp.324–5.

51Benfield,‘MusicinVerona’,p.196.

52Rifkin,‘AScriptor’,315.

53GirolamodallaCorte,L’istoriadiVeronadivisain...XX.libri(1596),p.448.

Brownassumedthatthesemassesare,instead,eitherMarianorconnectedto

SaintMichael;Brown,‘MusicforthenunsofVerona’,pp.115–6.

54Benfield,‘MusicinVerona’,p.179.

55Brown,‘MusicforthenunsofVerona’,p.113.Brownthenpursuedan

alternativeconvent,SanMicheleinCampagna,asthemanuscript’ssource,but

thisdoesnotfitwiththeilluminationsinanyway.

56Alternatively,themanuscriptmayhavebeenconfiscatedinthegeneral

enforcementofenclosureimposedonallVerona’sconventsbythebishopin

April1531;Corte,L’istoriadiVerona,pp.633;682–4.

57GiovanniMatteoGiberti,ConstitutionidelemonacheperlacittàetDiocesidi

Verona(Verona,1539),cap.II.

58Pre-Tridentineconventualcustomsincludedthecelebrationofnuns’relatives’

weddings;seeLowe,Nuns’chronicles,p.227,n.1.

59TheincipittoL’amiBaudichonisalsogiveninthe‘Crucifixus’sectionofthe

Credo,buttherubric‘sicutmutusnonaperiensossuum’abovethetenor

35

indicatesthatthepartisnottobesung;seethediscussioninA.Kirkman,The

culturallifeoftheearlypolyphonicmass:medievalcontexttomodernrevival

(Cambridge,2010),pp.137–40.

60SeeMonson,‘ElenaMalvezzi’skeyboardmanuscript’,pp.73–128,atpp.104–8;

L.Stras,‘TheRicreationipermonacheofSuorAnnalenaAldobrandini’,

RenaissanceStudies,26/1(2012),pp.34–59,atp.41.

61Brown,‘MusicforthenunsofVerona’,pp.119–22.

62In1553,anAgnolettaBiffoliisrecordedasthewidowoffirstPieroGondiand

thenJacopoBenozzi;GiovanniCorbinelli,Histoiregénéalogiquedelamaisonde

Gondi(Paris,1705),I,p.182.Thereisnoindicationinthemanuscriptastowhich

ClarissanconventSuorAgnoletaandSuorClementiabelonged.However,in1572,

anotherBiffoli,SuorBenigna,wasmadreatSant’Orsola(theburialplaceofLisa

Gherardini,LeonardodaVinci’sMonaLisa);GiovambatistaUbaldini,Istoriadella

casadegliUbaldiniede’fattid’alcunidiquellafamiglia(Florence,1588),p.122.

Alternatively,giventheprominencegiventotheVesperspsalmsandhymnfrom

theCommonoftheApostlesandEvangelists,placednearthebeginning,thebook

couldhaveoriginatedinSanIacopoinviaGhibellina,orinSanMatteoinArcetri,

whichwaseventuallyhometoSuorMariaCeleste,daughterofGalileoGalilei.

63Boscolo,‘L’antologiapolifonicafiorentina’.

64WillemEldersnotesthatthemotet’shightessitura(cleffedC1-C1-C1-C2)

suggeststhatitwascomposedfornuns;W.Elders,JosquinDesPrezandhis

musicallegacy:anintroductoryguide(Leuven,2013),p.175.Theattributionto

Josquinisderivedsolelyfromitsonlyothersource,RISM15201.

36

65G.BaroffioandE.J.Kim,IamsanctaeClaraeclaritas:l’ufficioritmicodisanta

Chiaranellatradizionearborense(Milan,2004).

66InRISM15432,andBenedettoBinaghi,Sacrarumcantionumquinquevocum

liberprimus(Milan:AgostinoTradate,1598).

67ForfurtherdiscussionofthissettingseeL.Boscolo,‘Unacomposizionea4voci

innotazionequadratanelcodicefiorentinodiBruxelles27766’,inUnmillennio

dipolifonialiturgicatraoralitàescrittura,ed.G.CattinandF.A.Gallo(Venice,

2002),pp.11–18.Fortheimportanceoftheantiphon‘VenisponsaChristi’to

nuns’liturgy,seeC.Reardon,‘“VenisponsaChristi”:investiture,professionand

consecrationceremoniesinSieneseconvents’,Musicadisciplina,50(1996),

pp.271–97.

68See,forinstance,L.Macy,‘GeronimoCavaglieri,theSongofSongsandfemale

spiritualityinFederigoBorromeo’sMilan’,EarlyMusic,xxxix/3(2011),pp.349–

58.

69FrancescoBocchiniwasmaestrodicappellaatPisaCathedralfrom1555to

1570;F.Baggiani,‘MusicistiinPisa.ImaestridiCappelladellaPrimaziale’,

Bollettinostoricopisano,52(1982),pp.271–94.AntonioMorowasthecopyistof

themanuscript.

70ForthegenderedsignificanceofflatsseeB.J.Blackburn,‘TheLascivious

CareerofB-Flat’,inEroticisminEarlyModernMusic,ed.B.J.BlackburnandL.

Stras(Farnham,2015),pp.19–42.

TABLECAPTIONS

Table1:Sixteenth-centurypolyphonyassociatedwithItaliannunsandconvents

Table2:ContentsandclefdispositionsinVerona,BibliotecaCapitolareMS761

FIGURECAPTIONS

Figure1:Verona,BibliotecaCapitolareMS761,1v.Bypermission.

Figure2:Brussels,BibliothèqueduConservatoireRoyaldeMusiqueMS27766,16v,

PsalmTone1transposedupafifth.Bypermission.

MUSICEXAMPLECAPTIONS

Example1a:OrazioVecchi,Mostradellituoni,BolognaC30,1v-2r(note,cantusfirmus

voiceisplacedatthetopofthescoreinthems.).

Example1b:OrazioVecchi,Mostradellituoni,BolognaC30,2v-3r.

Example2a:PompeoSignorucci,Salmi…atrevoci,1603,‘Endilectusmeus’,bb.14-20

Example2b:PompeoSignorucci,Salmi…atrevoci,1603,‘Endilectusmeus’,bb.14-20,

transposeddownfourth.

Example3:OrazioVecchi,Mostradellituoni,BolognaC30,3r-3v.

Example4:FrancescoBocchini,‘SanctaMariasuccurremiseris’,BrusselsMS27766,

44v-46r,bb.19-39.

Example5:AntonioMoro,‘SanctaMariasuccurremiseris’,BrusselsMS27766,41v-43r,

bb.15-35.

Table1:Sixteenth-centurypolyphonyassociatedwithItaliannunsandconventsDate Composer Title Publisher Dedicatee Convent Order1550 Francescodalla

ViolaPrimolibrodemadrigalia

quattrovociVenice:Gardano

SuorLeonorad’Este

CorpusDomini,Ferrara

Clarissan

1580 TiburtioMassaino

Sacricantusquinque

paribusvocibus...liber

secundus

Venice:Gardano

SuorEugeniadeNavi

SantaTrinità,Como Augustinian

1580 AntonioValente

Versispiritualisopratutte

leNote,condiversiCanoni

spartitipersonarnegli

Organi,Messe,Vespere,et

altriOfficiidivini

Naples:HeirsofMatteoCancer

DonnaElionoraPalmiera

??a ??

1581 CostanzoAntegnati

Sacraecantiones,vulgo

motecta,paribus

vocibus...quatuorvocum

Brescia:Sabbio

MadreSerenade’Boni

SantaGiulia,Brescia Benedictine

1583 GiammatteoAsola

Duplexcompletorium

romanumunumcommunibus,alterumvero

paribusvocibus

decantandum

Venice:VincenziandAmadino

SuorGineveraBaialoti(andSuorCherubina)

SanDaniele,Verona Benedictine

1583 CamilloCortellini

Primolibrodemadrigalia

cinquevoci

Ferrara:Baldini

LauraBoviob SanLorenzo,Bologna Augustinian,LateranCanonesses

1584 AlessandroMilleville

LeVergine,condiecialtre

stanzespiritualiaquattro

voci

Ferrara:Baldini

SuorBrigidaGranac

SanRocco,Ferrara Dominican

1585 M.GiovanniBecci(editor)[Palestrina;BartolomeoRoy]

DiM.GiovanniPierluigida

Palestina(sic)vnaMessaa

ottovocisoprailsuo

ConfiteboradueCori.Etdi

M.BartolomeoLoRoi…i

Venice:Scotto

EleonoraCybo(andDonnaCaterinaCybo)

LeMurate,Florence Benedictine

vnaMessaaquattrosopra

Panisquemegodabotibi,

deLupo

1587 AndreaRota Motectorumliberprimusquaequinque,sex,septem

etoctovocibus

concinuntur

Milan:HeirsofFrancescoandSimonTini

DonnaLeonoraMoneta,DonnaProsperaPusterla,andalltheothermadri

[SanVittore],Meda Benedictine

1592 CostanzoAntegnati

SalmiaottoVoci Venice:Gardano

DonnaHortensiaMarchi,DonnaHieronimaBirraga,andtheircompagne

SanVittore,Meda Benedictine

1593 SuorRaffaellaAleotti

Sacraecantiones:quinque,

septem,octo&decem

vocibusdecantandae

Venice:Amadino

BishopGiovanniFontana

SanVito,Ferrara Augustinian

1595 CamilloCortellini

Salmiaseivoci Venice:Vincenzi

DonnaPaolaOrtensiaSerbellona

SanVicenzo,Milan Benedictine

1597 AlessandroSavioli

Salmiintieriacinquevoci Venice:Amadino

DonnaFlaviaGromellaBenagliaAbbatessa,andtheircarefigliole

SantaGrata,Bergamo Benedictine

1598 AgostinoSoderini

SacrarumCantionumocto

etnovemvocibusliber

primus

Milan:Trabate

OveralldedicationtoDukeErcoleSfondrato

individualdedicationstoDonnaAngelicaAgathaSfondrataSanPaolo;DonnaFranciscaMariaStampa,andDonnaAngelaCatarinaBrivia,SantaRadegonda;DonnaMartha,CollegiodellaGuastalla

various

1598 GioseffoGallo Sacrioperismusici… Milan:HeirsofFranciscoandSimonTini

various individualdedicationstoAngelicaandArchileaArchinta,andMaximillaBiuma;SantaRadegonda,Milan;AnnaCamillaandBiancaMargarita,Sant’Orsola,Milan;ArcangelaandMariaMantegazza,Sant’Agnese,Milan

various

1599 AdrianoBanchieri

Messesolenneaottovoci Venice:Amadino

DonnaEmiliaGrassi

SantaCristina,Bologna

Camadolese

1599 GiovenaleAncina(editor)

Tempioarmonicodella

BeatissimaVergine...prima

parteatrevoci

Rome:NicolòMutio

MadreSuorOrsolaBenincasa

MonasterodellaConcettionenelMontediSanMartino,Napoli

Theatine?

aValentedoesnotsayoutrightthatDonnaEleonoraPalmieraisanun,butitwouldbeextraordinaryforhimtodedicateavolumeof

functionalOfficemusictoasecularwoman.ThededicatorymaterialindicatesthatsheisbothaliturgicalmusicianofmeritandValente’s

teacher;thegenderreversalisastonishing,butashewasblind,perhapshewasraisedinaconvent.

bTheBolognesesingerLauraBovioreceivedhermusicaleducationintheconventofSanLorenzo,butwasnotprofessed.Sheeventually

lefttheconventandwasemployedasasingerattheMedicicourtbetween1584and1589;C.Monson,‘Ancoraunosguardosullesuore

musicistediBologna’,inImonasterifemminilicomecentridiculturafrarinascimentoebarocco,ed.GiannaPomataandGabriellaZarri

(Rome,2005),pp.3–26.

cMillevillesaysinhisdedicationthatSuorBrigidaisapoet,soshemaybetheauthorofthe‘altrestanzespirituali’setinthesecondhalf

ofthebook.

Table2:ContentsandclefdispositionsinVerona,BibliotecaCapitolareMS761a Title Composer Disposition Main

clefs[othercombinationsused]

1 MissadeBVM anon cc c2c4c4F4 c3c4F4F5 2 MissaSalvedivaparens Obrecht high-clef g2c3c3F3 g2c3c3c4 g2c3c3F4 3 MissaBontemps Brumel low-clef c1c3c3F4 c1c3c4F4 4 MissaDapacem anon cc c1c3c3F3 5 MissaMaboucherit Martini vp c1c3c4c4 6 MissaL'amibaudichon Josquin cc c1c3c3F3 c1c2c3F3 c1c3c3c5b 7 MissaDominicalis deOrto vp c1c3c3c4 c1c3c3c5 8 MissaOrsusorsus Martini cc c1c3c3F3 c1c3c3c5 c1c3c4F4 c2c4c5F49 Missal'hommearmé Busnois vp c1c3c3c4 10 Missal'hommearmé Faugues vp c1c3c3c4 c1c3c3c3 c1c1c1c3 c1c1c1c411 MissaReginaceli Basiron cc c1c3c3F3 c1c3c4F3 12 MissaAlmaredemptorismater anon cc c1c3c3F3 c1c3c3c5 13 MissadeAngelis Prioris vp/cc c1c3c3c4 c1c3c3c5 c1c3c3F3 14 Missal'hommearmé Brumel cc c1c3c3F3 c1c3c3c5 c1c3c3c4 15 MissaVictimepascali Brumel cc c1c3c3F3 c1c3c4F4 c1c3c4F3 c1c3c3c516 MissaMaboucherita3 anon vp c1c3c4 17 MissaFerialis Martini cc c1c3c4F3 c1c3c4F4 18 CredoI Vaqueras low-clef c1c3c4F4 19 CredoI(a5) Vaqueras low-clef c1c3c4c4F4 20 CredoI Weerbeeke low-clef c1c3c4F4 21 CredoIV NicasiusdeClibano low-clef c1c3c4F4 22 TeDeum'contraafauxbourdon' Binchois vp c1c4

aInthe‘Disposition’column,‘vp’=‘vocipari’,and‘cc’=‘compressedcleffing’.bNote,c5isequivalenttoF3,butbothclefsareusedinthemanuscript.

°

¢

7

P

&

‹

Forma del primo tuono

Ú Ú Ú Ú Ú Ú Ú

7

P

&

Ú Ú

7

P

&

Ò~~P

?

Ú Ú Ú Ú

ww

w.˙

˙

˙

˙˙ œ

œ

˙.œœœ

ww ˙

˙˙˙

w˙˙

w. ˙

˙

˙

˙˙ œ

œœbœw

˙wb

˙

˙. œ

˙

˙ œœœ˙

˙

˙ ˙œœ

w˙.

œ

w

∑

w ˙˙˙

˙

˙˙

˙˙

˙˙

˙

˙

°

¢

b

7

P

&

‹

b

Forma del primo tuono trasportato una quarta alto, col favor della corda

Ú Ú Ú Ú Ú Ú Ú

b

“

P

&

b Ú Ú

b

7

P

&

b

b

Ò~~P

?

b

Ú Ú Ú Ú

ww

w. ˙

˙

˙

˙˙ œ

œ

˙.

œœœ

ww ˙

˙˙˙

w˙˙

w.˙

˙

˙

˙˙ œ

œœbœw

˙wb

˙

˙.œ˙

˙ œœœ˙

˙

˙ ˙œœ

w˙.

œ

w

∑ w ˙˙˙

˙

˙˙

˙˙

˙˙

˙

˙

°

¢

b

“

P

&

b

Forma del primo tuono trasportata una ottava più alto

Ú Ú Ú Ú Ú Ú Ú

b

“

P

&

b Ú Ú

b

“

P

&

b

b

7

P

&

b Ú Ú Ú Ú

ww

w. ˙

˙

˙

˙˙ œ

œ

˙.

œœœ

ww ˙

˙˙˙

w˙˙

w. ˙

˙

˙

˙˙ œ

œœbœw

˙wb

˙

˙. œ

˙

˙ œœœ˙

˙

˙ ˙œœ

w˙.

œ

w

∑

w ˙˙˙

˙

˙˙

˙˙

˙˙

˙

˙

°

¢

°

¢

°

¢

19

C

A

T

B

27

C

A

T

B

34

C

A

T

B

&

O ra- pro po pu- lo- In ter- ve- ni- pro cle ro,- [pro cle ro]- In ter- -

&

les O ra- pro po pu- lo,- o ra- pro po pu- lo- In ter- ve- ni- pro cle ro- -

&

les O ra- pro po pu- lo- In ter- ve- ni- pro cle ro-

&

O ra- pro po pu- lo- In ter- ve- ni- pro cle ro- In ter- ce- -

&

ce- de- pro de vo- to- - fe mi- ne- o- se xu,- fe mi- ne- o- se -

&

In ter- ce- de- pro de vo- to- fe mi- ne- -

&

In ter- ce- de- pro de vo- to- fe mi- ne- o- se -

&

de- pro de vo- to- fe mi- ne- o- se xu,- fe mi- ne- o- se -

&

xu,- - - - fe mi- ne- o- se xu- -

&

o- se xu,- - - fe mi- ne- o- se xu- Sen ti- ant- om nes-

&

xu,- fe mi- ne- o- se xu- - Sen ti- ant-

&

xu,- fe mi- ne- o- se xu- Sen ti- ant- om nes-

w

Ó

˙ ˙ ˙˙ ˙

w ∑

w.

˙w

˙

˙ ˙˙˙.

œ˙˙˙˙

˙ w

˙

˙

˙ ˙ ˙˙ ˙

w

Ó

˙ ˙ ˙˙ ˙

˙

˙ ˙˙w

˙ ˙˙.

œœ˙˙w

˙.œw

w

∑ ∑ Ó

˙ ˙ ˙˙ ˙

w

∑ Ó

˙

w ˙˙˙

˙˙˙˙˙

w

∑

Ó

˙ ˙ ˙˙ ˙

w ˙œœw

Ó

˙

ww

˙ ˙w

w

∑ Ó

˙ ˙

˙w

˙.

œ˙˙ ˙

˙˙.

œw

w

Ó

˙ ˙ ˙w

w

˙

˙˙ ˙

ww

›

∑

w ˙

˙w

˙ w

˙w

w w

∑ Ó

˙ ˙ ˙

Ó

w

˙w

˙ ˙ ˙

˙w

›

∑ Ó

˙ ˙ ˙w

˙.

œ˙

˙

˙ w

˙w

w

Ó˙

˙˙

˙.œœœ

œ

˙ ˙˙w

Ó˙ ˙ ˙

w˙.

œ

˙.

œ˙˙ œ

œw

˙˙.

œ˙

˙˙˙w

˙

˙.œœ˙

w

∑

w˙.

œ˙

˙

w˙

˙ ˙ ˙˙w

œœ

˙

˙. œ

˙w

w

w

∑ Ó

˙ ˙ ˙w

˙.œ

˙˙

w

w

∑ Ó

˙.

œ

˙

œœ˙

˙

˙ œ

œ

˙.œ˙

˙

˙

∑ ∑ Ó

˙ œ œ

˙w

w.

˙

°

¢

°

¢

°

¢

15

C

A

T

B

22

C

A

T

B

28

C

A

T

B

&

b

la ni- mes-

Ú

O ra- pro po -

&

b

mes O ra- pro po pu- lo- In ter- ve- ni,-

&

b

O ra- pro po pu- lo- In ter- ve- ni- pro cle - -

&

b

la ni- mes- O ra- pro po pu- lo- In -

&

b

pu- lo- In ter- ve- ni- pro cle

#

ro- - In ter- ce- -

&

b

in ter- ve- ni- pro cle ro- - - - In ter- ce- -

&

b

ro- - - - - In ter- ce- -

&

b

ter

-

ve- ni- pro cle ro- - In ter- ce- -

&

b

de- pro de vo- to-

Ú Ú

fe mi- ne- o- se xu-

&

b

de- pro de vo- to- fe mi- ne- o- se xu,- fe mi- ne- o- se -

#

xu

&

b

de- pro de vo- to- fe mi- ne- o- se

# b

xu- Sen ti- ant,-

&

b

de

-

pro de vo- to- fe mi- ne- o- se xu,- fe mi- ne

#

- o- se xu-

ww w

w › w

∑

ww ˙ ˙

w

w

∑w

w ˙ ˙w w

w w

Ó

˙ ˙ ˙

w w∑

ww ˙ ˙

w ww

∑ Ó

˙ ˙ ˙

w ˙

˙w

ww

ww w

w w

∑

ww ˙ ˙

w ww w

Ó

˙

ww w

Ó

˙ ˙ ˙

w ˙

˙˙

˙ ˙˙

˙

˙ ˙ ˙w

Ó

w ˙

w ˙

˙˙

w˙

˙.

œw

w

Ó

˙ ˙ ˙

w

w.

œœ

w˙.

œw

w w

∑ ∑

w ˙ ˙w

˙ ˙

w w

w

w˙.

œw

∑ ∑

w ˙ ˙w

ww ˙ ˙ w ˙

.

œ˙˙

∑

w ˙˙˙.

œw

w

ww ˙ ˙

ww w

˙.

œ˙

˙ ˙˙

˙

Ó

˙ ˙ ˙

˙ œœw

˙w

∑

w w ˙ ˙w

w

w˙.

œ˙

˙ ˙˙

˙

˙w

∑ ∑ Ó

˙ ˙ ˙ w

w

w ˙ ˙

w

w w˙b.

œ˙

˙w

˙

˙ ˙˙

w

wbw

w

∑