{"product_id":"medieval-antiphonal-fragment-gaude-maria-virgo-c-14th-15th-century-1","title":"Medieval Antiphonal Fragment – Gaude Maria Virgo – c. 14th–15th Century","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn original fragment from a medieval \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eantiphonal, or liturgical choir book\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, preserving portions of a chant associated with the Marian responsory \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGaude Maria virgo\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (“Rejoice, Virgin Mary”).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHandwritten on parchment, the fragment features \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGothic liturgical script\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e together with medieval square musical notation on \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003efour-line red staves\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Such large-format antiphonals were used by religious communities for the communal singing of the Divine Office.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe surviving text has been identified with the verse:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGloria virtus et gratia et tua sunt fortissime rex sanctorum…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eApproximately:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Glory, power, and grace are yours, most mighty King of the saints…”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis verse belongs to the chant tradition surrounding \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGaude Maria virgo\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (CAO 6759), a medieval Marian responsory found in the Divine Office and particularly associated in surviving sources with the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePurification of the Virgin Mary (Candlemas)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, celebrated on February 2.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOf particular interest, another surviving fragment from what appears likely to have been the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003esame parent antiphonal\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e preserves portions of the related \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGabrielem archangelum…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGloria virtus et gratia…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e material. The similarity of the parchment, Gothic script, red musical staves, notation, physical reuse, and surviving chant text provides compelling evidence that the fragments originated from the same medieval manuscript.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis fragment was later \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ecut down and reused as bookbinding material\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, a common practice after medieval manuscripts fell out of liturgical use. Its pronounced fold, holes, staining, abrasion, adhesive remnants and areas of text loss preserve physical evidence of this second chapter in its history.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDate:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e c. \u003ca href=\"tel:1350-1500\"\u003e1350–1500\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Western Europe\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Latin\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Parchment\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eManuscript Type:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Antiphonal \/ Divine Office choir book\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eText:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGloria virtus et gratia…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, associated with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGaude Maria virgo\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (CAO 6759)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNotation:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Medieval square plainchant notation on four-line red staves\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Approximately 10½ × 3½ inches\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCondition:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Fragmentary, with substantial staining, folds, holes, abrasion, text loss and remnants resulting from later reuse as binding material. Please refer to photographs for condition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA remarkable survivor of medieval Christian worship, preserving both the words and musical notation once sung communally centuries ago, as well as evidence of the parchment’s later reuse in the binding of another book.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Divine Library","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":62794231808081,"sku":null,"price":65.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0669\/0059\/0673\/files\/853C07FC-52D4-4C51-B3C7-A68F84E010F8.jpg?v=1791042272","url":"https:\/\/thedivinelibrarystore.com\/products\/medieval-antiphonal-fragment-gaude-maria-virgo-c-14th-15th-century-1","provider":"The Divine Library","version":"1.0","type":"link"}