Described by the index compiler (probably a monk working in the Palaeography Workshop in the Benedictine Abbey of Solesmes) as ‘Bréviaire noté d’hiver Metz 461‘
This manuscript (dated late C13th – early C14th) was lost in a bombing raid on the city of Metz (a city in northeast France) in WWII, but survived in a microfilm made by the Abbey of Solesmes in the interbellum years (possibly earlier) to support their research into Gregorian chant restoration. We have now (May 2022) made a conclusive transcription of the manuscript’s notation into the square-note neume notation now used in Gregorian chant. This was used for a recording May 1-7 in Malay, Southern Burgundy in 2022.
The office of St. Gengulphus is very likely a later addition to the original manuscript seeing that our Saint’s feast day was not indicated in the calendar at the introduction of the manuscript. Thus a later scribe – the handwriting is clearly different reading from f.431 to including the office of St.G. However, the possibility is also there that this scribe copied the office from an older manuscript.
We hold our dating of the music of the office of St. Gengulphus at late C13th / early C14th for the meantime.
Index notation: Officium proprium de Scô Gengulpho 438 verso (editor: office ends at 444 verso)
Pages 1-2 – Office begins halfway down in the second column on the left page with the antiphon for the first Vespers and collect. Then follows the Invitatorium
of the Matins and the first antiphon of the first nocturn of the Matins. Bottom right the second antiphon.
Pages 3-4 – the following pages continue the Matins with also readings & responds.
first respond of second nocturn at top right of second page.
Pages 7-8. Matins continue. Third nocturn starts with antiphon 7 at bottom of 3rd column.
Pages 9-10. Matins continue and conclude. Rubric that Lauds commence at bottom right.
Pages 11-12. All of Lauds on these pages including antiphon for the the Bendictus. Note only text for the second Vespers Magnificat antiphon space in the
lower right hand corner. Interesting that the scribe of the manuscript left space for inclusion of music notation that never occured.
N.B. If any viewer recognizes the text and has knowledge of the whereabouts of possible music elsewhere –
please contact the webmaster: chantman2(at)hotmail(dot)com. The full text of the antiphon is:
O Gengulphe, Dei martyr, preces audi supplicum victor hostis custos loci protector fidelium
assis nobis intercessor nunc et in perpetuum, alleluia. (note: assis = adsis in modern Latin)
Page 13 (office ends at upper left corner with conclusion of text of 2nd Vespers)