Trent Codices
Encyclopedia
The Trent Codices are a collection of seven large music manuscripts compiled around the middle of the 15th century, currently kept in the northern Italian
city of Trent
. They contain mostly sacred vocal music composed between 1400 and 1475. Containing more than 1,500 separate musical compositions by 88 different named composers, as well as a huge amount of anonymous music, they are the largest and most significant single manuscript source from the entire century from anywhere in Europe.
The Trent Codices consist of seven separate volumes. Six of these are held in the "Museo Provinciale d'Arte" within the Castello del Buonconsiglio
and have the shelfmarks "Monumenti e Collezioni Provinciale, 1374–1379." However they are almost universally referred to by their older shelfmarks Trent 87-92. Thus the RISM
sigla I-TRmn 87-92 or I-TRmp are often seen. A seventh manuscript was discovered somewhat later and is held at the Biblioteca Capitolare in Trent (see "History" below). Though technically it has the shelfmark "BL," it is almost universally called "Trent 93," continuing the series from the Castello.
The manuscripts were copied over a period of more than thirty years, from about 1435 to sometime after 1470. The names of two of the scribes have been preserved: Johannes Wiser and Johannes Lupi, both clerics connected with the cathedral in Trent. However, some of the work of copying, especially for the earliest portions of the set (Trent 87 and 92), was not done in Trent: a study of the watermarks and other features of the manuscripts has shown origins in Piedmont
, northeastern France, and Savoy
-Basel
, as well as towns in northern Italy such as Bolzano.
Unusually for manuscripts of this era, the Trent Codices are small: at approximately 9 x 12 inches (20 x 30 cm) they are the equivalent of a 15th century "miniature score". Since their small size and numerous errors would make singing from them difficult or impossible, they may have been used as a source from which performance copies were made. On the other hand, they are quite large enough to be sung from with one person on each part (which, it can be argued, was the norm for most of the 15th century). For some pieces, voice parts were even divided between two different gatherings ('booklets'), which would make possible a performance by two groups of singers.
The earliest "layer" of the manuscript set, included in Trent 87 and 92, contains single movements of the mass
and motets, with works by such composers as Zacara da Teramo
, Jacobus Vide
, Johannes Brassart
, and early works by Guillaume Dufay
, whose music appears throughout the codices. There are also works by English composers, including John Dunstaple, giving some sense of the esteem in which English composers of the time were held. Most manuscript sources from the 15th century from England were destroyed by Henry VIII
during the Dissolution of the Monasteries
; the surviving music of 15th-century English composers comes largely from continental sources, such as these Italian books.
Copyist Johannes Wiser wrote out most of the five manuscripts Trent 88, 89, 90, 91, and 93, principally between 1445 and 1475. Not all of his copying was competent; he evidently possessed limited musical literacy, even though he held a post as an organist, since he left numerous mistakes. Much of the music he copied in these five books is by composers of the Burgundian School
, including Dufay and Antoine Busnois
, and there are a considerable number of unica (compositions which survive in a single source only) as well as pieces by composers whose names appear nowhere else, and anonymous compositions. The Trent Codices are unusual for the time in including composer attributions as often as they do; most music of the era is anonymous, since scribes typically left out the names of composers.
Parts of the Trent codices were written with a corrosive ink which has eaten through the paper causing, among other things, centers of noteheads to fall out. Though recently restored in 1975, the manuscripts are still in a precarious state, and for some pages earlier photographs are more legible than the manuscripts themselves.
During the 15th century, the area in which the music was copied was the southernmost part of the Holy Roman Empire
, which during this era had an extensive musical establishment. Emperor Frederick III
's cousin Sigismund
, who was Duke of the Tyrol
, had a large and sophisticated musical chapel at Innsbruck
. The area around the Brenner Pass
, including Innsbruck on the north and Trent on the south, was a crossroads through which many musicians traveling between Italy and the musically rich Low Countries would be expected to pass. It is reasonable to suppose that Trent, as a central location and a commercial center on a major trade and travel route, was a central musical repository as well. The Codices may have been the principal anthology of all the polyphonic
music sung in all the chapels and courts in the Habsburg
domains of northern Italy and southern Germany in the mid-15th century.
Six of the seven manuscripts, had been archived for centuries in the library at the Cathedral of Trent, and were not discovered until the middle of the 19th century. Their first discussion in the musicological literature was in 1885, by F. X. Haberl, in his huge monograph on Guillaume Dufay
: Bausteine zur Musikgeschichte. Shortly after their discovery, the six codices were transferred to Vienna
for study. By the terms of the Treaty of St. Germain at the end of World War I
the Codices were to return to Trent. In 1920 they arrived, and in the same year the last of the seven manuscript books was found.
Publication of the contents of the manuscripts had already begun in Austria
as part of the series Denkmäler der Tonkunst in Österreich (DTÖ). Though the first volume of Sechs Trienter Codices appeared in 1900, the last volume of Sieben Trienter Codices was not published until 1970.
, the unified musical setting of the parts of the Ordinary of the Mass
. The early volumes of the set contain isolate mass movements, as was characteristic of compositional practice at the end of the 14th century; next there are pairs of movements and parts of cycles; and in the later volumes, the Codices contain the earliest known three and four movement sets. All of the earliest unified sets are of English origin. The last volumes in the Codices include numerous mass cycles by the composers of the generation of Dufay, during which time the cantus firmus
mass had become a mature form.
Later polyphonic works are found in manuscripts at Trent's Archivio di Stato (Sezione tedesca no. 105) and Biblioteca Comunale (MSS. 283 an 1947/4, the latter including instrumental compositions) and among the donations of the musicologist Laurence Feininger at the Museo Provinciale d'Arte. The Feiniger collection also reflects his life-long devotion to the collecting of later examples of liturgical chant, a collection which was also recently cataloged and published, in part, in facsimile.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
city of Trent
Trento
Trento is an Italian city located in the Adige River valley in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is the capital of Trentino...
. They contain mostly sacred vocal music composed between 1400 and 1475. Containing more than 1,500 separate musical compositions by 88 different named composers, as well as a huge amount of anonymous music, they are the largest and most significant single manuscript source from the entire century from anywhere in Europe.
Contents
Castello del Buonconsiglio
-Construction:The castle originated from a fortified building erected in the 13th century next to the city's walls. This first edifice was called Castelvecchio , and was the seat of the Bishopric of Trent from the 13th century onwards....
and have the shelfmarks "Monumenti e Collezioni Provinciale, 1374–1379." However they are almost universally referred to by their older shelfmarks Trent 87-92. Thus the RISM
Rism
-References:rism- "ree-ss-mm" loldefenition- Rism is when a noob tries to post a thread on a forum trying to sell RIMS. But since the OP does not have enough post to sell on said forum, his thread will be locked but he will get flammed in the mean time...
sigla I-TRmn 87-92 or I-TRmp are often seen. A seventh manuscript was discovered somewhat later and is held at the Biblioteca Capitolare in Trent (see "History" below). Though technically it has the shelfmark "BL," it is almost universally called "Trent 93," continuing the series from the Castello.
The manuscripts were copied over a period of more than thirty years, from about 1435 to sometime after 1470. The names of two of the scribes have been preserved: Johannes Wiser and Johannes Lupi, both clerics connected with the cathedral in Trent. However, some of the work of copying, especially for the earliest portions of the set (Trent 87 and 92), was not done in Trent: a study of the watermarks and other features of the manuscripts has shown origins in Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
, northeastern France, and Savoy
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
-Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, as well as towns in northern Italy such as Bolzano.
Unusually for manuscripts of this era, the Trent Codices are small: at approximately 9 x 12 inches (20 x 30 cm) they are the equivalent of a 15th century "miniature score". Since their small size and numerous errors would make singing from them difficult or impossible, they may have been used as a source from which performance copies were made. On the other hand, they are quite large enough to be sung from with one person on each part (which, it can be argued, was the norm for most of the 15th century). For some pieces, voice parts were even divided between two different gatherings ('booklets'), which would make possible a performance by two groups of singers.
The earliest "layer" of the manuscript set, included in Trent 87 and 92, contains single movements of the mass
Mass (music)
The Mass, a form of sacred musical composition, is a choral composition that sets the invariable portions of the Eucharistic liturgy to music...
and motets, with works by such composers as Zacara da Teramo
Zacara da Teramo
Antonio Zacara da Teramo was an Italian composer, singer, and papal secretary of the late Trecento and early 15th century...
, Jacobus Vide
Jacobus Vide
Jacobus Vide was a Franco-Flemish composer of the transitional period between the medieval period and early Renaissance...
, Johannes Brassart
Johannes Brassart
Johannes Brassart was a Burgundian composer of the early Renaissance. Of his output, only sacred vocal music has survived, and it typifies early 15th century practice.- Life :...
, and early works by Guillaume Dufay
Guillaume Dufay
Guillaume Dufay was a Franco-Flemish composer of the early Renaissance. As the central figure in the Burgundian School, he was the most famous and influential composer in Europe in the mid-15th century.-Early life:From the evidence of his will, he was probably born in Beersel, in the vicinity of...
, whose music appears throughout the codices. There are also works by English composers, including John Dunstaple, giving some sense of the esteem in which English composers of the time were held. Most manuscript sources from the 15th century from England were destroyed by Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
during the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
; the surviving music of 15th-century English composers comes largely from continental sources, such as these Italian books.
Copyist Johannes Wiser wrote out most of the five manuscripts Trent 88, 89, 90, 91, and 93, principally between 1445 and 1475. Not all of his copying was competent; he evidently possessed limited musical literacy, even though he held a post as an organist, since he left numerous mistakes. Much of the music he copied in these five books is by composers of the Burgundian School
Burgundian School
The Burgundian School is a term used to denote a group of composers active in the 15th century in what is now northern and eastern France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, centered on the court of the Dukes of Burgundy. The main names associated with this school are Guillaume Dufay, Gilles Binchois,...
, including Dufay and Antoine Busnois
Antoine Busnois
Antoine Busnois was a French composer and poet of the early Renaissance Burgundian School. While also noted as a composer of sacred music, such as motets, he was one of the most renowned 15th-century composers of secular chansons...
, and there are a considerable number of unica (compositions which survive in a single source only) as well as pieces by composers whose names appear nowhere else, and anonymous compositions. The Trent Codices are unusual for the time in including composer attributions as often as they do; most music of the era is anonymous, since scribes typically left out the names of composers.
Parts of the Trent codices were written with a corrosive ink which has eaten through the paper causing, among other things, centers of noteheads to fall out. Though recently restored in 1975, the manuscripts are still in a precarious state, and for some pages earlier photographs are more legible than the manuscripts themselves.
History
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
, which during this era had an extensive musical establishment. Emperor Frederick III
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick the Peaceful KG was Duke of Austria as Frederick V from 1424, the successor of Albert II as German King as Frederick IV from 1440, and Holy Roman Emperor as Frederick III from 1452...
's cousin Sigismund
Sigismund, Archduke of Austria
Sigismund of Austria, Duke, then Archduke of Further Austria was a Habsburg archduke of Austria and ruler of Tirol from 1446 to 1490....
, who was Duke of the Tyrol
County of Tyrol
The County of Tyrol, Princely County from 1504, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1814 a province of the Austrian Empire and from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
, had a large and sophisticated musical chapel at Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
. The area around the Brenner Pass
Brenner Pass
- Roadways :The motorway E45 leading from Innsbruck via Bolzano to Verona and Modena uses this pass, and is one of the most important north-south connections in Europe...
, including Innsbruck on the north and Trent on the south, was a crossroads through which many musicians traveling between Italy and the musically rich Low Countries would be expected to pass. It is reasonable to suppose that Trent, as a central location and a commercial center on a major trade and travel route, was a central musical repository as well. The Codices may have been the principal anthology of all the polyphonic
Polyphony
In music, polyphony is a texture consisting of two or more independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice or music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords ....
music sung in all the chapels and courts in the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
domains of northern Italy and southern Germany in the mid-15th century.
Six of the seven manuscripts, had been archived for centuries in the library at the Cathedral of Trent, and were not discovered until the middle of the 19th century. Their first discussion in the musicological literature was in 1885, by F. X. Haberl, in his huge monograph on Guillaume Dufay
Guillaume Dufay
Guillaume Dufay was a Franco-Flemish composer of the early Renaissance. As the central figure in the Burgundian School, he was the most famous and influential composer in Europe in the mid-15th century.-Early life:From the evidence of his will, he was probably born in Beersel, in the vicinity of...
: Bausteine zur Musikgeschichte. Shortly after their discovery, the six codices were transferred to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
for study. By the terms of the Treaty of St. Germain at the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
the Codices were to return to Trent. In 1920 they arrived, and in the same year the last of the seven manuscript books was found.
Publication of the contents of the manuscripts had already begun in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
as part of the series Denkmäler der Tonkunst in Österreich (DTÖ). Though the first volume of Sechs Trienter Codices appeared in 1900, the last volume of Sieben Trienter Codices was not published until 1970.
Significance
The Trent Codices show the first interest in, and gradual development of the cyclic massCyclic mass
In Renaissance music, the cyclic mass was a setting of the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Mass, in which each of the movements – Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei – shared a common musical theme, commonly a cantus firmus, thus making it a unified whole...
, the unified musical setting of the parts of the Ordinary of the Mass
Ordinary of the Mass
The ordinary, in Roman Catholic and other Western Christian liturgies, refers to the part of the Eucharist or of the canonical hours that is reasonably constant without regard to the date on which the service is performed...
. The early volumes of the set contain isolate mass movements, as was characteristic of compositional practice at the end of the 14th century; next there are pairs of movements and parts of cycles; and in the later volumes, the Codices contain the earliest known three and four movement sets. All of the earliest unified sets are of English origin. The last volumes in the Codices include numerous mass cycles by the composers of the generation of Dufay, during which time the cantus firmus
Cantus firmus
In music, a cantus firmus is a pre-existing melody forming the basis of a polyphonic composition.The plural of this Latin term is , though the corrupt form canti firmi is also attested...
mass had become a mature form.
Other music manuscripts in Trent
Although "Trent Codices" usually refers to these seven manuscripts alone, they are not the only testaments to active interest in late-Medieval and Renaissance music in Trent. At the back of a monophonic breviary (Biblioteca Comunale 1563, but permanently housed at the Museo Provinciale d'Arte) is a single folio, presumably from a much larger manuscript ca. 1400, containing a Credo by Antonio dictus Zachara da Teramo. Prayers dedicated to local saints were added to the manuscript sometime in the fifteenth century, establishing that the manuscript has been in Trent since at least the fifteenth century. Another fragment from the same period is found in incunabulum no. 60 at the Fondazione Biblioteca di S. Bernadino (formerly dei Padri Francescani). This source may be connected to the fragments at Padua.. This library also houses a remarkable collection of so-called cantus fractus, or rhythmicized chant, which has recently been published.Later polyphonic works are found in manuscripts at Trent's Archivio di Stato (Sezione tedesca no. 105) and Biblioteca Comunale (MSS. 283 an 1947/4, the latter including instrumental compositions) and among the donations of the musicologist Laurence Feininger at the Museo Provinciale d'Arte. The Feiniger collection also reflects his life-long devotion to the collecting of later examples of liturgical chant, a collection which was also recently cataloged and published, in part, in facsimile.