[photo by Ann Claire Payne]

Descriptions of Jennings Collection Materials

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1. ca. 1070, France

Parts of the Divine Office in the Feast of St. Martin, Bishop and Confessor (November 11)

Antiphonal leaf, manuscript on parchment (11.5 x 16.5 in.) Contemporary neumes written on a two-line staff (the yellow line - C, the red line -F). This feast honors Martin of Tours (ca.316-ca.397), the Patron Saint of France.

2. ca. 1100, Monte Cassino, Italy

Parts of the Divine Office in the Feast of St. Bartholomew, Apostle (August 24)

Missal leaf, manuscript on parchment (7 x 10.5 in.) Heighted neumes written on dry lines. Conveys the general rise and fall of the pitch. Although the notation of pitch is not exact, it is far superior to the system used in item 3. This manuscript is especially valuable because of the specie of script, Beneventan (Lombardic) from Monte Cassino, the home of the famous order of Saint Benedict.

3. ca. 1150, Southern Germany

Parts of the Divine Office in the Vigil of the Sunday Within the Octave of Christmas (Jan. 5), the Holy Mass of the Divine Office for the Sunday Within the Octave of Christmas, and the Holy Mass of the Divine Office in the Epiphany of Our Lord (Jan. 6), Parts of the Holy Mass in the Divine Office of the Sunday Within the Octave of the Epiphany

Missal leaf, manuscript on parchment (8.5 x 11.5 in.) Music indicated by contemporary neumes with no staff. The shape of each neume shows a general pitch direction, but the notation has little value except to aid the memory.

4. ca. 1390, Italy

Parts of the Holy Mass of the Tuesday and Wednesday in Holy Week

Gradual leaf, manuscript on parchment (11 x 14.5 in.) Music indicated by contemporary neumes written on four-line staff using moveable C-clef.

5. ca. 1390, Switzerland

Parts of the Holy Mass in the Divine Office of the Feast of the Epiphany

Gradual leaf, manuscript on dark parchment (7.5 x 10.5 in.) Gothic neumes on a four-line staff using the moveable C-clef. This manuscript is valuable as an example of Gothic lettering and musical notation. Gothic neumes were called "Hufnagelschrift" because of their resemblance to hob shoe nails, the note heads being diamond-shaped and the stems being thick and pointed.

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6. (a,b) ca. 1480, Arezzo, Italy, Monastery of Anghiarra

Parts of the Holy Mass of Saturday Before Passion Sunday and Parts of the Holy Mass of Passion Sunday

Gradual leaves, manuscript on parchment (11 x 15 in.)

Music indicated by contemporary neumes written on four-line staff using moveable C- and F-clefs.

7. (a,b) ca. 1485, Limburg, Flanders, Diocese of Maastricht

Parts of the Matin in the Divine Office of the Feast of the Epiphany and Parts of the Holy Mass of the Feast of the Epiphany, Parts of the Hymns and the Holy Mass of the Feasts of Saint Agnes (Jan. 21) and Saint Agatha (Feb. 5) [Parts of the Common for a Virgin and Martyr]

Gradual leaf, manuscript on vellum (15.5 x 21.5 in.)

Music indicated by contemporary neumes on a four-line staff using moveable C- and F-clefs.

8. ca. 1490, Seville, Spain

Parts of the Divine Office in the Feast of Corpus Christi

Gradual leaf, manuscript on vellum (13 x 18.5 in.)

Music indicated by contemporary neumes written on five-line staff using moveable F-clef.

9. ca. 1500, Spain

Gradual, Containing the Ordinary of the Holy Mass and the Proper of the Divine Office From the Saturday Before the First Sunday of Advent to Trinity Sunday

Gradual leaves bound, manuscript on parchment (13 x 20 in.)

Music indicated by contemporary neumes on a four-line staff using moveable C- and F-clefs. The binding is constructed from parchment waste and pressboard.

10. ca. 1500, Spain

Parts of a Gradual, Containing the Proper of the Divine Office for Holy Week

Gradual leaves bound, manuscript on parchment (14.5 x 22 in.)

Music indicated by contemporary neumes on a five-line staff using C- and F-clefs. Binding is old calf over wood boards. Edges of binding are reinforced with sheet iron, fastened with square brads. Front and back covers are ornamented with brass mounts which include a circular center medallion and corner and middle bosses.

11. (a,b) ca. 1515, Venice, Italy

Parts of the Holy Mass for a Confessor and a Bishop and Parts of the Holy Mass for a Virgin Not a Martyr

Gradual leaves, printing on paper 11 x 15 in.)

Music is indicated by contemporary neumes printed on a four-line staff using C- and F-clefs. These leaves were printed by the Giunta press and are among the earliest examples of music printing.

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