Codex Einsidlensis 121

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Codex Einsidlensis 121
Repository Einsiedeln Abbey Library
origin Einsiedeln Monastery
material parchment
Page number 600
format 105 × 160 mm
Time of origin Around 960-980
language Latin

The Codex Einsidlensis 121 from the second half of the 10th century contains the oldest existing and yet virtually complete Messantiphonar , as Gradual referred. The elements of the divine service, the Propria missae , which change over the course of the year , are listed in an orderly manner, which makes the Codex of great value for liturgical science. The almost continuous notation of the texts is of outstanding importance ; For this reason, the Codex forms an important pillar for research into Gregorian chant in terms of music history . In a second part, the sequences of the monk Notker of St. Gallen , the Liber Ymnorum , are also provided with a notation . The two parts form a single unit and were probably written for Gregor, the third abbot of the Einsiedeln monastery , for personal use.

Large initial P, in gold with red outlines and tendrils, p. 30

Description of the codex

The manuscript comprises 600 parchment pages , which today are in a format of 105 × 160 mm; however, these were probably originally larger and were cut to size when a new one was incorporated. In the course of restoration work, the binding was renewed on several occasions; the last time in 2010, where a special preservation binding was attached in order to be able to further open the codex for digitization on e-codices . There are no longer any clues as to what the external appearance of the codex might have looked like at the time of its creation. The handwriting shows only minor damage; only a few pages are missing. In some places, however, due to the frequent consultation of the Codex, the writing has faded, especially in the recent past. The text is written in brownish ink in a Carolingian minuscule ; Both the gradual and the sequences were each written by a scribe and then put together. Before writing, the pages were carefully laid out, as evidenced by the lines that are still visible. In the first part, the gradual, the notation was done in the form of neumes and litterae significativae characteristic of the 10th century above the lines, while in the case of the sequences it was done in the margin. The use of this already well-developed form of notation made it possible to reproduce mere nuances in pitch adequately.

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The beginning of the Alleluia verses with clearly visible neumes, p. 343

The gradual, with its various elements, spans pages 1-428; however, the first and last pages are missing. It contains the individual components of the service with texts that change during the calendar year in this order:

Noteworthy is the performance of the psalms for the communion antiphons in a separate section; in other gradual manuscripts these are already integrated into the antiphons themselves. The notation is the same age as the text; in several places there are additions from a later period.

The Notkers sequences occupy pages 429-599; Although written by a different hand, they form a unit of meaning with the preceding gradual, since the sequences also belong to the proprium missae . They represent a part of the Codex that is more related to the Rhaetian area, because unlike the Gradual, which is strictly based on the liturgy of Rome and does not take into account the different forms of the Mass depending on the area, regional peculiarities are also preserved here rarely found elsewhere. In the introductory text, the so-called Notkerbrief, the first page is missing. This is followed by a total of 71 sequences with the Liber Ymnorum , of which, however, the authorship can only be ascribed to Notker for 40, the others he must have taken from existing collections. A few sequences, however, were not created until later centuries and were added by other scribes, for example on the last pages of the manuscript.

Book decorations

Both parts of the codex have large decorations in some places. The majority of the pages, however, are not specially designed with calligraphy or illustrations; the headings are each kept with minium in red color and the letters at the beginning of a section are sometimes decorated with gold and silver as initials, sometimes with red outlines and tendrils .

History of the Codex

The monastery tradition always named Einsiedeln itself as the place of origin of the manuscript; on the flyleaf there is a report on a restoration from 1597, where it is mentioned that the codex was made for Gregor, the third abbot of Einsiedeln. This assumption has only been scientifically supported by recent research. In the design of the codex, influences from the monasteries of St. Gallen and Reichenau are noticeable, which is why these places were also taken into account for the creation of the manuscript. The two scribes learned their craft in these monasteries, but wrote the codex in Einsiedeln itself, according to palaeographic studies and comparisons with other manuscripts in the years between 960 and 980, the time of Abbot Gregory. In addition, the relatively small format of the codex suggests private use; It was unsuitable as a hymn book for the community because of its small size. Apparently the manuscript never left Einsiedeln; There are entries in the font of Heinrich von Ligerz , a librarian from Einsiedeln in the 14th century, as well as further ownership notes from the Einsiedeln monastery from the modern era.

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literature

  • O. Lang (ed.): Codex 121 Einsiedeln. 2 volumes, facsimile and commentary, Weinheim-Basel 1991. (The commentary volume contains various contributions by various authors on selected subject areas of Codex 121, such as the history of its origins, notation, artistic equipment or the requirements for liturgical poetry.)

Web links

Commons : Codex Einsidlensis 121  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ O. Lang (ed.): Codex 121 Einsiedeln. Commentary volume, Weinheim-Basel 1991, IX.
  2. ↑ O. Lang (ed.): Codex 121 Einsiedeln. Commentary volume, Weinheim-Basel 1991, 1f.
  3. ↑ O. Lang (ed.): Codex 121 Einsiedeln. Commentary volume, Weinheim-Basel 1991, XI.
  4. ↑ http://www.e-codices.unifr.ch/de/description/sbe/0121 (January 12, 2014)
  5. ↑ O. Lang (ed.): Codex 121 Einsiedeln. Commentary volume, Weinheim-Basel 1991, 207.
  6. ↑ O. Lang (ed.): Codex 121 Einsiedeln. Commentary volume, Weinheim-Basel 1991, 262.
  7. ↑ http://www.e-codices.unifr.ch/de/description/sbe/0121 (January 12, 2014)
  8. ↑ For the notation of the Codex cf. R. Fischer: The Gradual of Codex 121 of the Abbey Library in Einsiedeln. In: O. Lang (ed.): Codex 121 Einsiedeln. Commentary volume, Weinheim-Basel 1991, 69–118.
  9. ↑ On the creation and a detailed description of the Codex cf. A. von Euw: Quality and artistic design of the manuscript. In: O. Lang (ed.): Codex 121 Einsiedeln. Commentary volume, Weinheim-Basel 1991, 1-68.
  10. ↑ http://www.e-codices.unifr.ch/de/description/sbe/0121 (January 12, 2014)