Earliest layer copied by a single scribe; later, as many as nine additional scribes copied pieces on folios left blank by original scribe, or on newly inserted folios. (Later scribes probably included the composers Burell, Cooke, Damett, and Sturgeon, all members of royal household chapel of Henry V; each apparently entered his own compositions). Of English origin; precise provenance of main layer remains uncertain (see BentOH and HugOH). Manuscript was in hands of members of royal household chapel of Henry V by c. 1415; additions made over next several years. Manuscript may have been at Winchester Cathedral, either in connection with its original copying or in 16th century. Possibly owned by Thomas Dackomb (1496-ca. 1572), petty canon of Winchester Cathedral; James Strangman (d. 1594), member of Elizabethan Society of Antiquaries ; and John Alcock (1715-1806). Later owned by Rev. John Parker (1776-1812), John Stafford Smith (1750-1836) and his descendants, and St. Edmund's College (at Old Hall Green, near Ware, Hertfordshire). Purchased by British Museum in 1973.

Music on ff. 1-11', 35'-55, 80'-89, 97'-99, 101-106', and 108'-109 in score layout; other pieces in choirbook layout.

Portions of some composers' names and some border decorations obliterated by trimming

Original covers lost; 18th-century binding discarded ca. 1895 and replaced by present covers of red morocco leather, with 'Sacrae cantiones ab auctoribus anglicis compositae' stamped in gold on spine.

Black full mensural, with red full, red void, and black void coloration; full blue notes used in two pieces to indicate proportions

red staves

18th-century foliation, 1-112

1-112v

Large Gothic illuminated initials, some in gold leaf with violet tracery, others in blue with red tracery. Letters of text immediately following illuminated initials usually shaded in yellow. Illuminator made initials for some pieces which main scribe never entered; later scribes utilized these initials as they added their own pieces. Some initials cut out during 19th century; parchment patches later pasted over gaps, some lost initials and music repainted, and decorative initials added to some pieces which had lacked them

Folios now missing from beginning (probably lost at an early date) may have contained an original index

Parchment

RISM B/IV 4: 14/15. Jh.; 112 Blätter Pergament, 416 x 276 mm. Moderne Foliierung von f. 1-112. Je Seite meist 12 rote Fünfliniensysteme mit schwarzer, schwarz-roter und vereinzelt schwarz-blauer Mensuralnotation des späten 14. und 15. Jh. - Einband: um 1895; roter Lederband.

Die unter dem Namen Old Hall-Codex bekannte, aus 17 Faszikeln bestehende Handschrift ist das wichtigste Denkmal englischer Musik bis zum frühen 15. Jh. Ihre Geschichte ist erst seit dem 19. Jh. bekannt: 1813 ging sie von J. Parker an J. Stafford Smith und später an E. W. Tordiffe über, der sie 1893 dem St. Edmund's College in Old Hall schenkte. Dort fand sie kurz darauf W. Barclay Squire, der 1901 einen ersten Bericht veröffentlichte. Die Beurteilung der Handschrift betreffend Lokalisierung und Datierung machte im Laufe der Zeit wesentliche Wandlungen durch. Erst 1947 erkannte J. Harvey, daß OH ein Chorbuch der königlichen Haushaltskapelle zur Zeit König Heinrichs V. (1413-1422) gewesen ist. Doch haben neuere Forschungen von Harrison und Hughes ergeben, daß die älteste und größere Schicht (Hand A) vielleicht schon zur Regierungszeit Heinrichs IV. (1399-1413) geschrieben worden sein könnte und daß sich das ganze Repertoire über die Zeit von 1370 bis 1430 erstreckt. Doch muß die "Roy Henry"-Frage vorläufig offen bleiben. Unter den späteren Hinzufügungen hat Margaret Bent neben Haupthand A noch ca. 7 weitere Hände feststellen können.

Inhalt: f. 1-35 Gloria; f. 35v-40v Motetten; f. 41-55r Credo; f. 45v-57v Motetten; f. 58V-80V Credo; f. 80v-89v Sanctus; f. 89v-92r Motetten; f. 92v-100v Sanctus; f. 101r-109r Agnus; f. 109v-112v Motetten. - Leer sind f. 58r und 93r. - Von Hand A geschrieben sind die Nrn. 1-8, 16-36, 41-52, 56-62, 70-71, 75-91, 94-110 und 115-123.

INCIPITVERZEICHNIS

Die Nummern sind dem Inventar von A. Hughes und M. Bent (vergleiche MD XXI) entnommen. Die verschiedentlich unvollständigen Anfänge rühren von den oft herausgeschnittenen Initialen her, die allerdings teilweise samt den weggefallenen Noten unsorgfältig nachgetragen worden sind.

This information is reproduced here by kind permission of the publishers. It is COPYRIGHT and copying/reproduction of any of this content without permission may result in legal action.

40 Glorias, 35 Credos, 27 Sanctus, 19 Agnus, 26 motets = 147 (some incomplete)

Alain [AleynH, Burell-2, Byttering-5, Chirbury-4, Cooke-9 + 1?, Damett-9 + 1?, (Dunstable)-1, Excetre-3, Fonteyns-1, (Forest?)-1, Forest/(Dunstable)-1, Forest/(Plummer)-1, Gervasius de Anglia [Gervays]-1, Henry IV or Henry V? [Roy Henry]-2, Lambert? [Lambe...]-1, Mayshuet-1, Olyver-4, Pennard-1, Pycard-7 + 1?, Power [Leonel]-21 + 2?, Queldryk-2, Rowlard-1, Sturgeon-7, Swynford-1, Tyes-2, Typp-7, (Magister Zacharias)-1, anon-45

112 parchment folios of an original 137 or more, 416 x 276. Modern (18th-century) foliation, 1-112. Portions of some composers' names and some border decorations obliterated by trimming. Original covers lost; 18th-century binding discarded ca. 1895 and replaced by present covers of red morocco leather, with "Sacrae cantiones ab auctoribus anglicis compositae" stamped in gold on spine. No index. Black mensural notation on red staves, with red full, red void, and black void coloration; full blue notes used in two pieces to indicate proportions. Music on ff. 1-11', 35'-55, 80'-89, 97'-99, 101-106', and 108'-109 in score format; other pieces in choirbook format.

Earliest layer copied by a single scribe; later, as many as nine additional scribes copied pieces on folios left blank by original scribe, or on newly inserted folios. (Later scribes probably included the composers Burell, Cooke, Damett, and Sturgeon, all members of royal household chapel of Henry V; each apparently entered his own compositions). Large Gothic illuminated initials, some in gold leaf with violet tracery, others in blue with red tracery. Letters of text immediately following illuminated initials usually shaded in yellow. Illuminator made initials for some pieces which main scribe never entered; later scribes utilized these initials as they added their own pieces. Some initials cut out during 19th century; parchment patches later pasted over gaps, some lost initials and music repainted, and decorative initials added to some pieces which had lacked them. Folios now missing from beginning (probably lost at an early date) may have contained an original index and some Kyrie settings.

Ca. 1410-20; repertory dates from ca. 1370-1420. Of English origin; precise provenance of main layer remains uncertain (see BentOH and HugOH). Earliest layer copied ca. 1410-5; manuscript was in hands of members of royal household chapel of Henry V by ca. 1415; additions made over next several years. Manuscript may have been at Winchester Cathedral, either in connection with its original copying or in 16th century. Possibly owned by Thomas Dackomb (1496-ca. 1572), petty canon of Winchester Cathedral; James Strangman (d. 1594), member of Elizabethan Society of Antiquaries ; and John Alcock (1715-1806). Later owned by Rev. John Parker (1776-1812), John Stafford Smith (1750-1836) and his descendants, and St. Edmund's College (at Old Hall Green, near Ware, Hertfordshire). Purchased by British Museum in 1973.

Vol 4

Composers: Change "Byttering-5" to "Byttering-5 + 1?"; change "Power [Leonel]-21 + 2?" to "Power [Leonel]-21 + 3?"; change "Pycard-7 + 1?" to"Pycard-7 + 2?"; change "Typp-7" to "Typp-7 + 1?"; change "anon-45" to "anon-41."

Date/provenance: Ca. 1411-22 (see BowersLP and BentP for discussion). Copied in England. Earliest layer probably compiled for use in household chapel of Thomas, Duke of Clarence (1388-1421), brother of Henry V, King of England (BowersLP). Following Thomas' death in battle, manuscript apparently passed to Henry; additions made by members of royal household chapel.