Description
15th/16th century Vellum Antiphonal leaf. This is on Vellum/hide. There are some
tears but it's stable in the frame. For some weird reason there is clear tape on
the back of the glass and a little on the front, possibly they taped the two
panes together and over time the tape degraded a little, still it displays well.
Slightly illuminated in the picture shown. 22.5" x 16" framed.
The origins of liturgical music traditionally date back to St. Gregory the Great
(d. 604), who was inspired by the Holy Dove to record the principles of
'Gregorian' chant. The Gradual contained the musical parts of the Missal and was
sung from the steps (gradus) of the altar. The Antiphoner contained the musical
sections of the Breviary. These terms have become interchangeable in modern
times. Because of their size and complexity, these manuscripts were still being
handmade in the traditional way for centuries after the introduction of
printing. They were boldly hand-written and illuminated on large sheets of
sturdy vellum so that the entire choir could read from one book.
