Music played at medieval universities' ceremonies?
  • Geremia
    Posts: 261
    What music was played at European medieval universities in the High Middle Ages (circa 1100-1400)—for example, at their commencement or convocation ceremonies, at ceremonies inducting professors into the university, etc.? Who were famous composers of such music?

    I've found Romanus Weichlein (1652-1706)'s Encaenia musices for Oxford, but he's much later than I'm looking for. I'm looking for High Middle Ages. Are some of the Piæ Cantiones from that era? If so, which?

    cf. corresponding History StackExchange question
    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    It might be worth considering where those ceremonies were held within the buildings of a university. Meetings might be held in places such as a chapter room (I am just speculating), but an organ might only be found in a church, and other instruments might be considered frivolous.
    Thanked by 1Geremia
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,768
    We know that Te deum was played on the screen organ at Notre Dame de Paris for secular occasions in the nave around 1200, but in general organs are later-comers to church than we usually remember: consider too St Peter's & the Sistine chapel, built without organ lofts, or San Marco where in Monteverdi's time instruments had to be brought in for pompous occasions.
    Thanked by 1Geremia
  • Kathy
    Posts: 5,500
    Have you seen Roman de Fauvel yet?
  • Liam
    Posts: 4,944
    Played? do you mean sung?
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,768
    Singing upon the organ is only an ideal ;-)
  • Geremia
    Posts: 261
    @Kathy
    Have you seen Roman de Fauvel yet?
    No, what is it?
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,768
    Worth Googling. The expanded version in P-BN fr. 146 is an anthology of 13c music, with numerous conducti by figures from the University of Paris, notably Phillip the Chancellor. I don't recall any commencement exercises, though you might do well to look through DIAMM's inventory.
    Thanked by 2Kathy Geremia
  • Jeffrey Quick
    Posts: 2,046
    I would bet that answering the question would require burrowing through ancient records in Latin which may not still exist and almost certainly haven't been digitized.
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