Recognize this edition of Pierre de la Rue's Missa Pro Defunctis?
  • hbott
    Posts: 3
    I have at home a facsimile that I purchased years ago. I believe it was at Petelson's in New York. It's an amazing looking manuscript, the music encircled by skulls. I had it framed without ever writing down any of the information provided on the back of the facsimile, information I've now forgotten. I would appreciate it if anyone could tell me something about its provenance. Or hazard a guess.
    Pictures of the manuscript can be found here: http://picasaweb.google.com/bottharold/PierreDeLaRueMissaProDefunctis#

    Thanks,
    Harold
  • Jeffrey TuckerJeffrey Tucker
    Posts: 3,624
    this is so beautiful!

    image
  • hbott
    Posts: 3
    Yes, it really is a beautiful document.
    Please forgive my ignorance of basic historical developments in notation, which may give clues to dates and provenance.
    I'd love to know a little about the general characteristics of this manuscript. For instance, the parts are displayed separately, not in the modern score notation. Does anyone know approximately when the change to score notation took place? Obviously this Mass is written on 5-line staves with a "key signature" of Bb. Might that give a clue to it's approximate date or provenance? If I'm not mistaken, Pierre de la Rue actually notated it with the Bb key signature, so this may be of no assistance. I'm certain that there are other clues contained here that I'm not picking up on: the rhythmic notation, the script, the skulls which surround the score, etc.
    This Mass was written ca. 1500, so these notational conventions may have already been in place and this may be a very early manuscript. I don't suppose it is later than 1600, but that is a very amateurish guess. Expertise in these matters would be greatly appreciated.
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