Severing Ligatures

Researcher: Alex Turner

Repertoire written pre-1550 is usually the preserve of specialist professional ensembles. I believe that this is often because the editions of this repertoire put off potential performers or programmers, yet there is appropriate repertoire of this period for a wider range of choral groups.

I will be taking repertoire from GB-Cmc MS 1236, a manuscript currently held at Magdalene College, Cambridge, and formerly owned by diarist Samuel Pepys. It is unusual in that it is a pre-reformation source of sacred music that has survived and contains less complex repertoire, unlike contemporary sources such as the Eton Choirbook.

I will produce transcriptions of music in the manuscript which I think would be attractive to modern choirs, and then produce editions in a series of strata in order to see what has been added or taken away through the transcription and editing process. This will lead to further investigation through questionnaires and feedback from rehearsals with choirs of different abilities and specialties as to what they (and their directors) find helpful for performing the repertoire. I hope that this will lead to greater exploration of the repertoire, largely untapped because of the complexities of transcription and the lack of performer-friendly editions.

Image: GB-Cmc MS 1236, 73 (In pace - Anonymous).
Image held by DIAMM. Facsimile in the public domain.