I couldn't resist a story that involved two of my favourite things, liturgical chant and illuminated manuscipts. (Three favourite things if you count Canada.) Chant from the 1554 Salzinnes Antiphonal will be performed at the Scotia Festival of Music in Halifax next year. The book was commissioned by Julienne de Glymes, prioress and cantrix of the now defunct Cistercian Abbey of Salzinnes in Namur, Belgium. It was brought over by a Halifax archbishop in the 19th century and lost in an attic for a time before being rediscovered in the 1970's and donated to St. Mary's University.
The book is now being restored and the music transcribed for performance by an Australian choir next summer. What is interesting about the illuminations is that it depicts nuns from different orders, and I gather from the news stories that many or all of them are identified.
Go to CBC Maritimes for pictures of the book and a good audio report that ends with some lovely Gregorian chant. CBC Arts has a story on the project, and there is also a press release from St. Mary's.
UPDATE: More pictures have been posted at the St. Mary's Archives website. (Thanks Hansel!)
via Mirabilis and Rare Book News
