The pontifical vesperal of St. Gall Abbott Diethelm Blarer (1530–1564) contains the prayers, psalms with antiphones and responsories, as well as hymns for the high holidays of the church year. Except for the incipits of the antiphones of the Magnificat, which are written in German plainsong notation (“Hufnagelnotation”) on five lines, the manuscript contains no melodies. The scribe of this volume was Father Heinrich Keller (1518–1567), subprior of the Monastery of St. Gall. The book's decoration - 20 historiated initials and several richly decorated borders with pictures - is the work of an unknown artist from the region of Lake Constance, who also illuminated Cod. Sang. 357 and 442.
Online Since: 06/25/2015
Pontifical vesperal of St. Gall Prince-Abbott Cölestin Sfondrati (Abbot 1687–1696). It was found in 1846 among the books of St. Gall friar Notker Hager († 1836). This volume contains the chants for Vespers (antiphones and hymns) for the Feasts of Jesus Christ and for the saints' feast days throughout the church year. Only the incipits are each written in German plainsong notation (“Hufnagelnotation”) on five lines. Each feast is decorated with initials in the style of grotesques and with several marginal miniatures (on p. 56 is the oldest colored view of the Monastery of St. Gall). The volume is divided into Proprium de tempore (pp. 1–30), Proprium sanctorum (pp. 31–63), Commune sanctorum (pp. 64–74) and Festum sanctorum reliquiarum monasterii sancti Galli (pp. 75–77).
Online Since: 06/25/2015
This vesperal in a distinguished binding was commissioned by Prince-Abbot Beda Angehrn (1767−1796); it was written in 1774 by Joseph Adam Bürke (chronogram with the name of the scribe on p. 92), an alumnus of the Gymnasium (preparatory school) of Neu St. Johann that was led by St. Gall monks, and richly illustrated by Father Notker Grögle (1740−1816). The volume contains the incipits of the chants for Vespers (antiphons and hymns), written in German plainsong notation (“Hufnagelnotation”) on five lines, for the feasts of Jesus Christ and of the saints for the entire liturgical year. It is divided into the parts Proprium de tempore (pp. 1−36), Proprium sanctorum (pp. 37−80) and Commune sanctorum (pp. 81−92). This manuscript was held in the choir library of St. Gallen Cathedral until 1989. Then it was transferred to the archives of the cathedral parish of St. Gall, and in 2014 it came to the Abbey Library of St. Gall. The volume, which consisted of 96 pages in 1774, was certainly used for the liturgy in the Cathedral of St. Gall until the 1930s. The mostly handwritten additions and supplements (after p. 97) date from the 19th century. Also glued and bound into the volume are texts from unspecified printed liturgical publications of the 19th and early 20th century. Noteworthy among the illustrations is the oldest pictorial depiction to date of the newly built “Gallusmünster”, today the Cathedral of St. Gall (p. 72). On the flyleaf is the finely drawn coat of arms of Prince-Abbot Beda Angehrn.
Online Since: 09/26/2017