Montpellier Codex

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The Montpellier Codex (Montpellier, Bibliothèque Inter-Universitaire, Section Médecine, H196) is an important source of 13th century French polyphony. The codex contains 336 polyphonic works probably composed ca. 1250-1300, and was likely compiled ca. 1300. It is believed to originate from Paris.

Publication date and place: 1300 . – Manuscript
.

Format and Contents

The Montpellier Codex can be roughly divided into 8 fascicles, each of which contain discrete genres of music. The format of the codex is as follows:

  • 1. Liturgical polyphony
  • 2. Latin triple motets, consisting of a cantus firmus with three contrapuntal lines above it
  • 3. Macaronic double motets, consisting of a cantus firmus with two contrapuntal lines above it
  • 4. Latin double motets
  • 5. French double motets
  • 6. French two-voice motets
  • 7 & 8. Three-voice motets, possibly compiled later than fascicles 2-6

There are also supplements added to fascicles 3, 5, and 7. Because of the different systems of notation used in fascicles 2-6 and fascicles 7-8, the Montpellier Codex has become a crucial source for the chronology of styles of French medieval polyphony.

The Music

The Montpellier Codex is a critical source for what are known as "Pre-Franconian" and "Franconian" motets, after Franco of Cologne. While the music in the codex is anonymous, a number of attributions can be made, either because of concordances in other manuscripts or on the basis of stylistic similarity, to Pérotin (from fascicle 1), Petrus de Cruce, Adam de la Halle, Guillaume d'Auvergne, and Philippe le Chancelier. Many of the cantus firmi are taken from the chants of Notre Dame. While fascicle 1 consists of sacred polyphony, mostly from the Notre Dame school, the largest body of music in the codex is the collection of French courtly love motets. The motets in the collection are not isorhythmic, as the first isorhythmic motets — those of Philippe de Vitry — would not be composed until the first decades of the 14th century.

The above is an excerpt from Wikipedia. For the full article, click here.

Works available on CPDL

Title Composer Genre Subgenre Vo. Voices
Alle psallite cum luya Anonymous Sacred Motets 3 3 equal voices
Amor potest - Ad amorem Anonymous Sacred Motets 3 or 2 TTB, TT
Dieus! Mout me fet sovent fremir Anonymous Secular Motets 4 TTTB
Huic ut - Huic ut Anonymous Sacred Motets 3 TTB, TT
Mal d’amors presnés m’amie Anonymous Secular Motets 3 TTB
Mater Dei - Mater virgo - Eius Anonymous Sacred Motets 3 SAT
On parole - A Paris - Frese nouvele Anonymous Secular Motets 3 ATB