Obituary of the Parish of S. Siro of Mairengo (Ticino), written by the priest Ambrogio Rossi of Chironico, who copied an older obituary that was probably damaged or had no more space. The Ambrosian type calendar lists the stipends for annual masses or for anniversaries, the solemnities, the indulgences and notes regarding the pledges to the parish and to the entire valley. On December 28, the Feast of the Holy Innocents, the commemoration of the Battle of Giornico (Battaglia dei Sassi Grossi, 1479) is recorded.
Online Since: 06/23/2016
This manuscript consists of two-parts bound together; the first part (pp. 3-26) contains a 15th century ritual with instructions for visits to the sick, for spiritual care for the dying, and for burial (this is cut off in the prayer at the coffin on p. 26). The second part (pp. 27-86) consists of two discourses in defense of polyphonic music, composed by St. Gall monk Mauritius Enck († 1575) at the behest of Abbot Diethelm Blarer (1530-1564). These discourses are meant as prefaces to Manfred Barbarini Lupus' compositions for several voices in Cod. Sang. 542 and 543. Enck defends polyphonic music against widespread criticism, for example for its presumed lascivia (wantonness), and postulates an ideal for church music consisting of a combination with a chorale as the foundation and figural music as embellishment. Thus he describes precisely the compositions of Barbarini Lupus. At the end of the first discourse (pp. 47-48), Enck names the artists who contributed to Cod. Sang. 542 and 543 as well as the time period of their work on the manuscripts (from 1561 to 1563).
Online Since: 09/23/2014