Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-12-10
SONGS OF THE MIDDLE AGES,
Manuscript SongBook Preserved i'm a
German Library.

An extremely interesting fragment OF
the middle ages has just received a
fresh lease of life. For the last 300
years there has been preserved in the
university library at jena a manuscript
book of 266 large folio pages,
which contains rich collection Of Min
nesinger songs, with their melodies,
together with the "Saengerkrieg," all
written in superb fourteen century
German text. This book, which is an
invaluable authority for the study Of
the music Of the middle ages, has now
been made accessible to wider circle
by Photographic reproduction on the
same scale as the original. The work
was undertaken some years ago by the
Jena publishing firm of Strobel. in the
hope that sufficient number of sub
scribers might be found to allow OF It's
completion. This hope has been full
filled and the work is now ready. The
1873 leaves Of the precious parchment
manuscript were photographed and re-
produced by the prototype process.
Two separate editions have been pre-
pared. one Of ITO copies printed ON two
sides on 1873 leaves, as In the original;
the other of thirty copies. printed on
one side only on 266 leaves.
In the preface DR.. K. Mueller, di-
rector of the University Library, gives
a brief account of what is known con-
corning the manuscript. 1t came in
154S from Wittenberg,, with the cleo
tors library, into the keeping Of the
Jena University. Nothing certain is
known as to its origin and previous
history the care with which 1t is ex-
ecuted and its unusual size-the leaves
are fifty-siX centimeters long by forty
enc would seem to show that it
was designed for some special purpose.
The initial ami final pages, which may
have contained remarks that could give
some information on this matter, are,
unfortunately missing. The binding,
of wooden covers, completely incased IN
beautiful pressed white leather, be-
longs to the sixteenth century; the
chain, by which the precious manu-
script, in accordance with the custom
of those times. was fastened to the
reading desk, is still preserved. On
the inner side Of the front cover, as
is the case with many of the books
which came from Wittenberg, is a
wood cut, as bock-mark of the bust or
the elector, Jhann Friedrich, the Mag
nanimus, with some Latin verses in
his praise. To the outer side OF the
same cover is attached striI of parch-
ment, with the inscription, "Eln aldt
Meistergesanbuch auff pergamen" Can
old Meister singbook on parchment
The Jena manuscript has one very
special merit viz, that to the words
are added the tunes. This makes 1t of
particular Importance in the study OF
music. The notes are written on only
four lines-as always at that time-and
in the keys of G and F. The fats only
are marked. The manuscript Is writ
ten almost throughout by one and the
same hand of the fourteenth century;
some notes in the margin and WIZ
Laws poems alone are written by later
hand The contents of the manu-
script include poems by Mei1tc. Alex
ander, holster b ppe, Frauenlcb, Gold
ner, Gutter, Meister Friedri, Won Son
neburg, Grevelin, Henneberger Hoel-
lenfeuer, Mester kelin, Meister Con-
rad Won Wuerzbrug, Litschc wer, Meiss-
ner, Reynold Won der Lippe, Rubins,
Meister Ruediger, Rumelard Won
Schwaben. Meister Runsland, Meister
Singauf, Spervogel, Meister Stol e.
Tannhauser, Unverzagaten, Urenheim-
err, Bruder Wernhers, Prince WlzlaV
Won Ruegen, Meister Zili Won Seine, an
unknown author, as we'll as songs Tor
the "Saengerkrieg," ON the Wart-
burg.-London Standard.