Friday, May 13, 2016

Humbert of Romans Codex (1254) of Dominican Liturgy Available

Title Page of the Humbert Codex
Now that the defective files have been fixed and tested, I am again pleased to announce that through the kindness of one of my Dominican brothers, I can now make available for download a color digital version of the Master of the Order's version of the so-called Humbert Codex.  This manuscript (Rome: Santa Sabina MS XIV L1) is the prototype for the medieval (and early-modern) Dominican Liturgy.  The image to the left is the title page of this manuscript which lists its title and  contents:
Ecclesiasticum Officium secundum Ordinem Fratrum Praedicatorum; in hoc Volumine per Quatuordecim Libros Distinctum hoc Ordine Continetur:
  1. Ordinarium
  2. Martyrologium
  3. Collectarium
  4. Processionarium
  5. Psalterium
  6. Breviarium
  7. Lectionarium
  8. Antiphonarium
  9. Graduale
  10. Pulpitarium
  11. Missale Conventuale
  12. Epistolarium
  13. Evangelistarium
  14. Missale Minorum Altarium
This manuscript was compiled by the Master of the Order Humbert of Romans in accord with the commission of the Dominican General Chapter of  Buda in 1254 and approved by the General Chapter of Paris in 1256.  Except for additional feasts and the Psalter Reform of St. Pius X, the texts of this document were authoritative as the prototype for our liturgical books.  A copy of this prototype manuscript, which is now at Oxford University was carried by masters of the Order during visitations to correct the books of our houses.  This original and that copy are the only complete versions of the text that remain.

Those who would like copies of the images for each of the parts may download them as zip files on the left sidebar under the heading "Dominican Chant Books--Downloadable."  I have divided the files so that they are not excessively large (they total 2.8 gigabytes).   Even, so some of these files, especially those with lots of music, like the Graduale and the Antiphonarium are very large.  So do be patient as they download.

Before the listing of the files, there is also a link to download the typescript index

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