Missa Jhesus autem transiens
General Commentary
This unicum transmission of Caron's Missa Jhesus autem transiens is preserved in VatS 51, folios 46v — 55r. (see Sources). It is the second of three cycles attributed to Caron in that source[1]. The Gloria onwards was copied by the scribe identified by Roth as Hand alpha[2].
Transmission of the Kyrie is curious. The script, both music and text, is by a different copyist, identified by Roth as Hand H[3]. This transmission is part of the second fascicle as the source is now bound (ff. 46v-47r) but an exemplar was seemingly not available to Hand alpha when he copied the remainder of the setting [4]. The opening of this cycle is the only one in the VatS 51/14 complex that does not contain an illumination of the stylised K for the superius Kyrie. Clearly there was insufficient room for such an adornment, and, as for the Cum Sancto and Confiteor sections, part of the CtB is copied onto the facing verso side — in this case for most of the Kyrie [II].
The title of the setting (always under the tenor) appears seven times in this transmission: for the Kyrie (f. 46v, stave 7); Et in terra (f. 47v, stave 8), Qui tollis (f. 48v, stave 8); Patrem (f. 49v, stave 9); Crucifixus (f. 50, stave 8); Sanctus (f. 51v, stave 9); and Agnus Dei (f. 53v, stave 9). D
Table I lists a composite of data including the sectional structure of the setting, folio distribution of music, mensural and modal signs, and clefs.
TABLE I: Sections, Folios, Mensural and Modal Signatures and Clefs in Caron's Missa Jhesus autem transiens
Section | Folios | Mensural Sign | Voice | Modal Sign | Clef | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kyrie [I] | 46v | O | S | one flat | C1 | |
47r | CtA | one flat | C3 | |||
46v | T | one flat | C3 | |||
47r | CtB | one flat | C4 | |||
Christe | 46v | ¢ | S | one flat | C1 | |
47r | CtA | one flat | C3 | |||
46v | T | one flat | C3 | |||
47r | CtB | one flat | C4 | |||
Kyrie [II] | 46v | Ø | S | one flat | C1 | |
47r | CtA | one flat | C3 | C4, staves 5 & 6 | ||
46v | T | one flat | C3 | |||
47r | CtB | one flat | C4 | mostly on f. 46v, staves 9-10 | ||
Et in terra | 47v | O | S | one flat | C1 | |
48r | CtA | one flat | C4/C3 | C4: staves 1, 3 & 5; C3: staves 2 & 4 | ||
47v | T | one flat | C3 | O/C/Ø | ||
48r | CtB | one flat | C4 | |||
Qui tollis | 48v | ¢/Ø | S | one flat | C1 | Ø: Cum sancto |
49r | CtA | one flat | C4/C3 | Ø: Cum sancto C4: staves 1 & 3; C3: staves 2 & 4-6. | ||
48v | T | one flat | C3 | Ø: Cum sancto | ||
49r | CtB | one flat | C4 | Ø: Cum sancto last 3rd on f. 48v, staves 9-10 | ||
Patrem | 49v | O | S | one flat | C1 | G2: stave 4 |
50r | CtA | one flat | C3 | C4: last 10 notes of stave 2 and stave 3 | ||
49v | T | one flat | C3 | |||
50r | CtB | one flat | C4 | |||
Crucifixus | 50v | ¢/Ø | S | one flat | C1 | Ø: Confietor |
51r | CtA | one flat | C4/C3 | Ø: Confiteor C4: staves 1,3 & 5; C3: staves 2, 4 & 6 | ||
50v | T | one flat | C3 | C; Ø Confiteor | ||
51r | CtB | one flat | C4 | Ø: Confiteor — mainly on f. 50v, staves 9 (C3) — 10 (C4) | ||
Sanctus | 51v | O | S | one flat | C1 | |
51r | CtA | one flat | C4/C3 | C4: staves 1 & 3; C3: staves 2 & 4 | ||
51v | T | one flat | C4 | C3: stave 10 | ||
52r | CtB | one flat | C4 | |||
Pleni sunt | 51v | O | S | one flat | C1 | no O sign |
52r | CtB | one flat | C4 | |||
Osanna [I] | 52v | ¢ | S | one flat | C1 | |
53r | CtA | one flat | C4/C3 | C4: stave 1; C3 stave 2 | ||
52v | T | one flat | C3 | |||
53r | CtB | one flat | C4 | |||
Benedictus | 52v | ¢ | S | one flat | C1 | |
53r | CtB | one flat | C3/C4 | C3: stave 7; C4: staves 8-9 | ||
Osanna [II] | 52v | Ø | S | one flat | C1 | |
53r | CtA | one flat | C3 | |||
52v | T | one flat | C3 | |||
53r | CtB | one flat | C4 | |||
Agnus [I] | 53v | O | S | one flat | C1 | |
54r | CtA | one flat | C4/C3/C2 | C4: stave 1; C3: stave 2, C2: stave 3 | ||
53v | T | one flat | C3 | |||
54r | CtB | one flat | C4 | |||
Agnus [II] | 53v | ¢ | S | one flat | C1 | |
54r | CtB | one flat | C4 | C3: stave 8 | ||
Agnus [III] | 54v | ¢/Ø | S | one flat | C1 | Ø for dona… |
55r | CtA | one flat | C3 | Ø for dona… | ||
54v | T | one flat | C3 | Ø for dona… | ||
55r | CtB | one flat | C4 | Ø for dona… |
The Missa Jhesus autem transiens is the only setting of Caron's known cycles to include a one-flat modal signature in all voices. In the main, clefs are consistent in the CtB, T and S; but alternate between C4 and C3 in the CtA. The CtA situation (which also includes one C2 clef) is predicated by the wide ambitus of this voice (an octave plus a 5th) and the apparent policy of the VatS 51 scribes to greatly limit leger lines wherever possible. The high tessitura of the CtB in this setting accounts for the C4 clef in that voice.
The Missa Jhesus autem transiens is the only mass cycle by Caron that employs a canonic tenor.
Reading "Recte sursum quartam superad[d]e colori / post color aufert remeando per dyapente / ut prius hinc iterus cum pausis tolle colores" [5], the instruction basically requires that, after the tenor has been sung as written, it then be sung backwards and in inversion at the 5th but without the colored notes (all in dupla proportio — as indicated by the mensural sign C) and then forwards again, also without colored notes and without rests (in the mensural sign Ø). In applying this directive, the following structural schema is produced:
Et in terra/Patrem: sung as written in O
Qui tollis/Crucifixus: sung in retrograde with inversion at the 5th, with no black notes and in augmentation by a factor of 2
Cum Sancto/Confiteor: sung forwards at written values without black notes and rests in Ø.
13 manuscript accidentals (listed below in Table II) are included in this reading. But for one diesis symbol, all are b rotundum — only one of which is an "extra manum" sign.
TABLE II: Manuscript Accidentals in Caron's Missa Jhesus autem transiens.
Mass Section | Voice | Edition reference: measure, note | VatS 51 reference: folio, stave, note | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
Et in terra | CtA | 27,6 | 48r, 3, 24 | b rotumdum |
CtA | 31,4 | 48r, 3, 40 | b rotundum | |
CtB | 32,3 | 48r, 9, 3 | b rotundum | |
CtB | 50,2 | 48r, 10, 14 | b rotundum | |
Qui tollis | CtA | 70,4 | 49r, 1, 29 | b rotundum |
CtB | 69,1 | 49r, 7, 21 | b rotundum | |
Patrem | S | 27,1 | 49v, 4, 4 | extra manum |
CtB | 33,1 | 50r, 8, 37 | b rotundum | |
Crucifixus | S | 167,1 | 50v, 7, 8 | diesis |
CtA | 138,1 | 51r, 4, 21 | b rotundum | |
Benedictus | CtB | 130,1 | 53r, 8, 3 | b rotundum |
CtB | 152,4 | 53r, 9, 16 | b rotundum | |
Agnus [III] | CtB | 107,1 | 55r, 7, 23 | b rotundum |
The following table lists the distribution of text in the VatS 51 transmission of the Missa Jhesus autem transiens. Notable is the omission of the Qui sedes ad dexteram patris miserere nobis in the Qui tollis section. Also of interest is the apparent play on words from the antiphon text: [Jhesus autem transiens] per medium illorum ibat. In context of the canonic tenor, which is provided only for the Et in terra, per medium illorum ibat (in the Patrem and Crucifixus tenor, ff. 49v, stave 9 and 50v, stave 8) is seemingly used as the reference back to the canonic instruction on folio 47v, stave 7.
TABLE III: Distribution of Text in Caron's Missa Jhesus autem transiens.
Section | Voice | VatS 51 |
---|---|---|
Kyrie [I] | S CtA T CtB | Kyrie eleyson Kyrie eleyson [title] Kyrie eleyson Kyrie eleyson |
Christe | S CtA T CtB | Christe leyson Christe leyson Christe eleyson Christe eleyson |
Kyrie [II] | S CtA T CtB | eleyson Kyrie eleyson Kyrie eleyson Kyrie eleyson |
Et in terra | S | Et in terra pax hominibus bone voluntatis Laudamus te Benedicimus te Adoramus te Glorificamus te Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam Domine deus rex celestis deus pater omnipotens domine fili unigenite ihesu christe domine deus agnus dei filius partis |
CtA | Et in terra pax hominibus bone voluntatis Laudamus te Benedicimus te Adoramus te glorificamus te Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam tuam gloriam domine deus rex celestis deus pater omnipotens Domine fili unigenite ihesu christe Domine deus agnus dei filius partis | |
T | [title] | |
CtB | Et in terra pax hominibus bone voluntatis Laudamus te Benedicimus te Adoramus te glorificamus te Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam domine rex celestis deus pater omnipotens domine fili unigenite ihesu christe domine deus agnus dei filius patris | |
Qui tollis | S | Qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis Qui tollis peccata mundi suscipe deprecationem nostram quoniam tu solus sanctus Tu solus dominus tu solus altissimus jhesu christe Cum sancto spiritu in gloria dei patris Amen |
CtA | Qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis Qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis Qui tollis peccata mundi suscipe deprecationem nostram Quoniam tu solus dominus Tu solus altissimus jhesu chrsite Cum sancto spiritu in gloria dei patris Amen | |
T | [title] | |
CtB | Qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis Qui tollis peccata mundi suscipe deprecationem nostram quoniam tu solus sanctus Tu solus dominus Tu solus altissimus jhesu christe Cum sancto spiritu in gloria dei patris Amen | |
Patrem | S | Patrem omnipotentem factorem celi et terre visibilium omnium et invisibilium et in unum dominum jhesum christum filium dei unigenitum et ex pare natum ante omnia secula deum verum de deo vero lumen de lumine deum verum de deo vero qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem descendit de celis Et incarnatus est de spiritu sancto natus ex maria virgine et homo factus est |
CtA | Patrem omnipotentem factorem celi et terre visibilium omnium et invisibilium et in unum dominum jhesum christum filium dei unigenitum Et ex patre natum ante omnia secula deum de deo lumen de lumine deum verum de deo vero Genitum non factum consubstantialem patri per quem omnia facta sunt qui propter nos homines Et incarnatus est de spiritu et homo factus est | |
T | Jhesus autem transiens per medium illorum ibat | |
CtB | Patrem omnipotentem factorem celi et terre visibilium et invisibilium Et in unum dominum jhesum filium dei unigenitum et ex patre natum ante omnia secula deum de deo lumen de lumine deum verum de deo vero Genitum non factum consubstantialem omnia facta sunt Qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem descendit de celis Et incarnatus est de spiritu sancto ex maria virgine | |
Crucifixus | S | Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub pontio pilato passus et sepultus est Et resurrexit tertia die secundum scripturas Et ascendit in celum sedet ad dexteram patris Et iterum venturus est cum gloria iudicare viuos et mortuos cuius regni non erit finis Et in spiritum sanctum dominum et viuificantem Qui ex patre filioque procedit Qui cum patre et filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur qui locutus est per prophetas Et unam sanctam catholicam et apostolicam ecclesiam Confietor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum Et vitam venturi seculi Amen |
CtA | Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub pontio pilato passus et sepultus est Et resurrexit tertia die secundum scripturas Et ascendit in celum sedet ad dexteram patris Et iterum venturus est cum gloria iudicare viuos et mortuos cuius regni Et in spiritum sanctum dominum et viuificantem qui ex patre filioque Et unam sanctam catholicam et apostolicam ecclesiam Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum Et vitam venturi seculi Amen | |
T | Jhesus autem transiens per medium illorum ibat | |
CtB | Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub pontio pilato passus et sepultus est Et resurrexit tertia die secundum scripturas Et ascendit in celum sedet ad dexteram patris Et iterum venturus est cum gloria iudicare viuos et mortuos Cuius regni non erit finis Et in spiritum sanctum dominum et viuificantem qui ex patre filioque procedit Et unam sanctam catholicam et apostolicam ecclesiam Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum Et vitam venturi seculi Amen | |
Sanctus | S | Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus dominus deus sabaoth |
CtA | Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus dominus deus sabaoth | |
T | [title] Sanctus Sanctus dominus deus sabaoth | |
CtB | Sanctus sanctus sanctus dominus deus sabaoth | |
Pleni sunt | S | Pleni sunt celi et terra gloria tua |
CtB | Pleni sunt celi et terra gloria tua | |
Osanna [I] | S | Osanna in ex cel sis |
CtA | Osanna in ex celsis sis | |
T | Osanna in excelsis | |
CtB | Osanna in excelsis | |
Benedictus | S | Benedictus qui venit in nomine domini |
CtB | Benedictus qui venit in nomine domini | |
Osanna [II] | S | Osanna in excelsis |
CtA | Osanna in excelsis | |
T | Osanna in ex celsis | |
CtB | Osanna in excelsis | |
Agnus [I] | S | Agnus dei qui tollis mundi miserere nobis |
CtA | Agnus dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis | |
T | [title] Agnus dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis | |
CtB | Agnus dei qui tollis peccata mondi miserere nobis | |
Agnus [II] | S | Agnus dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis |
CtB | Agnus dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis | |
Agnus [III] | S | Agnus dei qui tollis peccata mundi dona nobis pacem |
CtA | Agnus dei qui tollis peccata mundi dona nobis pacem | |
T | Agnus dei qui tollis peccata mundi dona nobis pacem | |
CtB | Agnus dei qui tollis peccata mundi dona nobis pacem |
Similar to the high level of textual transmission in the VatS 51 copy of the Missa Accueilly m'a la belle, the mainly comprehensive inclusion of text for Jhesus… strongly indicates that this setting was to be sung throughout — see Sound files.
THE MODEL AND ITS APPLICATION
Caron's Missa Jhesus autem transiens takes as its model the Vespers antiphon (no. 1) sung on Monday in the third week of Lent [6].
Footnotes
- The other two are the Missae Accueilly m'a la belle (ff. 6v-17r) and Sanguis sanctorum (ff. 81v-88r).
- Roth, A. Studien zum Frühen Repertoire der Päpstlichen Kapelle unter dem Pontifikat Sixtus' IV (1471-1484), Die Chorbücher 14 und 51 des Fondo Cappella Sistina der Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Città del Vaticano, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, 1991, pp. 66-73.
- ibid., pp. 94-95.
- For further disccusion on this see: Roth, ibid., pp. 175-178.
- I am grateful to Dr Jason Stoessel for providing the reading of this canon and the following translation: "From the outset add on a fourth above the colour [note]; afterwards remove the colour while going back(wards) by the fifth, from there, like first iterated, take away the colours along with the rests". Dr Stoessel notes that 1) the MS reading "superade" must be an erroneous form of superadde, although it is possible that the MS reading is a neologism combining the suffix "super" with "ade" (imperative of adire: "to go to"); 2) in the last line of the canon, cum with this ablative form (which is clearly not an action or circumstance) denotes the ablative of accompaniment, so the meaning of the "cum pausis…colores" is consistent with "colores et pausas".
- The Liber Usualis, Desclée & Co., Paris, 1959, (Copyright 1956, Desclée & Co., Tournai), p. 1089.