Siglum: 
CH-P 18
Summary: 
Twelfth-century Premonstratensian gradual of unknown origin, associated with Bellelay Abbey as early as 1160. Messine notation on a four-line staff. 362 numbered parchment pages, 200-210 x 140-145 mm.
Liturgical occasions: 
Pp. 1-10: Additamenta (Office Chants: Antiphons, Responsories, Sequences; and Mass: Kyrie); Pp. 11-271: Temporale: p. 11, First Sunday of Advent; p. 27, Christmas Eve; p. 29, Christmas; p. 35, Stephen; p. 38, John the Evangelist; p. 42, Feast of the Holy Innocents; p. 44, Sunday within the Octave of Christmas; p. 46, Circumcision; p. 46, Vigil of the Epiphany; p. 46, Epiphany; p.55, Septuagesima; p. 59, Sexagesima; p. 62, Quinquagesima; p. 65, Ash Wednesday; p. 70, Thursday after Ash Wednesday; p. 71, Friday after Ash Wednesday; p. 73, Saturday after Ash Wednesday; p. 73, First Sunday of Lent; p. 138, Passion Sunday; p. 154, Palm Sunday; p. 165, Monday in Holy Week; p. 167, Tuesday in Holy Week; p. 168, Wednesday in Holy Week; p. 171, Holy Thursday; p. 172, Good Friday; p. 184, Holy Saturday; p. 196, Easter Sunday; p. 202, Easter Monday; p. 222, Rogation Days; p. 224, Vigil of the Ascension; p. 225, Ascension; p. 231, Pentecost; p. 233, Monday after Pentecost; p. 238, Trinity Sunday; p. 240, First Sunday after Pentecost; p. 269, 23rd Sunday after Pentecost. Pp. 271-342, Sanctorale (with one Common of Saints at 340): p. 271, Lucy (Lucia); p. 272, Thomas the Apostle; p. 272, Silvester; p. 274, Felix; p. 275, Marcellus, Pope; p. 276, Prisca; p. 278, Pope Fabian and Sebastian; p. 279, Agnes; p. 281, Vincent; p. 282, Timothy; p. 282, Octave of Agnes; p. 283, Purification of Mary; p. 288, Agatha; p. 290, Valentine; p. 292, Chair of Peter; p. 293, Matthew; p. 295, Gregory; p. 296, Benedict; p. 296, Annunciation of Mary; p. 297, Ambrose; p. 297, Tiburtius, Valerian and Maximus; p. 298, George; p. 299, Mark; p. 300, Vitalis and Agricola; p. 300, Philip and Jacob; p. 301, Alexander and Companions, p. 301, Exaltation of the Cross; p. 302, John of the Lateran Gate; p. 303, Gordian and Epimachus; p. 304, Pudentiana and Pudens; p. 304, Pancratius and Companions; Urban; p. 304, Peter and Marcellinus; p. 305, Primus and Felician; p. 306, Basilides and Companions; p. 307, Mark and Marcellian; p. 308, Gervase and Protase; p. 308, John the Baptist; p. 311, John and Paul, p. 312, Vigil of Peter and Paul; p. 314, Peter; p. 316, Paul; p. 318, Processus and Martinian; p. 319, Octave of Peter and Paul; p. 319, Seven Brothers; p. 319, Translation of Martin’s relics; p. 320, Praxedes; p. 320, Sending Forth of the Apostles; p. 320, Mary Magdalene; p. 321, Apollinaris; p. 321, Jacob; p. 322, Simplicius and Companions; p. 322, Abdonis and Sennis; p. 323, Peter in Chains; p. 323, Stephan, Pope; p. 323, Finding of Stephan’s Relics; p. 323, Felicissimus and Agapetus; p. 323, Cyriacus and Companions; p. 324, Vigil of Lawrence; p. 326, Lawrence; p. 327, Tiburtius and Susanna; p. 327, Hippolytus; p. 327, Eusebius; p. 328, Vigil of the Assumption of Mary; p. 330, Assumption of Mary; p. 331, Octave of Laurence; p. 331, Agapitus; p. 331, Timothy and Apollinaris; p. 331, Bartholomew; p. 332, Augustine; p. 332, Hermes; p. 333, Sabina; p. 333, Beheading of John the Baptist; p. 335, Felix and Adauctus; p. 335, Nativity of Mary; p. 335, Adrian; p. 335, Gorgonius; p. 336, Protus and Hyacinth; p. 336, Exaltation of the Cross; p. 336, Cornelius and Cyprian; p. 336, Nicomedes; p. 336, Euphemius; p. 336, Vigil of Matthew; p. 336, Matthew; p. 336, Maurice and Companions; p. 336, Cosmas and Damian; p. 336, Michael; p. 338, Jerome; p. 339, Dionysius; p. 339, Gereon and Companions; p. 339, Callistus (Calixtus) I, Pope; p. 339, Gall; p. 339, Luke; p. 339, Vigil of Simon and Luke; p. 339, Simon and Jude; p. 339, Vigil of All Saints; p. 339, All Saints; p. 339, The Four Crowned Ones; p. 339, Theodore Tiro; p. 339, Martin I, Pope; p. 340, Imerius; p. 340, Common of One Bishop and Confessor within the Octave; p. 340, Cecilia; p. 340, Clement; p. 341, Catherine; p. 341, Vigil of Andrew; p. 341, Andrew; p. 342, Nicholas; p. 342, Thomas the Apostle. Pp. 342-345: Dedication of a Church; Mass for the Dead. Pp. 346-356: Common of Saints and Votive Masses: p. 347, For Stability of Place; p. 347, For Forgiveness of Sins; p. 347, For Peace; p. 347, In Time of Tribulation/For Distress; p. 347, Holy Ghost; p. 347, Holy Cross; p. 347, Blessed Virgin Mary. Pp. 356-362: Ordinary Prayers of the Mass.
Description: 

At Bellelay Abbey from as early as 1160 until the suppression of the Abbey in 1797, the Bellelay Gradual has unknown origins. Although an important Premonstratensian manuscript of the Jurassian region, it is likely that the manuscript originated from north-eastern France and was a gift to Bellelay Abbey at its founding. To that effect, the Messine notation is not typical of the Jurassian region, and the manuscript includes many erasures and corrections suggesting adaptation to local practice. Furthermore, only one saint in the Sanctorale is particular to the Jurassian region, St. Imer (Imier), and even this seems to be a later addition from the beginning of the 13th century. The manuscript may have been a gift from the mother house of Lac de Joux Abbey, itself a sister abbey to Saint-Martin de Laon in north-eastern France.

Selected bibliography: 
  • Beyssac, Gabriel, Jules Borremans. "Le chant liturgiques des prémontrés." Revue grégorienne 6 (1921), 70-77, especially 73.
  • Cullin, Olivier. "Un manuscrit remarquable du patrimoine jurassien: le Graduel de Bellelay (XIIes)." Schweizer Muzikzeitung,10 (October 2004).
  • Cullin, Olivier. "Le Graduel de Bellelay." http://bellelay.enc.sorbonne.fr/sommaire18.php
  • [Louis de Gonzague Julien]. "Le Graduel de Bellelay." Bibliothèque norbertine, 6 (1904), 117-124 (extract from Annales religieuses des Peres prémontrés de France, April 1902).
  • Strebel, Martin. Dossier de restauration, no 13/96.
  • Van Waefelghem, Michel. "Le Graduel de Bellelay." Analectes de l'Ordre de prémontrés, (1914), 356-364.
Notes on the Inventory: 
The inventory for CH-P 18 was created by Barbara Swanson (Dalhousie University) with editorial assistance and proofreading from Alessandra Ignesti (McGill University). Full "manuscript-reading" texts were added by Marina Gallagher (University of Waterloo) and melodies were added by Shawn Henry (Dalhousie University).
Full Texts Entered by: 
Melodies Entered by: 
Complete / partial inventory: 
complete inventory
Full source / fragment: 
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