Music Theory in Late Medieval Avignon: Magister Johannes Pipardi

The manuscript Seville,Biblioteca Colombina y Capitular 5-2-25, contains a composite of dozens of theoretical treatises, including two copies of De arte cantus, Regulae contrapunctus, Nota quod novem sunt species contrapunctus, and a concluding set of notes in Catalan. This monograph by Cook demonstrates that a small group of works linked to the unknown Magister Johannes Pipudi is much more noteworthy than previous scholarship has observed. Pipudi is most likely one Johannes Pipardi, familiar to Cardinal Jean de Blauzac, Vicar-General of Avignon, and late fourteenth-century Avignon was a plausible chronological and geographical milieu for the Seville treatises.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 156 pages
Publication date: 09 January 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The manuscript Seville,Biblioteca Colombina y Capitular 5-2-25, a composite of dozens of theoretical treatises, stands as one of the primary witnesses to late medieval music theory. While numerous copies of significant texts have garnered substantial scholarly attention, the shorter, unattributed, or fragmentary works have yet to receive the same level of scrutiny. In this monograph, Cook presents compelling evidence that a small group of such works, linked to the otherwise unknown Magister Johannes Pipudi, holds greater significance than previously recognized.

Among these noteworthy works is the not one, but two copies of De arte cantus, which are considered one of the earliest known sources for the Libellus cantus mensurabilis, purportedly authored by Jean des Murs and widely regarded as the most widely copied music theory treatise of its time. Additionally, the manuscript contains Regulae contrapunctus, Nota quod novem sunt species contrapunctus, and a concluding set of notes in Catalan, which serve as early witnesses to the popular Ars contrapuncti treatises also attributed to des Murs.

Through the disclosure of newly discovered biographical information, it emerges that Pipudi is most likely one Johannes Pipardi, familiar to Cardinal Jean de Blauzac, Vicar-General of Avignon. Cook offers the first biographical assessment for Pipudi, shedding light on his background and placing late fourteenth-century Avignon as a plausible chronological and geographical milieu for the Seville treatises. This suggests a potential route of transmission for the Libellus from Paris to Italy, adding an intriguing dimension to the study.

The monograph concludes with new transcriptions and the first English translations of the treatises, further enhancing our understanding and appreciation of this significant manuscript.

Weight: 312g
Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367691301