P-Cug (Coimbra) Biblioteca Geral da Universidade MM 0032

Upper edges of folios trimmed by 10mm or more. At least one folio missing from end of manuscript (Rees 1995, p. 215). First folio discovered in another P-Cug manuscript by Manuel Joaquim. History of the compilation of this manuscript is complex. Several parts of the existing choirbook formerly existed as independent manuscripts (Rees 1995, p. 221). However, recurrence of similar paper-types indicates that all parts of MM 32 to which the original foliation applied (with the exception of the first nine folios) had similar origins. The bulk of MM 32 was copied in the mid- 16th century. Folios at start of MS with music possibly by Dom Bento had later origin (after c.1560). Scribe of opening section employed three pages from flyleaves of original manuscript to complete his work. Original foliation begins after this section. (For further details on scribal procedure, see Rees 1995, p. 221.) However, no coherent scheme for the compilation of the main corpus of manuscript is apparent. The number of scribes involved is difficult to establish. Because of the difficulty in reading some of the notation and script, it would appear that MM 32 was not specially compiled as a choirbook for chapel use. Rees posits that the manuscript largely served for teaching purposes (Rees 1995, p. 224). There are numerous concordances between MM 32 and other Coimbra manuscripts, especially P-Cug MM 6, MM 9 and MM 12. Some pieces were copied from Gardane's first and second books of Fior de Motetti (RISM 1539/12 and 1539/6). MM 32 also acted as the exemplar for items in P-Cug MM 48 (see Rees). There is a large number of motets in this manuscript. Along with P-Cug MM 6 and MM 12, MM 32 is an important repository of imported works, notably by Spanish composers