What does PBM consist of? – A Guide to the Polish Music Library
PICTURES
Today we celebrate International Archives Day – could there be a better occasion to present you with the oldest collections available in our Pictures section? In our previous post on iconographic resources, we suggested how to search for materials related to composers, instruments, cities and folk culture. Today, we present old books that can be accessed by selecting the “manuscripts” filter in the “Select topic” field.
The Middle Ages and the Renaissance
After selecting the topic “manuscripts,” you will see colourful and monochrome reproductions of illuminations from medieval and Renaissance codices. One of the most interesting ones – also in the context of the recently celebrated 1000th anniversary of the Kingdom of Poland – is an illustration from the Pontifical of Erazm Ciołek (ca. 1506–1518), depicting the coronation of the king. In the central part of the scene, we see a lectern with an open gradual and a conductor with a baton leading a choir.
*Tip: The work of anonymous illuminators contains many intricate details, which you can examine in detail by clicking on the thumbnail or downloading the work (option available to logged-in users).
Who sings in old engravings?
For obvious reasons, singing groups are often the subject of illustrations in old choral books. Thus, in the Gradual of the Poor Clares of Gniezno (1418), we find an engraving depicting a choir of nuns led by St. Clare, in the Gradual of Jan Olbracht (between 1499 and 1506) there is an illustration of a choir of students with cantors, and in the Gradual de Tempore (ca. 1525) there is an illustration of a choir of monks.
*Tip: If you are interested in performances by other artists, you can search for topics such as “organ” or “flute” in the search box.
Playing monkeys and bears
In old codices, you can also find unusual shows – for example, monkeys playing the trumpet and fiddle or a bear blowing a horn in the Antiphonary of Bishop Zbigniew Oleśnicki (ca. 1423), confidant of King Władysław Jagiełło and the first Polish cardinal. Depictions of animals playing music are not uncommon; concert-giving bears and monkeys can also be found in the pages of the Krakow Missal (ca. 1500).
*Tip: To find more unusual depictions of this kind, we recommend selecting the “marginal decoration” filter in the “Type” field.
What other interesting things can you find in our resources? If you select “illustrations and engravings” in the “Select topic” field, you will find even more fascinating graphic materials from different eras. You can also search separately for “Middle Ages,” “Renaissance,” or any other period that interests you. We encourage you to explore on your own!
© Note: The materials described above are intended for use within the scope of permitted public use or permitted private use. Read more about permitted use.
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- Full-page miniature in the Pontifical of Erazm Ciołek, choir singing at the coronation ceremony of the king, manuscript 1212 V, f. 35r
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- Initial scene in the Gradual of Jan Olbracht, choir of students with cantors, manuscript 42, vol. III, f. 17v
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- Initial scene in the Gradual of the Poor Clares of Gniezno, St. Clare conducting a choir of nuns, manuscript 170
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- Fragment of a marginal decoration in the Antiphonary of Bishop Zbigniew Oleśnicki, a bear playing the horn near the scene of the Resurrection, manuscript 47, f. 242r
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- Fragment of the border in the initial scene of the Pope’s Prayer in the Missal, a bear playing the lute in front of a monkey, manuscript 139
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- Fragment of a marginal decoration in the Antiphonary of Bishop Zbigniew Oleśnicki, monkeys playing the trumpet and fiddle in the scene of women at the Tomb, manuscript 47, f. 241r
