Beschreibung:

[CHURCH SLAVONIC]. [ Book of Hymns ], in Church Slavonic, on paper, 17th century. Manuscript book of hymns, in a Russian binding, a well-preserved instance of the copious production of the Old Believers in 17th-century Russia. Deeply averse to the use of print, they relied solely on manuscript hymn books. The book was written in the old singing style preserving the shorter length of Old Slavonic vowels and the notation of the unison znamenny chant with the simplified Shaidurov signs. The chant is organized around eight tones ( glasa ). The Old Believers separated from the Orthodox Church in 1666, after refusing to abide to the reforms of Patriarch Nikon. The archaic chant system was abolished in the late 17th century, but was still being used in their communities in the 19th century. The binding decoration is reminiscent of the panel structure used at the bindery of the Trinity-St Sergius Monastery, near Moscow. Zernova 15. Klepikov, ‘Russian Bookbinding’, pp. 418-19. Quarto (203 x 162mm). 276 leaves, 11 lines, ruled space; 150 x 130mm. Text and music, in Cyrillic half-uncial, staffless diastematic, Old Russian neumes with pomety in red. Opening page of text with 5-line initials supplied in red with penwork flourishes, capital letters, headings and part of the notation supplied in red. 2 pp. of tables in red with index of hymns at start of each section (two leaves a bit soiled, thumb marks in places, occasional mainly marginal spotting, small clean tear to one lower corner). Late 17th-century goatskin, bevelled wooden boards, four small brass bosses to lower board, remains of two clasps, blind stamped to a panel design, upper board bordered with stamped tendrils, centre panel with lozenge-shaped centrepiece and arabesque cornerpieces, lower with rolls of tendrils within grille de St Laurent in blind, a.e.r. (extremities rubbed, small loss at foot, repaired, spine and joints cracked but firm).