18th Century Catholic Antiphonal.

$3,500.00

Item Number: 123047

Rare 18th Century Catholic antiphonal containing the Festa Februarii, Festa Martii, and Festa Aprilis. Quarto, bound in full leather, hand-written script of both music and lyrics in black and red, all edges red, ribbon bound in. In very good condition.

Early Christians borrowed the traditions of the chanting of psalms, singing of hymns and cantillation from the Synagogue and produced antiphonals to be used during Mass, for the Introit, and the Offertory in a call and response style. This practice became part of the Latin Church in the 4th century. Known for their contributions to the formulation of Gregorian chant, Saint Ambrose and Gregory the Great are credited with 'antiphonaries', or collections of works suitable for antiphon, which are still used in the Roman Catholic Church today.