Chant Manuscripts from the Ducal Palace ('Arquivo Musical do Museu-Biblioteca da Casa de Bragança'): A Survey of the Cataloguing Process

Among the array of music collections in Portugal, the one housed at the Ducal Palace in Vila Viçosa stands out for its remarkable richness and diversity. In 2017, the Centre for the Study of the Sociology and Aesthetics of Music (CESEM/NOVA FCSH), in collaboration with the Foundation of the House of Braganza (FCB), launched a comprehensive musicological cata­logue project. This initiative aimed to catalogue both the vast number of handwritten and printed scores held within the Archive and disseminate related knowledge through scientific and artistic events.

In my presentation, I will focus on the chant manuscripts within the Archive collections. These manuscripts encompass different typologies, including variations in notational forms, techniques of writing and materials used (parchment, stencil, and paper), reflecting the broad temporal span of their production, ranging from the sixteenth to the early twentieth century. The com­munication will delve into the most relevant features of these chant collections and the chal­lenges encountered in cataloguing this heterogeneous ensemble.