Louis XVI Era 1787 French Vesperal Abrege Antiphonaire

This antiphonaire (antiphonary) was published in Grenoble (for the Province of Vienne), with an Ecclesiastic coat of arms on the facing frontispiece. This is a Vesperale Romanum, which is an excerpt of the Antiphonary containing the chants sung at Vespers.

The history of the antiphonary began in Medieval times: medieval antiphonaries varied with regional liturgical tradition. In 1570, following the Council of Trent, the Roman Antiphonary was declared universal. The Roman Antiphonary (Antiphonale Romanum) contains the chants for the Divine Office for the hours of Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers and Compline for every day of the year.

The text contains music (words in Latin) and prayers in Latin. Beginning on page 557 (through page 648) are "Lecons du Nouveau Testament". Beginning on page 649 are "Intonations and Meditations" which includes the Chant du Benedicamus, Laudes a Vepres and Petites Heures. There is a Saint's table of contents at the very end of the text.

The binding is of calf leather of the eighteenth century. There is a title plate (worn and cracked) on the upper spine. The binding is in a well used condition (over 234 years old); the leather is worn to boards along the edges, the spine joints have cracked at the bottom from use and time, there is wear through to the boards in a few small places on the flat portions of the binding. The text is in good condition, still clear and readable; there is wear (small holes) to the first few beginning and end pages. It measures: 6 3/4" x 4" x 1 3/4" thick.

To leaf through the pages of a book (which was published and used within the reign of Louis XVI); touching the well-used binding, reading the words and seeing the music, is an humbling experience. You can almost hear the chants which would have been sung so many years ago. It is a precious survivor, which holds much sacred history and devotion.