Notated Collection of Vocal Music. Middle of 16th cent.

Q (188õ135). 438 leaves.
Paper. Ink, cinnabar.

It is written in a semi-uncial script by several hands (change of handwriting on fols. 2r, 131r, 137r, 302v, 304r, 423r). Znamenny notation without red-ink marks (known as the Shaidurov's marks) and black line-signs (the priznaki of Mezenets).

The decoration of the manuscript includes initials and headings in cinnabar. Folio 127v is decorated with a tail-piece.

Judging from the contents of the manuscript, it was appointed to be used at parish services. It contains all the books that are necessary to conduct worship in the church, but each of them is brief. Both the Irmologion and the Octoechos included in the collection, comprise a limited number of hymns. It is obvious with the example of the Monthly Sticherarion that the scribe consulted the other, more complete source and selected from it only the most essential, omitting several services. As a result of this, he sometimes forgot to mention a month. For instance, the service for the feast of Epiphany, which celebrated on 6 January, goes just after the December service for the Christmas Day under the heading "the same month". The service for the Ss. Peter and Paul' Day (29 June), following the Annunciation (25 March), is also noted by the same title ("the same month").

Irrespective of the place where worship was conducted - in the monastery, the cathedral or the parish church, gospel readings were the chief attributes of it. Therefore, the manuscript includes not only texts of hymns based on the Gospel, but also the table of readings from Epistle Book and the Gospels with brief verses, preceding these readings. The table was written at a later date, but became an integral part of codex as the information, necessary to help clergy organise liturgical services.

In 1928 the manuscript came into the State Public Library along with the collection of the Solovetsky Monastery.

Shelfmark: ÐÍÁ. Ñîë. 277/284.