On these web pages the liturgical sources of the Low Countries have been arranged in several ways, in order to map the medieval liturgy of the Low Countries and to analyse the chant tradition, both the vieux fonds and the younger repertoire, often intended for the veneration of local saints.
The area taken into consideration covers the Low Countries, i.e. the present Netherlands, Flanders and the westermost part of Germany (the Rhineland). This area, at the border line of multiple traditions, was, during the later Middle Ages, a melting pot where many influences were being mixed up. Hence, even though the area is relatively small, the subject is quite complicated.
This website should be used as a hypertext. Churches, their liturgical manuscripts (and, occasionally, early prints) and their venerated saints are linked to each other, so that one can find a way through this matter. The material is accessible by several entries, codicological, ecclesiastical and musical. Sometimes the chant dialect and the notation type of the manuscripts are given. References to the main literature are provided, though the aim was not to give a full bibliography; only the most recent publications and/or the ones that are internationally best available are mentioned.
In the left margin you will find some tools that will help you to find your way. At the bottom of each page is a small Post Scriptum that gives some elementary data, such as the date of last change, and (sometimes) how and when the information is gathered.
This website is no more than a help to trace manuscripts, literature, etcetera. Please remember that there are many omissions and gaps. The pages do not pretend to be complete, unless this is stated in the Post Scriptum.