Events

The Columbia Rare Book & Manuscript Library (RBML) contains numerous fragments from medieval music manuscripts. Most arrived at the RBML having been separated from their original bindings and contexts, sometimes for centuries. The various conditions in which these fragments arrived speak to how their survival relied on processes of repurposing. Some were repurposed as flyleaves, paste- downs, and covers in the binding of later books, while others were individually displayed for their aesthetic value. The items on display in this exhibition represent a cross section of these typical reuses. 

The exhibition opening on April 6th will include live performances of several musical chants from the exhibited fragments. 

Curated by Kieran Alexander Foss and Marco Donato Tomassi.