Performing Songbook Paris, BnF, Fonds Neerl. 39: Singing, Touching, and Imagining the Divine

Abstract

This article explores the functioning of a Middle Dutch song book in the fabrication of religious experiences and the mediation between the devotee and the transcendent. Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Néerl. 39 is a late-fifteenth or early-sixteenth-century manuscript that contains mostly Christmas songs and saints’ songs, and that was probably produced and used within the convent of Rich Clares in Brussels. The performance of the songs is analysed on three levels: a) the vocal performance of the songs; b) the sensory engagements with the physical manuscript; and c) the potential of the songs as affective instruments that stimulate devotees to create an imaginary performance in their minds. The article shows that the combination of these intertwined forms of performance allows the song collection to function as a meditative instrument that enabled a certain mental access to the divine and aided devotees in their spiritual growth.