Kolmarer Liederhandschrift (Kolmar Song Manuscript)

With around 940 songs with melodies mostly from the late 14th and first half of the 15th century, the "Kolmar song manuscript", most probably written in 1459/62 in Speyer, forms the most extensive and important Meisterlied song manuscript. It was written alternately by two scribes, the first was responsible for editing the collection and is probably identical to Nestler von Speyer (leaf 492r).

The collection's structure is typical: the songs are arranged according to melodies or songwriters, only in exceptional cases is the name of a text author indicated or is reference made to the fact that the text also originates from the songwriter. Almost half of all melodies belong to the poets Frauenlob (Heinrich von Meißen, ca. 1250-1318) and Regenbogen, many of the texts are spiritual in content. The manuscript does not mention the patron; it was used as a kind of sample book for Meistersingers in the 16th century. It was later called "The Great Book of Mainz" by Meistersingers after an ambiguous entry.

The Kolmar poet Jörg Wickram (c. 1505 - before 1562) purchased it in Schlettstadt in 1546 for a newly founded Meistersinger guild in Kolmar (1549). In 1857 it was transferred to the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek.

To the digitised copy