Farsed epistles are vernacular contrafacta of such famous tunes as the hymn Veni creator, commenting on the Latin epistles. Three factors might indicate an oral transmission: (1) variants in the contrafacta as compared to the original melody; (2) adaptation of the music by repetition of melodic formulas to changing lengths of verses; and (3) variants between the strophes. While the ornamental variants among contrafacta of the same tune indirectly suggest an oral tradition, the absence of such variants between strophes of the same piece seems to imply a written tradition.

Works: Farsed epistles of St. Stephen Sesta lesson (69-70); and St. John Evangelist Esta luson (68-70); Lament from the Jeu de sainte Agnès (68-70).

Index Classifications: Monophony to 1300

Contributed by: Andreas Giger