Guido d’Arezzo and Faenza: 11th-century neumatic fragment discovered at Manfrediana Library
On Thursday, May 28, 2026, at 6:00 PM, the Manfrediana Municipal Library in Faenza will host an event of exceptional historical and musicological importance. A precious 11th-century neumatic fragment, recently discovered in the library’s storage rooms, will be presented to the public, together with an account of its delicate restoration process.
The discovery: a hidden treasure from Fonte Avellana
During online cataloguing work for the Romagna Library Network, a parchment fragment containing ancient musical notation was identified. The bifolio had survived through the centuries as a reused book cover for a 1607 Venetian volume containing the Orationes of Carlo Sigonio.
Paleographic analysis of the neumatic notation revealed an extraordinary handwriting style closely resembling that of the famous Antiphonary of Fonte Avellana, produced under the direct supervision of Guido d’Arezzo. This remarkable discovery suggests that the Faenza fragment may belong to the Avellanita Guidonian corpus, an invaluable collection previously believed to be almost entirely lost.
The fragment contains chants for Palm Sunday, including the Tractus “Deus Deus meus”, an eloquent thesaurus of neumatic information preserved in excellent condition.
Restoration and presentation of the document
In agreement with the archival superintendency of Emilia-Romagna, the delicate restoration work was entrusted to the team of conservators from Formula Servizi. During the May 28 event, it will be possible to retrace all stages of the restoration process: from initial photographic documentation to dry cleaning, up to the complex phases of detaching the sheet from the book.
Speakers and contributors
- Mauro Casadei Turroni Monti: Musicologist at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, who curated the paleographic study of the text.
- Silvia Bondi, Francesca Formilli, and Maria Roberta Stanzani: Conservators from Formula Servizi who carried out the restoration work.
- Margherita Pieri: Soprano, who will enrich the presentation with a musical performance.
To ensure long-term preservation, the parchment has been placed in a protective ISO 9706-compliant passepartout, while the host volume has been fitted with a new conservation-grade cardboard cover.
Useful information and contacts
The event will take place at the library premises. For further information:
Location: Manfrediana Municipal Library, Faenza (RA)
Phone: 0546 691700
Email: manfrediana@romagnafaentina.it
Website: www.manfrediana.it
