The lost music of monks is set to be performed after 500 years of silence.
The performance is part of a project led by the University of Exeter, which uncovered rare monastic chants in a 15th-century "customary" during research into a medieval manuscript from Buckland Abbey in Devon.
The book, on loan from the British Library, contains a collection of plainchant believed to have been sung by Cistercian monks before the abbey’s closure in 1539 during the Reformation.
Professor James Clark, a historian from the University of Exeter who discovered the music, said: "Having searched the archives for traces of England’s lost abbeys, it is very exciting to recover something of their sound.
"Before the Tudor Reformation, in every part of England and Wales there were places like this dedicated to creative music-making and performance.
"Through this research we can now learn much more about this tradition and what it meant not only for the musicians but also for the surrounding communities that shared in their art."
The chants, thought to have been compiled during the early Tudor period, may have been used by the monks during times of crisis, possibly during an outbreak of sweating sickness—a deadly illness that struck repeatedly in 16th-century England.
The music will be performed in August at Buckland Abbey by the University of Exeter’s chapel choir, in what will be its first live rendition in nearly five centuries.
The performance forms part of a wider exhibition at the abbey, curated in partnership with the National Trust.
Michael Graham, director of chapel music at the University of Exeter, said: "Although the music is written down using the same notation that’s still used in the modern Catholic Church, it doesn’t give any instructions about rhythm or dynamics, so we had to make decisions about how the pieces should sound.
"This is one of the most interesting, and also most challenging, parts of performing music that’s over 500 years old.
"Our students have really enjoyed being involved in the project, and have relished the opportunity to explore this rich vein of music and bring it to life in our chapel on campus.”
