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Franciscans and the Musical Heritage of the Ancient Republic of Ragusa (Dubrovnik)

Franciscans in Dubrovnik have been active since 1235, which makes a continuation of 770 years up to today, during which almost 500 years (1358-1806) were spent within the former independent Ragusan Republic. During all these years Franciscans were cherishing music in concordance with the rules of the Order and the particular historical circumstances: they purchased codices older than the monastery itself (10th-13th c.) with various neumatic notations, and they continued to write codices in square notation both in Dubrovnik scriptoria and elsewhere (14th-16th c.) ; they purchased various organs since the beginning of the 15th c. at least, and they re-built one after the 1667 earthquake ; they were making music in the monastery and in their church as singers, organists and choir-leaders ; a small number of them were also composers, but their compositional output from before the 17th c. has been lost. For the 15th-19th c. period, the monastery and other archival sources furnished up to now 35 names of Franciscans musicians in Dubrovnik ; in the 18th c. Franciscan musicians collaborated more closely with performers and composers from the Duke's Chapel. The preserved music collection of the GAMB is the greatest Franciscan music collection in Croatia, keeping both church and secular music, manuscripts and early prints, including some world uniquely preserved copies. Franciscans have made an important component of Ragusan music culture during the Republic for almost five centuries, along with the Dominicans, Jesuits, and secular musicians employed by the State and privately. And yet, during the 19th c. they have suddenly become a resultant of this same culture, saving thousands of secular music sheets. Thus, they should be considered the most valuable keepers of the Ragusan (and Croatian) musical heritage, giving at the same time safe shelter to an important part of broader European musico-cultural inheritance.

Franciscans, musical heritage, Dubrovnik, Croatia, musical collection, musical prints, musical manuscripts

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