Item Info

Creation Date: 4/5/1815
Scripts/Text: Fraktur; German script
Language: German
Weiser Number: 842
Physical Description: Leaf
Material: Laid paper; watercolor; ink
Transcription:

dises Notenbüchlein \ Gehöret Mir Zu
Elisabeth Kiefern
Sing Schüler in der rockhiller Schule
Gloria Sey dir gesungen mit men \ schen und mit engel zungen \ lerne wie du kannst allein sänger \ buch und tembel seyn
geschrieben d 5ten \ abrill Im Jahr \ Unsers Herrn 1815
 

Translation:

This little note book belongs to me, Elisabeth Kiefern, singing student in the Rock Hill School.
Let Gloria be sung to you with tongues of men and angels. Learn how you alone can be singer, book and temple.
Written the 5th of April in the year of our Lord 1815.
 

Category: Bookplate (Bücherzeichen)
Media Type: Manuscripts
Source: Rare Book Department
Notes:

N. B. See also FLP Borneman Ms. 41.

Notes:

Hand-drawn; hand-colored; hand-lettered. The image is arranged vertically on the page. The text in Fraktur and German script within a circle is in the lower portion of the document. The circle appears to be suspended by four ropes from a tulip above it. In the upper corners are two additional flowers. This bookplate is in the tune book for which it was made. (PA GER Borneman 41)

This tune booklet was made for Elisabeth by her school teacher on April 5, 1815 when she was a student and singing scholar at the Rockhill School in Rock Hill Township, Bucks Counnty Pennsylvania. Her name is inscribed in German script in the center of the front cover. There is no rudimentary instruction included in this booklet.

Hymn titles and music incipits appear sometimes in three parts in soprano, alto, and bass clef (See No. 1 Ach Gott Er Hör mein Seufzer; No. 2 Meine Zu Frieden Heut steht...; No. 3 Lebt Jemand So Wie ich so lebt Er...; No. 4 Wie christen Leut Haben...). Other times the format is three hymn titles with their music incipits to a page (Nos. 5-33). Clefs vary with most melodies given in C-Major, and sporadic indication of time signatures indicated. Most notes are notated in whole note values. The last sixteen pages are blank.

N.B. No. 26 Mein Geist Erstaund Allmächtiger is written in shape notes, a system introduced in 1801 to facilitate congregation and community singing, and soon to become a popular teaching device in American singing schools.
 

Associated Names: Kiefer, Elisabeth
Provenance: Henry S. Borneman

Bibliography:

Mary Jane Lederach Hershey, "The Notenbüchlein Tradition in Eastern Pennsylvania Mennonite Community Schools," in  Cory M. Amsler, ed., Bucks County Fraktur (Kutztown, Pa.: Pennsylvania German Society, 1999), p. 142.

Creation Place Town/Township: Creation Place Note:Based on inscription on document
Region/County:Bucks
City/Town/Township:Rockhill Township
State/Province:Pennsylvania

Image Dimensions Width: 19.8 cm
ShelfMark: FLP B-4
Creator Name: Anonymous - Decorator
Anonymous - Scrivener