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At first sight, this suggests that Hljómi raustin barna best was sung
to different melodies. But a closer look reveals that the hymn was most
likely sung to the same melody as the Latin Personent hodie, as implied in
the autograph thott 473 4to: “Personent hodie, útsett med sijnum tön.”52
However, it is interesting that this melody was identified with various
different wordings. first, the absence of particular indications as well as
the notion of “með sijnum tön” leads to the conclusion that the melody of
the hymn must have been well-known and primarily associated with these
lyrics.53 this also applies to the two instances referring to the character of
the melody, in which further details were considered unnecessary (I–III).
Second, the reference to two other hymns, Máría móðirin skæra and
Lífsins alla líkn og náð (Iv) indicate the same melody as the other previous
instances, though at first sight, it does not seem to be the case. It is clear
that rubrics presenting more details about the hymn’s content also tend to
give more specific references to the melody; all manuscripts of group IV,
belong to groups 2a and 2b in the previous charts.54 three of the rubrics
referring to Máría móðirin skæra are in manuscripts (íB 380 8vo, Lbs 1422
8vo, Lbs 1485 8vo) copied around 1700 in the West of Iceland, and the first
two of these are very closely connected (cf. appendix). Since ÍBr 104 8vo
is a copy of the printed edition, both the manuscript and the printed text
share the wording of the rubric, including the reference to the melody ru-
bric. Both songs, Máría móðirin skæra and Lífsins alla líkn og náð, follow the
meter of Hljómi raustin barna best, and apparently used its melody, too.55
this is further supported by the fact that is noted in Papp. Fol. Nr. 64 (f.
358r) that Máría meyjan skæra, which has the same metre, too, was sung to
the melody of Personent hodie. It is highly likely that either Máría móðirin
skæra or Máría meyjan skæra are referred to in MS Boreal 133, in which the
melody is given as corresponding to „Mariu vijsur“. the title Lífsins alla
líkn og náð is only referred to in the rubrics of the manuscripts js 208 8vo
52 We wish to thank the anonymous reviewer for assistance and expertise concerning melody
issues.
53 thanks are due to the anonymous reviewer who pointed out this syllogism.
54 Except MS Boreal 113.
55 jón Helgason, ed., Íslenzk miðaldakvæði. Islandske digte fra senmiddelalderenı, vol. 2
(Copenhagen: Ejnar Munksgaard, 1938), 33–52. Cf. Jón Helgason, Íslenzk miðaldakvæði,
2:37.
An ICELAnDIC CHrIStMAS HYMn