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CHRISTMAS PLAYS 205
so long and unwieldy as to raise doubts whether it could be performed
at all in the church precincts. It consists almost wholly of Latin verses,
certainly showing the influence of previous material, but in themselves
original and competent. There are also a few sentences from the Vul
gate and some liturgical antiphons. With the exception of a few lines,
it has musical notation throughout; but this is in the form of German
neums, without heightening. As the text is unique, there is no possi
bility ofmaking a transcription in staffnotation. All that is apparent is
that the long stanzas are set strophically, with a great deal of repetition
of phrase, as in the case of other dramas from Benediktbeuern: for
example, the two opening stanzas sung by 'Augustine' are both
attached to the same tune, whose form is ABA BCD CD.
The work begins with a variation of the Ordo Prophetarum, in
which the prophets appear in support of Augustine as opposed to
Archisynagogus and the Jews. The main action includes the Annuncia
tion, the Nativity, the appearance of the Magi, and then the familiar
events at Herod's court, including the Slaying of the Innocents. We
have also the Flight to Egypt and the Death ofHerod. This last drama
of the Christmas season exceeds all the others in stature, and with its
careful details of costume, setting, and grouping, must have been an
impressive pageant. But its prolix technique compares unfavourably
with that of the shorter versions. In these, the brief prose sentences
with their recitative-like settings, and the rapid dramatic action, seem
much more likely to have produced satisfactory results on the stage.
SUNDRY RELIGIOUS PLAYS
The remaining extant medieval dramas which could fairly be
described as both 'liturgical* and 'musical' are not very large in
number. They deal with New and Old Testament themes, legends of
the saints, and the Last Judgement. During the later Middle Ages
the authors of vernacular drama, no longer in close contact with the
Church service and no longer attempting musical settings, produced
an astonishing number of plays in all these categories. We are only
concerned here with the Latin music-dramas, which in the main pre
cede them. Of these no less than six owe their preservation to the
Fleury play-book (see p. 185), One New Testament drama deals with
the Raising of Lazarus, 1
keeping close to the account of St John, but
using as a preliminary scene the incident of the anointing of Jesus's
feet by Mary at the house of Simon the Pharisee. As the action takes
place in various localities the house of Simon, Galilee, Bethany, and
1 Orleans, Bibt de k Vffle 201, pp. 233-43.