James Grier documents the musical activities of Ad�穢mar de Chabannes, eleventh-century monk, historian, homilist and tireless polemicist for the apostolic status of Saint Martial, patron saint
of the abbey that bore his name in Limoges. Ad�穢mar left behind some 451 folios of music with notation in his autograph hand, a musical resource without equal before the seventeenth century. He
introduced, at strategic moments, pieces familiar from the standard liturgy for an apostle and items of his own composition. These reveal Ad�穢mar to be a supremely able designer of liturgies
and a highly original composer. This study analyzes his accomplishments as a musical scribe, compiler of liturgies, editor of existing musical works and composer; it also offers a speculative
consideration of his abilities as a singer; and finally, it places Ad�穢mar's musical activities in the context of liturgical, musical and political developments at the abbey of Saint Martial in
Limoges.
