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Note:ThisdocumentisnotintendedasastandaloneaccountofWesternmusicalhistory,butratherasanaidto
assiststudentsusingoneofthestandardmusichistorytexts(inparticular,theGrout/Paliscavolume).
DonaldGrout'HistoryofWesternMusic'
Chapter2:ChantandSecularSongintheMiddleAges
I.RomanChantandLiturgy
A.Office(CanonicalHours)

1.Codifiedinchap.919oftheRuleofSt.Benedict(ca.520)

2.Celebrationsgenerallyinmonasteriesthroughouttheday

3.Matins(beforedaybreak),Lauds(sunrise),Prime,Terce,Sext,Nones

(respectivelyat6am,9am,12pmand3pm),Vespers(sunset),

Compline(afterVespers).

4.Consistsofprayers,psalms,canticles(NewTestamentpassages),

antiphons,responses,hymnsandreadings.

5.MusicfortheOfficeiscontainedinabookcalledanAntiphoneror

Antiphonale.

6.MostmusicallysignificanthoursaretheMatins,Lauds,Vespers.

7.VespersincludesthecanticleMagnificatanimameaDominum.Alsowas

theonlyOfficethatadmittedpolyphonicsinginginearlytimes.

8.ComplineinlcudesthesingingoftheMarianantiphons,oneforeach

specifictimeofthechurchyear.
B.Mass

1.PrincipleserviceoftheCatholicChurch.

2.CulminatingactoftheserviceisthecommemorationoftheLastSupper.

3.Basictypesofservices:

a.HighMass(missasolemnis):includessingingbyCelebrant,

Deacon,Subdeacon,alongwithchantingorpolyphonicsingingby

thechoir.

b.LowMass(missaprivata):simplifiedformofthemassinwhich

asinglepriesttakesontheDeaconandSubdeaconroles.Everything

isspoken.

c.SungMass(missacantata):moderncompromisebetweenHighand

Lowmass.

4.Basicdivisionsofthemass:

a.LiturgyoftheWord

b.LiturgyoftheEucharist

5.EarlyformoftheMassasfoundintheOrdoRomanus(7thc.instructional

forperformanceoftheliturgybytheBishopofRome)

a.Intriot,Kyrie,Gloria,Collect.

6.Canonofthemassisfixedby6thc.

7.Sacramentaries(booksofinstructionforthecelebrant)datingfrom

600andlaterindicatethelevelofuniformityinthemass.

8.Missal:abookcontainingthemasstexts.

9.TridentineLiturgy

(LiturgyoftheWord)

a.Introit:originallyanentirepsalmwithantiphonchantedduring

theentranceofthepriest.Later,itwasshortenedtoonlya

singlepsalmversew/antiphon.

b.Kyrie:eachinvocationisrepeatedthreetimesbythechoir.

c.Gloria:(exceptduringthepenitentialseasonsofAdventandLent):

begunbythepriestwiththewords'GloriainexcelsisDeo'and

continuedbythechoir.

d.Collects:prayers

e.Epistle:scripturalreading

f.Gradual&Alleluia:OnEaster,AlleluiaisfollowedbyaSequence.

InpenitentialseasonsAlleluiaisreplacedbyamoresolemnTract.
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g.Credo:begunbythepriest'CredoinunumDeum'andcontinued

bychoir.

(LiturgyoftheEucharist)

h.Offertory

i.Preface

j.Sanctus&Benedictus:sungbythechoir

k.Canon:prayerofconsecration

l.PaterNoster

m.AgnusDei

n.Communion:sungbythechoir

o.PostCommunionPrayers:chantedbythepriest

p.Itemissaest:sungresponsivelybypriestandchoir.

10.ProperoftheMass:partsofthemasswhicharevariableaccording

totheseasonoftheyearorparticularfeast.

a.Proper:Introit,Collects,Epistle,Gradual,Alleluia/Tract,

Sequence,Gospel,Offertory,Preface,Communion,PostCommunion.

11.OrdinaryoftheMass:partsofthemassthatareinvariable.

a.Ordinary:Kyrie,Gloria,Credo,Sanctus,AgnusDei,Itemissaest.

b.Choir(orcongregation)typicallysingstheseparts.

c.Sincethe14thc.Ordinarytextsweremostoftensettopolyphonic

music.

12.MusicfortheMass:Proper&OrdinaryiscontainedinaGradual

a.Liberusualis:moderntextcontainsaselectionofmostfrequently

usedchantsfromtheAntiphonaleandGraduale.TextsofMass

andOfficesrespectivelyarepublishedintheMissalandBreviary.
C.ChantNotation

1.Clefsindicaterelativepitches

2.Notesarecalledneumes

3.Earliestchantnotationispreservedinmansucriptsfromthe9thc.

andlater.

4.Onetheoryholdsthatnotationwassystematicrecordingofanoral

tradition.ImportantproponentsofthistheoryincludeLeoTreitler

'HomerandGregory:TheTransmissionofEpicPoetryandPlainchant'

(MusicalQuarterly,1974).
D.Classes,FormsandTypesofChant

1.Textclassifications

a.Biblicalvs.nonBiblicaltexts

b.Prosevs.Poetictexts

1.Biblicalprosetexts:lessonsoftheOffice,Epistle,Gospel.

2.Biblicalpoetictexts:psalmsandcanticles.

3.Nonbiblicalprosetexts:TeDeum,manyantiphons,3ofthe

4Marianantiphons

4.Nonbiblicalpoeticaltexts:hymns,sequences.

2.Performanceclassifications

a.Antiphonal:alternatingchoirs

b.Responsorial:alternatingsoloistandchoir

c.Direct:withoutalternation

3.Textsettingclassifications

a.Syllabic

b.Melismatic

c.Neumatic

4.Tonicaccent:theprinciplethatchantreflectspostclassicalLatin

accentsofthetext.

5.Forms

a.Formsexemplifiedinpsalmtones:2balancedphrasescorresponding

tothetwobalancedpartsofatypicalpsalmverse.

b.Strophicform:exemplifiedinhymns,inwhichthesamemelodyis

sungtoseveralstanzasoftext.

c.freeforms
E.RecitingandPsalmTones

1.RecitingTones

a.Typicallyusedwithmoresyllabicsettings

b.Recitationofprayers,readingsborderbetweenspeechandsong

c.Recitingnoteiscalledthetenor

d.Upperneighbor/lowerneighborusedtobringoutaccent

e.Initium:the23noteintroductoryformulaprecedingtherecitation

tone

2.PsalmTones

a.UsedforpsalmsandEpistleandgospel.
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b.Psalmtoneformula:

1.Initium

2.Tenor

3.Mediatio(semicadenceinthemiddleoftheverse)

4.Termination(finalcadence)

5.FinalverseisfollowedbytheLesserDoxology('GloriaPatri...')

c.OutlineofOfficepsalmodyconsistsof:

1.Antiphon:incipitsungbycantorfollowedbychoir

2.Psalm,initiumsungbycantor,choirfollows,mediatio,cantor

beginssecondhalfofverse,choirjoins,termination.

3.Eachpsalmverseissungthroughinsimilarfashion

4.Anitphonrepeatedasatbeginning
F.Antiphons

1.Mostnumeroustypeofchant:about1250inthemodernAntiphonale.

2.Manyantiphonsemploysamemelodictype,makingslightvariationsto

accommodatethetext.

3.Antiphonsoriginallyintendedforagroupofsingersratherthansoloist,

sothetextsettingispredominantlysyllabicoronlyslightlyflorid,

stepwisemotion,limitedrangeandsimplerhythm.

4.Antiphonsofthecanticlesaresomewhatmoreelaboratethanthepsalms

(Magnificat,HodieChristusnatusest).

5.Originallyantiphonwasrepeatedaftereachpsalmverse.Laterpractice

istobeginandconcludepsalmwithantiphon.

6.Recentlyonlytheintonationoftheopeningphraseoftheantiphonis

sungfirstandtheentireantiphonisheardafterthepsalm.
G.Responsory(orRespond)

1.Aformsimilartotheantiphon:ashortverseissungbyasoloistand

repeatedbythechoirbeforeaprayerorshortsentenceofScriptureand

repeatedagainbythechoirfollowingthereading.
H.AntiphonalPsalmody

1.IntroitandCommunionutilizeantiphonalpsalmody

2.TonesforthepsalmversesoftheMassaremoreelaboratethantheOffice

3.CommunionissimilartoIntroit,butemploysaverseofscripturebtw.

theantiphon.

4.MostdevelopedchantsinthemassaretheGraduals,Alleluias,Tracts,

Offertories.
I.Graduals

1.TheGradualisakindofresponsorialpsalm.Ithasanintroductory

respond(refrain)followedbyasingleverseofapsalm.Therespondis

begunbyasoloist,andthechoirjoinsinshortlythereafter.Theverse

islikewisebegunbythesoloistwithchoirjoininginlater.

2.TheywereoriginallydevelopedinRomeanddisseminatedthrough

Frankishchurches

3.Gradualsoccurin7ofthe8modes.

4.Largenumberofmode2(Hypodorian)arevariantsofasinglemelodic

typeexemplifiedintheEasterGradualHaecdiesquamfecitDominus

5.Mode5Graduals(Lydian)givetheimpressionofbeinginFmajor.

6.CertainmelismaticformulasrecurindifferentGraduals.Oftentimes,

melodiesareacompositeoftheseshortformulas,aprocesscalled

centonization
J.Tracts

1.Tractsarethelongestchantsintheliturgyusinglengthytextsand

longmelismas

2.AllTractmelodiesareeitherinmode2or8.Melodicstructureissimilar
K.Alleluia

1.Consistofarefrainonthesingleword'Alleluia',psalmverse,followed

byrefrain.

2.Performance:soloistsingsword'alleluia',chorusrepeatsandcontinues

withajubilus,alongmelismaonthefinal'ia'ofthe'alleluia',the

soloistthensingstheversewiththechorusjoiningonthelastphrase.

Entire'alleluia'issungbychoruswithjubilus.

3.'Alleluia'isflorid,jubilusismelismatic.

4.Form:AA+BA+

5.Alleluiasarerelativelylatechants,notionof'composed'chantson

accountofmotivicrepetitionratherthanimprovisatorynatureofearlier

oraltradition.
L.Offertories

1.MelodicallysimilartoGraduals

2.Utilizeavarietyofforms
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M.ChantsoftheOrdinary

1.Kyrie

a.Form:ABA(Kyrie,Christe,Kyrie)

2.AgnusDei

a.Form:oftenABAaswell

3.Sanctus

a.Form:Tripartite(Sanctus,Pleni,Benedictus)
N.LaterDevelopmentsofChant

1.CarolingianRenaissanceof8th9thc.ledtocodification,notationofchant

a.Monasticcenters:St.GallinSwitzerland

b.Northernstylesanddevelopmentsincorporatedintochantrepertory

2.Tropes

a.Anewlycomposedaddition,inneumaticstylewithpoetictextto

oneoftheantiphonalchantsoftheProperoftheMass(usuallyan

Introit,lessoftenanOffertoryorCommunion).

b.LatertropeswerealsomadetoOrdinarychants,particularlytheGloria

c.Tropeswereeitherprefacestoregularchantorinterpolationsinits

textandmusic.

d.ImportanttropingcenterwastheMonasteryofSt.Gallwherethemonk

Tuitilo(d.915)wasdistinguishedforcompositionsofthisform.

e.Tropesflourishedinthe10th11thcenturiesandgraduallydisappear

inthe12thcentury.

3.Sequences

a.Longrecurringpassagesrecurringindifferentcontexts.

b.Long,definitelyshapedmelodieseitherusedinmelismaticformor

underlaidwithdifferenttexts.

c.Additionstothe'Alleluia'arecalledsequences

d.Whentextisunderlaidtheyarecalledprosaadsequentiamorprosula.

Prosaaresetsyllabically.

e.NotkerBalbulus('thestammerer';ca.840912,St.Gall)tellsa

storyofhowhe'invented'thesequencetoaidinmemorizingtunes.

MusicprobablyexistedfirstandBalbulusprobablyonlyaddedthetext.

f.Theformflourishedfrom10th13thcenturies.

g.Form:abbccdd...groupingsofstrophicpairs.

h.MostsequencesarebannedbyliturgicalreformsoftheCouncilofTrent

(15451563)

I.DiesiraefromtheRequiemMassisoneofthemostfamousexamples

ofseq.thatwasretained.
O.LiturgicalDrama

[Notmuchtosayaboutthistopic]
P.MedievalMusicalTheory

1.Carolingiantreatisesmoreorientedtowardspracticethanearliertreatises.

a.GuidoofArezzo:Mircrologus(ca.102528)

b.Musicaenchiriadis:anonymous9thc.treatise.

2.ChurchModes

a.Standardby11thcenturyasystemof8'modes'

b.Diatonicoctavebuiltonfinalisorfinal,usuallylastnotein

themelody.

c.Authenticmodes

1.Evennumbered

2.Tenor(dominant)isa5thabove:mostimportantnoteafterthe

final.Exception:incaseswheretenorwouldbe'B',nextnote

isusedinstead.

d.Plagalmodes

1.Oddnumbered

2.Begina4thbelowcorrespondingauthenticmode

e.Dorian,Phrygian,Lydian,Mixolydian

3.Hexachordsystem

a.Patternsof6notesinwhichsemitonefallsbetween34steps

b.Ghexachordisdurum(hard)becauseofBnatural

c.Fhexachordismolle(soft)becauseofBb

d.Chexachordisnaturalbecausenoquestionofaccidentals
Q.Nonliturgical&SecularMonody

1.Goliardsongs:from1112thc.songswithlatintexts.

a.Typicallyrecordedwithstafflessneumes,somelodiccontentis

highlyspeculative

2.Conductus

a.Originallysunginthemasswhencelebrantwasmovingfromone

placetoanother.
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b.Textsweremetricalverses
c.Byendofthe12thc.conductuswasappliedtoanynonliturgical
Latinsongwithmetricaltext,oneitherasacredorsecularsubject.
d.Melodywasnewlycomposedratherthanborrowedoradaptedfromanother
source.

OutlinecompiledandeditedbyDavidPapandrew.
BasedonGrout/Palisca'AHistoryofWesternMusic'(4thEd.)

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