Analysis revisions MEDIEVAL AGES

Important terms: Plainchant The Proper and Ordinary of the Mass Church modes (numbered 1 to 8); authentic and plagal modes Finalis Isorhythmic motet Cantus firmus Talea and color Background: Liturgy of the Catholic Church: a body of text and ritual actions, assigned to each service. Gregorian chant is music for religious observances of the Catholic Church. Tunes vary from simple recitation to elaborate melodies, depending on their role in the liturgy. Church calendar: the cycle of feasts commemorating the life of Christ and the saints. Most important feasts are Christmas and Easter. Both are preceded by periods of preparation and penitence. Mass: the most important service, which evolved from commemorations of the Last Supper. The central act of the Mass is a symbolic reenactment of the Last Supper, in which a priest consecrates bread and wine, designated as the body and blood of Christ: it is knows as Communion. Over time, other rituals were added to the Mass: prayers, Bible readings, psalm singing, etc. The Mass is performed every day in monasteries, convents and major churches, on Sundays in all churches and more than once a day on most important feast days. The Ordinary of the Mass are the parts performed during each service. The Ordinary chants are called by their initial words. The musical parts of the Ordinary are: Kyrie Gloria Credo Sanctus Agnus Dei The Proper of the Mass are the parts performed during specific occasions. The names of the Proper chants come from their function (Gradual, Communion etc). Office: a series of eight services celebrated daily at specific times in monasteries and convents, consisting of prayers and psalms. The texts for the Mass are collected in the Missal; the collection of Mass chants is called the

Gradual. The texts for the Office are collected in the Breviary; the collections of Ofiice chants is called the Antiphoner. Together, the Gradual and the Antiophoner form the Liber Usualis, the collection of most frequently used texts and chants for the Mass and the Office. It is the main source of Gregorian chant. Performance types: Responsorial (soloist alternating with a choir or congregation) Antiphonal (two groups alternating) Direct (without alternation)

Three styles of text setting: Syllabic Neumatic (syllables of the text carry one to six notes) Melismatic (long melodic passages on one syllable)

Plainchant: The Proper of the Christmas Mass (Puer natus est, Viderunt omens fines terrae, Alleluia. Dies sanctificatus, Offertorium Tui sunt caeli, etc.) Notation: 4 lines, neumes, two types of clefs: C and F. Melodic range does not extend the notation range (there are no ledger lines). One possible accidental: B flat. Vertical lines divide a melody into sections (double barline), periods (full barline), phrases (halfbarline) and smaller units (a stroke through the highest staff-line). Modes are defined by numbers from 1 to 8. There are four authentic modes and four plagal modes. The modes are defined by the range (usually exceeding an octave), the finalis (the note that the melody end with: D, E, F or G), and the arrangement of whole tones and semitones (there was no absolute sense of pitch). Another characteristic note is the reciting tone an important, frequently occurring note (often repeated); the phrases would rarely start or end above it. How to recognise the mode: Determine the finalis (look at the clef and the last note). Determine the range of the melody (find the highest and lowest notes). Name the mode by its finalis (D, E, F or G). The mode is authentic, if finalis is on the bottom of the range (the melody doesn't go lower than one note below the finalis). The mode is plagal, if the finalis is more or less in the middle of the melody's range (the melody goes up to a 5th below the finalis). Characteristic of plainchant melodies:

1. Each melody is based on a single mode. 2. The range of the melody does not exceed that defined by the system of authentic and plagal modes. 3. The phrasing follows the natural structure of the text. 4. Phrases rarely begin below the reciting tone; each consecutive phrase often starts on the same note where the previous phrases ended. 5. The melody is based on a range of formulae, some of them reoccurring frequently within one melody. 6. Most of the movement is stepwise, with occasional leaps balanced by a stepwise motion in the opposite direction. 7. The overall shape is wavy and smooth. Comments on specific chants: Viderunt: Most phrases are arch-like, reflecting the phrasing of the text. Accented 1st syllable in Dominus, most important word, highlighted with the longest melisma and highest note in the chant. The chant is in two parts, both of which close with long melismas on unaccented syllable. Euouae = saEcUlOrUm AmEn a termination formula used at the end of the antiphon. Reponsorial psalmody: Alleluia. Dies sanctificatus Clearly articulated phrases, motion by steps and thirds mostly, gently arching contours. Structure: A respond on word Alleluia, followed by a psalm verse, and the repetition of the respond. Final syllable of Alelluia is an extended melisma called a jubilus. A soloist sings the first part of the respond, choir repeats it and continues with jubilus. Soloist sings the verse and choir joins at the last phrases, then repeats the respond. At the end all or a part of the respond is often repeated.