Chapter 1: Plainchant and Secular Monophony Flashcards
Monophony
One voice
Plainchant
The monophonic sacred music of the Christian Church
Neumatic
A group of notes sung on a single syllable (2-6 pitches)
Gregorian Chant
The central tradition of Western plainchant, a form of monophonic, unaccompanied sacred song of the Roman Catholic Church. Attributed to Pope St. Gregory the Great.
Roman Liturgy (Roman Rite)
The worship used in the Diocese of Rome in the Catholic Church
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office)
Official set of prayers set by Catholic church to be recited by clergy, and religious institutes
Syllabic
1 pitch per syllable
Recitation Tone
Basic pitch on which a text is recited
Cadence
Distinctive drop in pitch at ends of text
Melismatic (florid)
1 syllable for many pitches
Modes (Finalis, Ambitus, recitation tone)
Finalis: Ending pitch of mode
Ambitus: Range of mode
Recitation tone: Reciting long passages of text on a single note
Hexachord
Set of 6 notes: T-T-S-T-T
Gamut
7 interlocking hexachords beginning on C, F or G
Guidonian Hand
Mnemonic device for students learning solmization (solfege) syllables and structure of gamut
Musica Ficta
Non-notated pitches, supplied by performers, who were expected to flatten or sharpen certain notes that did not technically exist within a given hexachord
What was the criticism against music in the church setting?
Diminished the meaning of the religious texts. Distraction- Too seductive
What were the distinct rites?
Roman (southern italy), Ambrosian (north italy), Gallican (France and West Germany,
Mozarabic or Visigothic (Iberian Peninsula)
Who was responsible for spreading the Roman rite as the primary liturgy?
Pope Gregory 1 (Saint gregory the great). Sent singer clerics to spread roman liturgy.
What did Charlamagne do to realize the papal goal of a primarily Roman liturgy in the West?
Charlemange (monarchy) and Pope Leo III (papacy) buttressed each other to validate Roman liturgy as the standard.
What are neumes?
Earliest chant notation. Indicated the pitches or groups of pitches in a chant melody.
Liturgical function of plainchant
Divine office: To be recited 8 times throughout the day by monks and nuns
Mass: Celebrated everyday in churches in the morning.
Mass ordinary- celebrated every time
Mass proper- celebrated on feasts and occasions
Why was chant more effective than spoken word?
Chants resonated longer, were more projective, and more readily audible in a large space such as a church
What were the most florid and elaborate chants in the Mass?
Gradual and Alleluia.
Jubilus
The final syllable of the word alleluia, which was particularly florid and exuberant
What were the Gradual, Alleluia, and Tract chants called?
Responsorial chants: the chorus alternates (in response) with the soloist. The entire unit was called the “respond”
Modes
Scale types characterized by a specific pattern of whole and half steps. Known in scale degree numbers
What was different about medieval modes (compared to modern modes)?
Medieval modes ended on a characteristic pitch (called the finalis). Were known by number degrees.
What were the medieval plainchant modes?
Dorian, hypodorian, phrygian, hypophrygian, lydian, hypolydian, mixolydian, hypomixolydian
Who were Guido of Arezzo and Hermannus Contractus? What did they contribute?
They were monks; Guido of Arezzo was Italian, Hermannus Contractus was German. They sparked the use of the 8 mode system; assigning modes to every chant
How was music performed in the Medieval era?
Nothing is for sure. Images suggest that instruments may have been involved.
Poet, _____, and singer were often the same person
Poet, composer, and singer were often the same person
Troubadours and Trouveres
Troubadours: poet-composers. Southern France. occitan. not much poem accompanying music were preserved.
Trouveres: poet-composers. Northern France. medieval french. substantial songs preserved
Both: courtly love. strophic. usually minstrels (of low social order). syllabic.
Famous secular composers of medieval era music
Countess Beatriz de Dia (France ca 1212), Peire Vidal (France ca 1175-1215), Tannhauser (Germany ca 1230-1280)
Minnesinger
Secular poet-composers in the german speaking lands
What form were Minnelieder’s written in?
Bar form: AAB (consisting of 2 stollen and a closing statement called abgesang)
Mutation
When a particular note in a chant functions as a new syllable in a different hexachord
Chanson de jeste
A heroic song; troubadour and trouvere repertory
