Early Polyphony

Question 1

Parallel Organum

Answer 1

A two-part compostion in which a plainsong melody is duplicated. All movmement in parallel organum occurs with a consistent interval (perfect fourths or perfect fifths).

Question 2

Modified parallel organum

Answer 2

A two-part compostion in which a plainsong melody is duplicated using mostly parallel motion but occasionally uses oblique motion.

Question 3

Free organum

Answer 3

11th century approach to organum using a wider variety of intervals and some voice crossing. Vox Principalis (plainsong melody) is typically assigned to the lowest voice of the texture. Motion is not always parallel.

Question 4

Melismatic organum

Answer 4

Slower paced vox principalis under an active vox organalis, often singing many notes to one note in the lower voice. Sometimes called florid, sustained-tone tenor, or organum purum this style of organum is associated with the Scool of St. Martial in Southwestern France.

Question 5

vox principalis

Answer 5

In organum, this voice presents the plainsong melody.

Question 6

vox organalis

Answer 6

In organum, this voice present the added part. Earliest forms place this voice below the plainsong melody, after the 11th century, the added part becomes the top voice.

Question 7

occursus

Answer 7

“meeting” The ends of phrases where voice parts should come together.

Question 8

Enchiriadis

Answer 8

9th and 10th century treatises - Musica Enchiriadis and Scolica Enchiriadis - that provide instruction for how to perform polyphony and the earliest written examples of organum. Originally thought to have been written by Huebald, authorship is now uncertain.

Question 9

Micrologus

Answer 9

(c. 1030) Guido’s new rules for polyphony. Includes voice crossing but states that parts should come together at occursus.

Question 10

modal notation

Answer 10

Notation system developed at the Notre Dame school which more clearly established the relationship among notes within the melodic line (horizontal) and between voices (vertical).

Question 11

rhythmic modes

Answer 11

Six commonly used rhythmic patterns which allowed for better verical alignment between voices. The rhythmic modes were developed from the modal notation system developed in the Notre Dame school.

Question 12

ordo

Answer 12

a modal phrase which counts the number of repetitions of the rhythmic pattern

Question 13

ligatures

Answer 13

two and three note neumes used in modal notation. Ligatures were used to notate long melismatic sections of the music.

Question 14

longa

Answer 14

The basic unit in modal notation representing a perfection (divisible by three).

Question 15

breve

Answer 15

The smaller unit used in modal notation. Three breves equal a longa.

Question 16

De musica plana and De mensurabili musica

Answer 16

Treatises from the mid-13th century with new guidelines for consonance and dissonance. Originally thought to be written by John of Garland, authorship is now uncertain. Described perfect, intermediate, and imperfect consonance and dissonance.

Question 17

Magnus liber organi

Answer 17

Leonin’s collection (edited by Perotin) that contains a cycle of two-part organa for the entire church year. This collection represents a system of consonance and dissonance that would dominate polyphony for the next three centuries.

Question 18

clasulae

Answer 18

discant sections (tenor and duplum are rhythmically active) added to organum by Perotin

Question 19

conductus

Answer 19

Similar to organum triplum in presentation, but the tenor is an originally composed melody, not borrowed from plainchant.Consonance and Dissonanance principles were adhered to for two parts, but not all three parts.

Question 20

13th century motet

Answer 20

The motet developed by adding words to clausulae, often these used different texts in each voice part.

Question 21

conductus motet

Answer 21

Three and four-voice compositions in which the upper parts share the same text

Question 22

Ars cantus mensurabilis

Answer 22

Franco of Cologne’s treatise that determined duration by the shape of note symbols within a perfection.

Question 23

Hocket

Answer 23

A testless composition identified by the alternation of notes and rests in the upper parts which creates a hiccupping effect.

Question 24

incipit

Answer 24

A segment from the plainsong is repeated in the tenor.

Question 25

Ars Antiqua composers and theorists

Answer 25

Guido
Leonin
Perotin
Franco of Cologne
Petrus de Cruce