I. Graduals
1. The Gradual is a kind of responsorial psalm. It has an introductory
respond (refrain) followed by a single verse of a psalm. The respond is
begun by a soloist, and the choir joins in shortly thereafter. The verse
is likewise begun by the soloist with choir joining in later.
2. They were originally developed in Rome and disseminated through
Frankish churches
3. Graduals occur in 7 of the 8 modes.
4. Large number of mode 2 (Hypodorian) are variants of a single melodic
type exemplified in the Easter Gradual Haec dies quam fecit Dominus
5. Mode 5 Graduals (Lydian) give the impression of being in F major.
6. Certain melismatic formulas recur in different Graduals. Oftentimes,
melodies are a composite of these short formulas, a process called
centonization
J. Tracts
1. Tracts are the longest chants in the liturgy using lengthy texts and
long melismas
2. All Tract melodies are either in mode 2 or 8. Melodic structure is similar
K. Alleluia
1. Consist of a refrain on the single word 'Alleluia', psalm verse, followed
by refrain.
2. Performance: soloist sings word 'alleluia', chorus repeats and continues
with a jubilus, a long melisma on the final '-ia' of the 'alleluia', the
soloist then sings the verse with the chorus joining on the last phrase.
Entire 'alleluia' is sung by chorus with jubilus.
3. 'Alleluia' is florid, jubilus is melismatic.
4. Form: AA+BA+
5. Alleluias are relatively late chants, notion of 'composed' chants on
account of motivic repetition rather than improvisatory nature of earlier
oral tradition.
L. Offertories
1. Melodically similar to Graduals
2. Utilize a variety of forms
M. Chants of the Ordinary
1. Kyrie
a. Form: ABA (Kyrie, Christe, Kyrie)
2. Agnus Dei
a. Form: often ABA as well
3. Sanctus
a. Form: Tripartite (Sanctus, Pleni, Benedictus)
N. Later Developments of Chant
1. Carolingian Renaissance of 8th-9th c. led to codification, notation of chant
a. Monastic centers: St. Gall in Switzerland
b. Northern styles and developments incorporated into chant repertory
2. Tropes
a. A newly composed addition, in neumatic style with poetic text to
one of the antiphonal chants of the Proper of the Mass (usually an
Introit, less often an Offertory or Communion).
b. Later tropes were also made to Ordinary chants, particularly the Gloria
c. Tropes were either prefaces to regular chant or interpolations in its
text and music.
d. Important troping center was the Monastery of St. Gall where the monk
Tuitilo (d.915) was distinguished for compositions of this form.
e. Tropes flourished in the 10th-11th centuries and gradually disappear
in the 12th century.
3. Sequences
a. Long recurring passages recurring in different contexts.
b. Long, definitely shaped melodies either used in melismatic form or
underlaid with different texts.
c. Additions to the 'Alleluia' are called sequences
d. When text is underlaid they are called prosa ad sequentiam or prosula.
Prosa are set syllabically.
e. Notker Balbulus ('the stammerer'; ca.840-912, St. Gall) tells a
story of how he 'invented' the sequence to aid in memorizing tunes.
Music probably existed first and Balbulus probably only added the text.
f. The form flourished from 10th-13th centuries.
g. Form: a bb cc dd...groupings of strophic pairs.
h. Most sequences are banned by liturgical reforms of the Council of Trent
(1545-1563)
I. Dies irae from the Requiem Mass is one of the most famous examples
of seq. that was retained.
O. Liturgical Drama
[Not much to say about this topic]
P. Medieval Musical Theory
1. Carolingian treatises more oriented towards practice than earlier treatises.
a. Guido of Arezzo: Mircrologus (ca.1025-28)
b. Musica enchiriadis: anonymous 9th c. treatise.
2. Church Modes
a. Standard by 11th century a system of 8 'modes'
b. Diatonic octave built on finalis or final, usually last note in
the melody.
c. Authentic modes
1. Even numbered
2. Tenor (dominant) is a 5th above: most important note after the
final. Exception: in cases where tenor would be 'B', next note
is used instead.
d. Plagal modes
1. Odd numbered
2. Begin a 4th below corresponding authentic mode
e. Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian
3. Hexachord system
a. Patterns of 6 notes in which semitone falls between 3-4 steps
b. G hexachord is durum (hard) because of B natural
c. F hexachord is molle (soft) because of Bb
d. C hexachord is natural because no question of accidentals
Q. Nonliturgical & Secular Monody
1. Goliard songs: from 11-12th c. songs with latin texts.
a. Typically recorded with staffless neumes, so melodic content is
highly speculative
2. Conductus
a. Originally sung in the mass when celebrant was moving from one
place to another.
b. Texts were metrical verses
c. By end of the 12th c. conductus was applied to any nonliturgical
Latin song with metrical text, on either a sacred or secular subject.
d. Melody was newly composed rather than borrowed or adapted from another
source.
Source:web.archive.org
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