History 10 MIDDLE AGES; HAEC DIES ORGANUM

What is organum?

- earliest documented Western art polyphony from the 9th-13th centuries
- cantus firmus; a borrowed plainchant (often Gregorian chant), gains one or more new voices
- originally formed using improvised lines, making strings of perfect parallel 4ths, 5ths and 8ths
- composers of the Notre Dame School expanded melodic diversity and # of voices in 12th-13th centuries

What is cantus firmus?

- borrowed plainchant (often Gregorian chant) in organum
- structure for melodic-rhythmic patterns in polyphony
- Latin for 'fixed song'

What is clasula (plural clasulae)?

- discant style polyphonic passage based on 1 syllable/word
- often melismatic
- important milestone in developing the motet

What are rhythmic modes?

- early milestone in creating modern rhythm notation
- measured prose rhythms based on Latin grammar and poems
- aligns voices in discant style where there isn't note-against-note movement and the singers have more material

Who is Léonin?

- organum composer active in Paris in the 1100s
- a leader of the Notre Dame Compositional School
- composed two-part organum with discant + organal style and rhythmic modes
- author of the Magnus Liber Organi (Great Book of Organum)
- first polyphony composer we know the name of

What are modes?

- scales with unique half and whole step patterns
- natural sounding, not harmonically manicured
- source of melodies in Middle Ages
- referred to with original Greek names

What is neumes?

- earliest Western music notation device
- original version was lines showing melodic direction
- squares or diamonds later added to indicate specific pitches

What is a capella?

- Latin translation of "in the chapel"
- Voice without instrumental accompaniment

What is a plainchant?

- a.k.a plainsong
- monophonic; melody based on modes; unmeasured prose rhythm
- narrow range, as most singers were not highly trained

What is a Gregorian chant?

- type of plainchant/plainsong
- sacred, ceremonial music for the Roman Catholic Church
- monophonic melodies based on modes; unmeasuredprose rhythm
- name comes from Pope Gregory the Great

Who was Pope Gregory the Great?

- led/organized the Roman Catholic Church from 590 to 604
- directed the documentation of Gregorian chants
- supervised liturgical musicians in training

What is syllabic text setting?

- music set to text where one syllable has one note

What is neumatic text setting?

- music set to text where one syllable has two to four notes

What is melismatic text setting?

- many (more than four) notes with each syllable
- most elaborate and decorative text setting style

What is responsorial singing?

- singing performance style
- solo voice is a 'verse' that alternates with choral, 'respond'
- the soloist and choral do not actually converse when it comes to words but sing as a reaction to the other

What is a Mass?

- choral service done in the Roman Catholic Church
- prayers, biblical text, and recreation of the Last Supper
- Proper and Ordinary movements
- Proper may be performed depending on time in Church Calendar; Ordinary always performed
- time-exclusive Proper movements used to tell time
- became important, especially in the Renaissance Era

What is Mass Proper?

- the variable movements of a Mass based on church calendar
- Names are Introit, Alleluia, Communion, and Gradual

What is a gradual?

- fourth movement in the collection of Mass Proper
- come from Old Testament Psalms
- melismatic text setting and responsorial singing are key features

What is organal style?

- cantus firmus is presented in augmentation, other voice/s more active
- a.k.a. organum purum, florid style, sustained-note organum

What is discant style?

- cantus firmus is more active rhythmically
- may result in parallel rhythms (note-against-note movement)

Who is Pérotin?

- organum composer
- a leader of the Notre Dame Compositional School
- composed three/four part organum and substitued his own clasulae in Léonin's works