MUSC 752 Early Medieval Notation

I. Early medieval notation

A. Modern conception of writing as best way to preserve knowledge vs. ancient view of

memory as best way

B. Notation develops when need arises

1. In monasteries and churches

2. More and more music created for specific events of church year, etc.

3. When becomes too much to remember, singers begin to make notes for

themselves in written texts of the liturgy

C. Earliest notation

1. Appears in mss. c. 819

2. Called non diastematic (unheighted), or oratorical neumes

  1. Neume – Greek word
  2. Meaning “sign”

3. Developed, w/ regional variants, in # of places at roughly same time

4. Clearly, would have to already known – mnemonic aid

D. Next step to indicate contours of melody (c. 850)

1. diatematic neumes

2. Conveys more info.

a. arranged around an invisible line to indicate relative pitch level

b. Sometimes can seedry point line – inscribed on parchment

3. But still no indication of exact pitches

  1. Ex: Yudkin p. 77 [St. Gall 359, Cantatorium, fol. 125]

i. See little letters above some neumes?

ii. probably give information about performance

aa. Vocal quality

bb. Dynamics

cc. Rhythm???

dd. Or perhaps general info about tempo: broadening,

ritard, lightly, etc.

4. Point neumes

  1. Characterized by predominant use of punctum, or dots
  2. To indicate separate pitches
  3. Ex: Paris, BN, Lat. 7211 (fol. 127v)

5. Accent neumes

  1. Primarily uses strokes to represent notes
  2. Ex: Rome, Biblioteca Angelica, 123 (Olim B.3.18), fol. 126

6. Or mix of both

7. Often notation added to a pre-existing bible or liturgical book

8. Regional variants of neumes (see handout)

a. Beneventan

b. Late French

c. Aquitanian

d. Lorranian

e. Gothic

f. Early German

g. St. Gall

h. Mozarabic

i. Similar – just take getting used to

F. Musica/Scholia Enchiriadas (c. 850-920)

1. Daesian notation

a. By tetrachord

b. Turned letters, sometimes diastematic

c. Little practical use

2. Heighted letters

3. Heightened syllables

G. Guido of Arezzo - Micrologus (c. 1000)

1. For many of examples, uses letter notation

2.Also suggests using staff(proto-staff) to make precise pitch of neumes clearer

3. By this time diastematic neumes in some cases arranged around a line that was

actually inked, therefore visible

a. Idea seems to have begun in 9thc. – some pretty early examples.

a. Ex.

4. For greater clarity, he suggests 2 lines - one red (C), one yellow (F), others to

represent every other note

  1. Ex.
  2. Colors never really caught on
  3. Rest not consistently adapted for 200-300 years

5. Aside – explain manuscript abbreviations: City, Library, Library Siglum/Shelf

mark

F. BUT During 11th c. other clefs, staff lines employed

a. Eventually 4 line staff dominates

b. Single clef for entire staff

G. Square notation adapted c. 1200