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A History of Western Music: W. W.

Norton StudySpace

Chapter

2The Christian Church in the First MillenniumOutline

I. The Diffusion of ChristianityA. Although Jesus of Nazareth Christ! "as a Je"# he charge$ his $isciples to

%ma&e $isciples of all nations% Matthe" 2'()*!.+. ,t. -aul ca. )/ca. 01 c.e.! an$ other apostles rought Christianity to the Near

3ast# 4reece# an$ Italy.C. Christians "ere often persecute$# ut they still gaine$ a$herents.D. In 5)5# 3mperor Constantine I r. 5)/51! issue$ the 3$ict of Milan# legalizing

Christianity.3. In 5*2# 3mperor Theo$osius I r. 516/*7! ma$e Christianity the official religion

an$ suppresse$ all others# e8cept for Ju$aism.F. +y 0# 9irtually the entire area once controlle$ y :ome "as Christian see

HWM Figure 2.1!.). Territories "ere calle$ $ioceses.2. A hierarchy hea$e$ y patriarchs in :ome an$ other cities inclu$e$ local

churches# ishops# an$ archishops.

II. The Ju$aic ;eritageA. ,ome elements of Christian oser9ances $eri9e from Je"ish tra$itions.

). Chanting of ,cripture2. ,inging of psalms poems of praise from the ;ere" +oo& of -salms!

+. Temple sacrifice at the ,econ$ Temple of Jerusalem $estroye$ y :omans in1 c.e.!

). :itualistic sacrifice of an animal usually a lam! "as an integral part of"orship ser9ices.

2. During the sacrifice# a choir of


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singing.5. ,inging psalms is a central element of all Christian oser9ances.6. Melo$ic formulae use$ for singing psalms may ha9e $eri9e$ from Je"ish

cantillation.III. Music in the 3arly Church

A. +ilical references to musical acti9ity). Matthe" 20(5 an$ Mar& )6(20 refer to Jesus an$ his follo"ers singing

hymns.2. In 3phesians 7()* an$ Colossians 5()0# -aul e8horts Christians to sing

%psalms an$ hymns an$ spiritual songs.%+. ;istorical references to Christian music

). -liny the >ounger# go9ernor of a :oman pro9ince# reporte$ Christianssinging %a song to Christ as if to a go$% in aout ))2 c.e.

2. In the fourth century# official acceptance le$ to pulic meetings in largeuil$ings calle$ asilicas see HWM Figure 2.2!.

5. 3geria# a ,panish nun on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem# $escrie$ ser9ices

there ca. 6 c.e. see HWM Source Reading page 20!.a. ,he $escries the ,un$ay morning ?igil# "hich "oul$ later ecalle$ Matins.

. -riests sang psalms follo"e$ y a response from the congregation.c. -rayers follo"e$ each of the three psalms.$. After the psalms# the asilica "as fille$ "ith incense# an$ the

ishop rea$ from the 4ospel the section of the Ne" Testamentthat relates the history of Christ=s life!.

e. After the rea$ing# the ishop e8ite$ to the accompaniment ofhymns.

f. After the ishop=s e8it# there "as another psalm an$ prayer.6. The singing of psalms an$ hymns "as co$ifie$ in the rites of the me$ie9al

church an$ has continue$ to this $ay.C. 3arly church lea$ers &no"n to$ay as %the church fathers%! encourage$ music

for sacre$ purposes only.). ,t. Augustine 576/65! feare$ music=s aility to arouse strong feelings

see HWM Source Reading page 21!.a. In his Confessions# he $escries she$$ing tears at the psalms.. ;e elie9e$ that feeling strongly aout the su@ect of the psalms

ecause of the musical performance "as a goo$ thing.c. hen he "as %mo9e$ more y the song than y "hat B"as sung#%

it "as sinful.2. Most church fathers prohiite$ instrumental music.

a. Instrumental music# lac&ing "or$s# coul$ not con9ey Christianteachings.

. They feare$ e9o&ing pagan practices# such as spectacles in9ol9ing$ancing.

I?. Di9isions in the Church an$ Dialects of Chant

A. The :oman 3mpire $i9i$e$ into t"o parts in 5*7.). The estern 3mpire

a. :ule$ y :ome or Milan. ,u@ect to in9asions y 4ermanic triesc. Collapse$ in 610


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2. The 3astern 3mpirea. Centere$ at Constantinople formerly +yzantium# no" Istanul!. ,ur9i9e$ until Constantinople fell to the Tur&s in )675

5. The estern church :oman Catholic!a. :ule$ y the ishop of :ome# &no"n as the pope Italian papa!. After the thir$ century#


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2. -epin the ,hort r. 17)/0'!# &ing of the Fran&sa. Or$ere$ the :oman liturgy an$ chant to e performe$ in his

$omain# replacing the nati9e 4allican rite. Co$ification of chant helpe$ -epin consoli$ate the &ing$om.

5. Charlemagne Charles the 4reat# r. 10'/')6!a. -epin=s son. 38pan$e$ the &ing$om to inclu$e present/$ay "estern 4ermany#

,"itzerlan$# an$ northern Italyc. +rought singers from :ome to the north to teach the chant$. On Christmas Day in '# -ope


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. Other oral tra$itions use formulas to recreate melo$ies# e.g.#+al&an epic singers.

0. ,ome chants seem to ha9e een compose$ in this "ay see HWM#$a%p&e 2.1!.

a. Although each 9erse is $ifferent# they all ha9e the same outline.. The same ca$ential formula closes each 9erse.

1. hen melo$ies "ere "ritten $o"n# formulaic structures remaine$ intact.

+. ,tages of notation). Attempts to stan$ar$ize :oman chant in Fran&ish lan$s egan in the

eighth century.a. Oral transmission "as ina$eHuate# as melo$ies "ere corrupte$ as

they "ere transmitte$ to the north.. Notation# a "ay to "rite $o"n music# may ha9e een in use y

Charlemagne=s time.c. Notation resulte$ from a stri9ing for uniformity an$ a means of

perpetuating that uniformity.

2. Notation $e9elope$ through a series of inno9ations# each of "hich ma$ethe melo$ic outline more precise see HWM Figures 2.'(2.) an$#$a%p&es 2.2(2.3!.

5. ,igns calle$ neumes


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a. ,ome manuscripts contain signs for rhythm# ut scholars cannotagree on their meaning.

. One mo$ern practice is to sing chants as if all notes ha$ the samerhythmic 9alue.

C. ,olesmes chant notation). In )*5# -ope -ius proclaime$ mo$ern e$itions create$ y the mon&s

of ,olesmes as the official ?atican e$itions.

2. HWM #$a%p&es 2.2 an$ 2.3sho" the same chant# the gra$ual#?i$erunt omnes# in ,olesmes notation an$ in transcription.

a. #$a%p&e 2.2egins "ith an in$ication of the type of chant 4ra$.for gra$ual!# the mo$e 7!# an$ the first letter of the chant in largetypeface ? for ?i$erunt!.

. #$a%p&e 2.3uses the mo$ern con9entions for chanttranscriptionsKLstemless notes# "ith slurs to in$icate notesgroupe$ as neumes in the original.

5. Features of ,olesmes notation

a. Four/line staff. 3ither C or F clef ut pitch is relati9e!6. 3ach note or notegroup is calle$ a neume.

a. A neume may not ha9e more than one syllale of te8t.. Composite neumes notegroups! are rea$ left to right e.g.# ter/ of

terrae# "hich notates c=/a=/c=!.c. :epeate$ single/note neumes are sung as if tie$ or slightly pulse$

e.g.# /te of Juilate!.$. Diamon$/shape$ notes in $escen$ing groups are the eHui9alent of

sHuare notes e.g.# o/ of omnes an$ the final three notes!.e. ,mall notes in$icate 9oice$ consonants sung "ith a partially close$

mouth e.g.# /tum of Notum an$ con/ of conspectum!.f. The Huilisma# a "a9y neume# may ha9e in$icate$ a 9ocal ornament

in original sources.7. Flat an$ natural ut not sharp! coul$ e notate$.

a. Acci$entals are 9ali$ until the eginning of the ne8t "or$ or9ertical $i9ision line.

. On omnis oth occurrences of + are flatte$.c. In the follo"ing "or$# terra# a natural sign is not nee$e$ ecause

the flat sign from omnis $oes not carry to a ne" "or$.0. ,olesmes e$itions "ere inten$e$ for use in church# not scholarship# an$

therefore ha9e a$$itional signs not in their source manuscripts.a. Dots after notes $oule their 9alue.. ;orizontal $ashes present in some me$iEe9al sources! in$icate a

slight lengthening e.g.# the first note of /es of fines!.c. ?ertical lines mar& $i9isions of a melo$y.$. Asteris&s sho" "here the chorus ta&es o9er from the soloist.

?II. Music Theory an$ -ractice

A. T"o "riters transmitte$ the legacy of 4ree& music theory( Martianus Capellaan$ +oethius.+. Martianus Capella=s treatise The Marriage of Mercury an$ -hilology early fifth

century!). Descries the se9en lieral arts


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a. The tri9ium of the 9eral arts( grammar# $ialectic# rhetoric. The Hua$ri9ium of the mathematical $isciplines( geometry#

arithmetic# astronomy# an$ harmonics music!2. The section on music is a mo$ifie$ translation of Aristi$es uintalianus=s

On Music.C. +oethius ca. 6'/ca. 726! "as the most re9ere$ authority on music in the

Mi$$le Ages.

). +orn into a "ealthy :oman family2. Consul an$ minister to Theo$ric# ruler of Italy5. ;e "rote De institutione musica The Fun$aEmentals of Music! "hen he

"as a young man.6. The main sources are a lost treatise y Nichomachus an$ -tolemy=s

;armonics.7. De institutione musica $efines three types of music.

a. musica mun$ana the music of the uni9erse!( numerical relationsgo9erning the mo9ement of stars# planets# seasons# an$ the

elements. musica humana human music!( unification of o$y# soul# an$ theirparts

c. musica instrumentalis instrumental music!( au$ile music pro$uce$y 9oices or instruments

0. Music=s po"er to influence character ma$e it important in e$ucating theyoung.

1. The stu$y of music through reason "as a higher pursuit than theperformance of music therefore# a philosopher of music "as the truemusician# not a singer or composer.

D. -ractical theory). In contrast to +oethius=s philosophical approach# many treatises from the

ninth century through the later Mi$$le Ages "ere oriente$ to"ar$practical concerns.

2. Musica enchiria$is Music ;an$oo&! an$ ,colica enchiria$is 38cerptsfrom ;an$oo&s!

a. Anonymous ninth/century treatise "ith e8amples. Directe$ at stu$ents "ho aspire$ to religious postsc. Descries eight mo$es

$. -ro9i$es e8ercises for locating semitones in chante. 38plains consonances an$ their use in polyphony see HWM

Chapter "!5. 4ui$o of Arezzo=s Micrologus ca. )27/2'!

a. A practical gui$e for singers# commissione$ y the ishop ofArezzo see HWM Figure 2.11!

. Co9ers notes# inter9als# scales# mo$es# composition# an$impro9ise$ polyphony

?III. The Church Mo$es

A. +y the tenth century# the system ha$ achie9e$ its complete form.+. Mo$es are $ifferentiate$ y the arrangement of "hole an$ half steps inrelationship to a final# the main note of the mo$e an$ usually the last note in themelo$y.

C. 3ach of the four finals ha9e t"o associate$ mo$es see HWM #$a%p&e 2.!a!.


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). Authentic mo$es range from a step elo" the final to an octa9e ao9e it.2. -lagal mo$es range from a fourth or fifth elo" the final to a fifth or si8th

ao9e it.5. To me$ie9al singers# each of the eight mo$es ha$ a $istincti9e character#

e9en though the t"o mo$es on the same final might soun$ similar tomo$ern ears.

D. The only chromatic pitch "as +/flat# "hich freEHuentEly appears in melo$ies

in mo$es )# 2# 6# 7# an$ 0.3. Although the pitch arrangements of the mo$es seem li&e octa9e species as

suggeste$ y HWM #$a%p&e 2.!+!# melo$ies often e8cee$e$ an octa9erange.

F. The reciting tone is the most freHuent or prominent note in a chant.). In authentic mo$es the tenor is a fifth ao9e the final.2. In plagal mo$es the tenor is a thir$ elo" the correspon$ing tenor of the

authentic mo$e "ith the same final.5. hen the tenor "oul$ e a +# it is mo9e$ up"ar$ to C.

4. Mo$es "ere use$ to classify chants an$ arrange them in oo&s for liturgical use.). Many chants fit the theory "ell e.g.# ?i$erunt omnes# HWM #$a%p&e2.3!.

a. In mo$e 7# it egins on its final# F.. It rises to its tenor# C# "hich pre$ominates in most phrases.c. It rises to the octa9e ao9e its final.

2. The theory $oes not fit chants compose$ efore the tenth century.;. 4ree& names "ere gi9en to the church mo$es in the tenth century# ase$ on a

misrea$ing of +oethius see HWM #$a%p&e 2.!+!.). Authentic mo$es recei9e$ the ethnic names.

a. Dorian "ith a final of D!. -hrygian "ith a final of 3!c.


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other semitone cominations see HWM #$a%p&e 2.'!.6. 3ach he8achor$ has a name.

a. A he8achor$ "ith no + C/A! is calle$ %natural.%. A he8achor$ "ith a +/flat F/D! is %soft.%c. A he8achor$ "ith a +/natural 4/3! is %har$.%$. The half/step al"ays occurs et"een the syllales mi an$ fa.

7. The lo"est he8achor$ egan "ith a 4.

a. It "as ut in the he8achor$ system.. It "as also name$ "ith the 4ree& letter gamma# P.c. The resulting name "as gamma/ut# from "hich the "or$ gamut

$eri9es.0. A singer "oul$ use mutation to change among the three he8achor$s

"hen learning a ne" chant see HWM #$a%p&e 2.*!.F. Follo"ers of 4ui$o create$ a pe$agogical ai$ calle$ the %4ui$onian ;an$% see

HWM Figure 2.12!.). 3ach @oint of the han$ stoo$ for one of the t"enty notes of the system.

2. Other notes "ere consi$ere$ %outsi$e the han$.%5. Teachers pointe$ to the $ifferent @oints of the finger to teach theirstu$ents inter9als.

4. Than&s to 4ui$o=s inno9ations# a teacher coul$ %pro$uce a perfect singer% inone to t"o years# instea$ of the ten years reHuire$ "hen teaching y rote.

. 3choes of ;istoryA. Although "e $o not ha9e information aout ancient Je"ish or early Christian

music# many of their tra$itions "ere passe$ to the me$ie9al church# "hich inturn influence$ future eras of 3uropean music.

+. De9elopments of the Mi$$le Ages# such as notation on staff lines# solmization#an$ clef signs# continue to this $ay an$ ma&e our &no"le$ge of a thousan$years of music history possile.

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