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Views from the Choir Loft

Gregorian Rhythm Wars • “Repercussion and the Mora Vocis” (21 Nov 2022)

Patrick Williams · November 21, 2022

Gregorian Rhythm Wars contains all previous installments of our series.
Please refer to our Chant Glossary for definitions of unfamiliar terms.

N HIS NOVEMBER 10 guest post, Matthew Frederes mentions, among other supposed defects in the rendition of chant, what he refers to as pulsation. I assume he means what is more typically known as repercussion or rearticulation. It is most instructive to read what the Solesmes “Rules for Interpretation” say on the matter:

Formerly each of these two or three notes [of the distropha or tristropha] was characterised by a slight stress or impulse of the voice; in practice, we advise the joining of the notes in one sound. These double or triple notes, especially when repeated, may be sung with a slight crescendo or decrescendo according to their position in the word of the text or in the melodic line. A gentle and delicate repercussion (i.e. a fresh layer of sound) is needed at the beginning of each distropha or tristropha, as well as on the first note of any group which begins on the same degree as the strophicus. (Liber Usualis, xxiij; Liber Brevior, xxj)

This paragraph contains a rather frank admission that the Solesmes method practice of tying repeated notes together and fusing them into a single sound of double or triple length is a departure from the historic manner of singing (here I repeat my own wording from a one-page handout on the topic). The preface to the Vatican edition merely says that such notes “must be sustained for a length of time in proportion to their number” and that the pressus “should be sung with more intensity, or even, if it be preferred, tremolo [‘tremula voce’ in the Latin version].”

Differentiation • I would argue that, in the oldest sources, a tristropha with the rhythm short-short-long and a bivirga with the rhythm long-long have exactly the same duration. They are not used interchangeably; without repercussion or some other difference in their rendition, however, they would be indistinguishable except on paper. Almost ironically, according to the Solesmes method, the tristropha, interpreted as three short notes all tied together, and the bivirga with horizonatal episema, interpreted as two long notes tied together, each approximately 1.5 times the short value, also both have the same duration as each other and, without repercussion, sound exactly the same. Several examples of the bivirga with episema can be found in the Tenebrae responsories. The modern notation edition of the Liber Usualis writes two eighth notes tied together, each with an episema.

Sources • I would also like to address Jeff Ostrowski’s Eripe me alleluia example from his post titled “How Does the Official Rhythm Actually Sound?” There he discussed the morae vocis indicated by the note spacing of the Vatican edition, with a comparison of the Solesmes rhythm. His observations are accurate but do not go far enough. Where do those morae vocis actually come from? He has asked me twice not to use “Because Dom Cardine says so” as an argument—which I wouldn’t do anyway. Now I ask in return: give us something more substantial than “Because the Vatican edition says so”! Why did the editors put the spaces there? Here is a duplex rhythmic example incorporating the melodic corrections:

And another without them:

The St. Gall neumes are reproduced from the Graduale Restitutum of Anton Stingl jun. (Gregor und Taube).

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Gregorian Rhythm Wars Last Updated: March 12, 2023

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President’s Corner

    Luis Martínez Must Go!
    Sevilla Cathedral (entry dated 13 December 1564): The chapter orders Luis Martínez, a cathedral chaplain, to stay away from the choirbook-stand when the rest of the singers gather around it to sing polyphony—the reason being that “he throws the others out of tune.” [Excerpt from “The Life of Father Francisco Guerrero.”]
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Urgent! • We Desperately Need Funds!
    A few days ago, the president of Corpus Christi Watershed posted this urgent appeal for funds. Please help us make sure we’re never forced to place our content behind a paywall. We feel it’s crucial that 100% of our content remains free to everyone. We’re a tiny 501(c)3 public charity, entirely dependent upon the generosity of small donors. We have no endowment and no major donors. We run no advertisements and have no savings. We beg you to consider donating $4.00 per month. Thank you!
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Booklet of Eucharistic Hymns” (16 pages)
    I was asked to create a booklet for my parish to use during our CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION on 22 June 2025. Would you be willing to look over the DRAFT BOOKLET (16 pages) I came up with? I tried to include a variety of hymns: some have a refrain; some are in major, others in minor; some are metered, others are plainsong; some are in Spanish, some are in Latin, but most are in English. Normally, we’d use the Brébeuf Hymnal—but we can’t risk having our congregation carry those heavy books all over the city to various churches.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

The “Nova Organi Harmonia” demanded from each of us an unusual commitment; we have dedicated to it the best of our energies. Would it be, therefore, presumptuous on our part to be satisfied with the result and to expect its welcome reception in the musical world?

— Msgr. Jules Van Nuffel (circa 1940)

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