Musical elements
Chant (also called plainchant, plainsong, and Gregorian chant): A genre (category of musical composition) with the following musical characteristics:
- Monophonic texture
- No fixed meter
- No written accompaniment
- Sacred
- Melodies tend to step rather than leap
Here are three types of chant based on the number of notes sung to each syllable of text:
- *Syllabic (recitational)—*one note of music to one syllable of text
- *Neumatic—*several notes to one syllable
- *Melismatic—*many notes to one syllable
Monophony: Musical texture in which one line of music is sung or played
Anonymous, “Agnus Dei” from the Mass for Christmas Day (chant/Agnus Dei)
Mass:
- main worship service of the (Roman) Catholic Church and the music composed for it
- two types of texts
- texts used most every day = Ordinary
- Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei
- texts used for special occasions = Proper
- texts used most every day = Ordinary
Anonymous, “Haec dies” (chant/gradual)
Here is the text and translation
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Haec dies quam fecit Dominus: exultemus et laetemur in ea, alleluia. verse for Easter Sunday: Confitemini Domino, quoniam bonus: quoniam in saeculum misericordia ejus. [Pascha nostrum Immolatus est Christus.] verse for Easter Monday: Dicant nunc Israel, quoniam bonus: quoniam in saeculum misericordia ejus. verse for Easter Tuesday: Dicant nunc, qui redempti sunt a Domino: quos redemit de manu inimici, et de regionibus congregavit eos. |
This is the day which the Lord hath made: let us be glad and rejoice therein. Alleluia. verse for Easter Sunday: Give praise to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psalm 118:1) [Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us.] verse for Easter Monday: Let Israel now say, that he is good: that his mercy endureth for ever. (Psalm 118:2) verse for Easter Tuesday: Let them say so that have been redeemed by the Lord, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy: and gathered out of the countries. (Psalm 107:2) |
Hymn: A religious song with multiple stanzas or verses
Thomas Aquinas (text attribution), “Pange lingua gloriosi mysterium” (chant/hymn)
Here is the text and translation
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Pange, lingua, gloriósi Córporis mystérium, Sanguinísque pretiósi, Quem in mundi prétium Fructus ventris generósi Rex effúdit géntium. |
Sing, my tongue, the Saviour’s glory, Of His Flesh, the mystery sing; Of the Blood, all price exceeding, Shed by our Immortal King, Destined, for the world’s redemption, From a noble Womb to spring. |
Morality Play: Drama that teaches about good conduct using personifications of good and evil
Hildegard von Bingen, The Play of Virtues, end of scene 1 (morality play / chant)
Here is the text and translation
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Virtutes O infelix conscientia, o misera Anima, quare abscondis faciem tuam coram creatore tuo?
Scientia Dei Tu nescis, nec vides, nec sapis illum qui te constituit.
Anima illa Deus creavit mundum: non facio illi iniuriam, sed volo uti illo!
Strepitus Diaboli ad Animam illam Fatue, fatue quid prodest tibi laborare? Respice mundum, et amplectetur te magno honore.
Virtutes O plangens vox est hec maximi doloris! Ach, ach, quedam mirabilis victoria in mirabili desiderio Dei surrexit …
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Virtues Unhappy state of mind, O poor Soul, why do you hide your face in the presence of your Creator?
Knowledge of God You do not know or see or taste the One who has set you here.
Soul God created the world: I’m doing him no injury – I only want to enjoy it!
Devil (shouting to the Soul) What use to you is toiling foolishly, foolishly? Look to the world: it will embrace you with great honor.
Virtues Is this not a plangent* voice, of utmost sorrow? Ah, a certain wondrous victory already rose in that Soul, in her wondrous longing for God …
*Plangent = with a loud, reverberating, and usually melancholy sound |
