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How to read the neumes (and challenge the composers...)
Topic Started: Feb 2 2015, 01:20 PM (1,377 Views)
Elsa De Luca
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Basic principles on Old Hispanic notation:

The notation is adiastematic: it represents just the outline of a melody, without specifying the intervals or pitches. In this notation the exact proportionality of the vertical distance between neumes on the page does not represent the melodic distance between two sounds.

Old Hispanic notation belonging to the ‘gestural’ type means that the meaning is usually carried at the end of a pen-stroke, and a change of direction of the pen-stroke indicates another pitch. The inclination of the pen-stroke tells us if the melody goes up or down. We never know for sure what the pitch of the first note of a neume is therefore we call it neutral.

In the picture attached you can see a very common way of giving a three-note neume whose melodic contour is Neutral – Low – High. This kind of neume is known in scholarship as ‘porrectus’.

The basic neume shapes (such as the NLH porrectus) are given with great variety of forms in the earlier Old Hispanic manuscripts. For example, a porrectus can be found with longer or shorter pen-strokes, or with a slightly different degree of inclination of the pen-stroke, but the general shape is overall maintained in all the varied forms of the basic neume shape.

In other words, this notation represents many musical nuances whose meaning is inaccessible to us and is probably lost for ever. Even if we don’t know what the notational nuances meant, we know they had meaning since they are used throughout all the earlier sources in a purposeful manner.

Hope this will help you finding the key to understand this beautiful chant repertory!

And now… A little palaeographical challenge only for those brave enough… ( B-) or :'( ?)

Can you spot any porrectus in the pictures of the Leon Antiphonary?
The first composer who will find a porrectus will receive a special palaeographical praise from me (and my admiration) ;)
Ready? Come on guys, others are already perusing….

All best,

Elsa De Luca
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Lindsay
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Hi I think there is one on p618 of the Leon Antiphonary but I am not sure how to attach the image. Just out of interest do you know whether there is the text for the Hagios in the same document?

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Emma Hornby
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Yes, the (h)agios (=Sanctus) appears in Greek three times in Leon 8 (60v, 81r and a different text on 209v). Also in two other manuscripts with music, and two others text only. Let me know if you want links to the ones online!
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Elsa De Luca
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Well done, Lindsay!

You won the gold medal!!!
Clap! Clap!

A porrectus (neutral - low - high) can be found indeed on p.618, which corresponds to folio 306 verso of the Leon Antiphonary, and it is the penultimate neume at the end of the first line.

The aim of this challenge was to encourage the composers to open the Old Hispanic manuscripts and observe, question and become familiar with the neume shapes. In spite of the enigmatic nature of this notation, it still has a lot to tell us about the music they sung in Medieval Iberia; but it is necessary to be curious and bold enough to walk into a completely new field and system.

All best and congratulations again, Lindsay

Elsa De Luca
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mwiener
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Emma Hornby
Feb 2 2015, 09:39 PM
Yes, the (h)agios (=Sanctus) appears in Greek three times in Leon 8 (60v, 81r and a different text on 209v). Also in two other manuscripts with music, and two others text only. Let me know if you want links to the ones online!
Dear Emma,

I would have a question concerning the "Sanctus" in the old hispanic rite. On various websites I found the following text, including Post-Sanctus:

"Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus sabaoth. Pleni sunt cœli et terra gloria majestatis tuæ. Osanna Filio David. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Osanna in excelsis.
Agios, Agios, Agios, Kyrie, o Theos."

Could you please confirm this text and also indicate the links you mentioned in your post?

Many thanks in advance and best regards,
Michael
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Emma Hornby
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In Leon 8, 81v the text is
Agios o theos , agios hyschiros, agios athanathos eleison emas;
Sanctus deus santus fortis, sanctus inmortalis miserere nobis;
Doxa patri ke iu ke agion pneumatin ke nin ke ai, ke is taus eonas ton eonon, amen. (and then a cue to repeat the Agios section again)

The one on 209v goes:
Agios o Theos, ho en pyton cherubin catezomenosino nos acatalimtos.
Agios hischiros, oh enim pristis doxazomenos fonis angelicis.
Agios athanathos, o monos henea spalagnia soter, eleyson ymas, alleluia alleluia.
Axihosi chirrie o Theos hemon doxaste doxan chetimin amin: agios
II Hosti panata henixusim chepo chinisus imenopion subchirrie eleyson
III Doxa che tihn che iu che agion pneumatim, che y che ayn che istus ton eonom amin, eleyson ymas, alleluia. (and the alleluia has a sign next to it in the MS which we think means "do a melisma if you feel like it")

links

the first one is edited on page 45 here, which is image 129:
http://bibliotecadigital.jcyl.es/i18n/consulta/registro.cmd?id=4930

second one is edited on page 160 here, which is image 252: http://bibliotecadigital.jcyl.es/i18n/consulta/registro.cmd?id=4930

You'll find the chants in LEon 8 here: http://bvpb.mcu.es/es/catalogo_imagenes/grupo.cmd?path=26408 and you just have to look through to find the right folios (60v, 81r and 209v) I can work out the other MSS that have these chants in if you want, and send you links to any of those that are online, but I'll wait for you to ask for it.


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mwiener
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Emma Hornby
May 26 2015, 08:09 PM
In Leon 8, 81v the text is
Agios o theos , agios hyschiros, agios athanathos eleison emas;
Sanctus deus santus fortis, sanctus inmortalis miserere nobis;
Doxa patri ke iu ke agion pneumatin ke nin ke ai, ke is taus eonas ton eonon, amen. (and then a cue to repeat the Agios section again)

The one on 209v goes:
Agios o Theos, ho en pyton cherubin catezomenosino nos acatalimtos.
Agios hischiros, oh enim pristis doxazomenos fonis angelicis.
Agios athanathos, o monos henea spalagnia soter, eleyson ymas, alleluia alleluia.
Axihosi chirrie o Theos hemon doxaste doxan chetimin amin: agios
II Hosti panata henixusim chepo chinisus imenopion subchirrie eleyson
III Doxa che tihn che iu che agion pneumatim, che y che ayn che istus ton eonom amin, eleyson ymas, alleluia. (and the alleluia has a sign next to it in the MS which we think means "do a melisma if you feel like it")

links

the first one is edited on page 45 here, which is image 129:
http://bibliotecadigital.jcyl.es/i18n/consulta/registro.cmd?id=4930

second one is edited on page 160 here, which is image 252: http://bibliotecadigital.jcyl.es/i18n/consulta/registro.cmd?id=4930

You'll find the chants in LEon 8 here: http://bvpb.mcu.es/es/catalogo_imagenes/grupo.cmd?path=26408 and you just have to look through to find the right folios (60v, 81r and 209v) I can work out the other MSS that have these chants in if you want, and send you links to any of those that are online, but I'll wait for you to ask for it.


Dear Emma,

Thanks a lot for your immediate reply and indications, much appreciated.

I would also be interested in the links to other related MSS online which you had kindly offered to send.

Again many thanks and best regards,
Michael
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Elsa De Luca
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Quote:
 
I would also be interested in the links to other related MSS online which you had kindly offered to send.



Hi Michael,

May I suggest that you look at Raquel's thread 'Pictures of Old Hispanic chant manuscripts available online'?

Best wishes,

Elsa De Luca
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mwiener
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Dear Elsa,

Many thanks for your message.

In the Liber antiphonarium de toto anni circulo a festivitate sancti Aciscli usque in finem of the Cathedral of León I have found the above-mentioned Sanctus text (including the Post Sanctus in Greek) on 61v. and 62r.

From when does this León 8 manuscript date? I see that it is estimated in the early tenth century, but there is also some discussion that it actually may even be older?

Best wishes,
Michael
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Emma Hornby
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We are certain that the manuscript dates from the early 10th century (Elsa has done some work on this, and has made a secure dating - the work is not yet published, so we can't point you towards it, I'm afraid).

There has been some discussion of rather earlier dates and rather later dates, but the date we have of early 10th century is pretty secure now.
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mwiener
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Dear Emma,

Many thanks, that is very useful. I am looking forward to reading Elsa's work on the Léon manuscript, just let me know once it is published.

Best regards,
Michael

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Emma Hornby
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It might be after the end of the composition competition, frustratingly. It's worth waiting for, though!
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Carolina1
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Dear Emma,

I have found much to interest and excite my pre composition planning in many of the threads here - particularly the tantalising graphology of the neume notation and also the ritual and order of the texts used in the Old Hispanic Liturgy. Reading further on the internet I have seen a reference to a Prayer for Peace said before the Kiss of Peace in the Seven Prayers of the Old Hispanic Mass as recorded by Isidore of Seville. I would love to see the original text for this prayer if possible. Can you help?

Many thanks,

Best,

Caroline
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Kati Ihnat
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Dear Caroline,

First of all - my apologies for the delay in answering!

So the Ad pacem prayer (said before the kiss of peace) is indeed one of seven different prayers in the Old Hispanic mass. It nevertheless changed depending on the day, particularly to reflect the saint or other event being commemorated. There would almost always be a focus on 'peace' somewhere in the prayer.

Here's an example from Christmas day:

Quote:
 
We beseech you, highest God and equally humble man, Jesus Christ, to incline to the supplications of your servants, that you might bestow, increase, perfect and guard that peace which you entrusted by the fame of your renown, you who will ascend to heaven. And so may there be peace in your power and abundance in your towers, that the bestowal of your kiss be a shield against the hidden poison; but because you bestowed peace on the singing angels and on men of good faith, on this day of your birth, make peace among us, your heralds and sons in peace.


It's difficult to say that this is a strictly representative prayer, because they vary so much, but just to give you an idea of how the prayer was made specific to the particular day all the while maintaining this emphasis on 'peace' and Christ as the bringer thereof.

Hope this helps!

Kati
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andreawebb
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urgently (if possible, bearing in mind the closing date!)

can someone help by telling me the text source, and basic English translation (not word-for-word, just the general "gist") for the beautiful pages 63-64 of the Léon manuscript [http://bvpb.mcu.es/es/consulta/registro.cmd?id=449895] - that's pages 63-64 of the online PDF, the manuscript itself is numbered 29-30


thankyou - Andrea
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