Neume
Neumes (Greek νεῦμα neuma, Wink ') are graphical characters, figures and symbols mentioned that since the 9th century to the notation of the melodic shape and the intended interpretation of Gregorian chant, occasionally also used for writing secular and religious melodies outside of liturgy were. Mostly they are above the text.
Furthermore, short melodic units, melody formulas or melismatic melody parts on individual vowels were already in the early Middle Ages - such as the Jubilus, which is sung on the last vowel of the Alleluias - called neumes. In this case, the term was Neume of Pneuma (Greek πνεῦμα pneuma, spirit ',' breath ',' air ' ) is derived.
- 6.1 Grundneumen
- 6.2 Verzierungsneumen
- 6.3 Liqueszierende neumes
- 6.4 Additional characters and Neumentrennung
Origin of the term
The derivation of the term Neume from the practices of the so-called cheironomy is controversial in contemporary musicology. That should be mapped with the neumes actually finger and hand movements ( " angle ") of Cantor or were stylized, can not be inferred from ancient sources. There is also nothing to prove that the Cantores served in the Carolingian period the cheironomy. Nevertheless, at least, the St. Gallen neumes are seen in a combination with the cheironomy. At issue is whether the affected neumes should trace conducting motions or whether it was rather the reverse, and the Cantor neumes retraced in his conducting motions. An ivory plaque from Lorraine, who is believed to have originated in the 10th century, shows gestural movements of all members of the Schola.
The use of the word Neume in the sense of musical character has only existed since the 11th century. In the older literature instead find terms like nota, figura notarum or format notarum. Is attested by the transition to neuma nota in an anonymous, usually dated to the late 11th Century essay:
" De accentibus toni oritur nota quae dicitur neuma. "
" From the accents of sound the nota, which is called neuma arises "
General practice was the name Neume only in the 19th and 20th century in the wake of the scientific studies of Gregorian chant and its listing.
Origin of neumes
About The origin and history of the neumes, there are different theories, none of which can be considered secured beyond doubt. The issues they main potential models for Gregorian neumes are called in the following.
- The " angle " of the cheironomy will no longer meekly seen today as a starting point for the neumes. In no case, from the etymology of the late applied to the note character concept Neume - as shown above - to deduce the origin of the character.
- A direct connection with the Greek- Syrian, Syrian soghdischen, Greek - Coptic and Latin dot character as well as Byzantine and Hebrew ekphonetischen characters such as the Teamim is a subject of controversy.
- Prosodic characters and accents as Akutus and Gravis resemble some very neumes. Nevertheless, their role models remains controversial.
- Become a focal point may be mediated by the Goths examples from southern Gaul and Spain and their adaptation in the scriptoria of the Carolingian range.
However, it also held that the Gregorian neumes had been created without direct role models in the Carolingian period of the prevailing needs out.
Oldest neumes and Neumenfamilien
The earliest Neumeneintragungen come from the 9th century. They are assigned to the German, French, Spanish and North paläofränkischen Neumenfamilien. This ancient neumes are not limited to the repertoire of Gregorian chant, but often accompany except liturgical religious and secular texts such as those of Boethius and Martianus Capella.
The three oldest of the surviving liturgical collections neumierten Gregorian chant date from the early 10th century. They were written down in St. Gallen ( Codex Sangallensis 359), Laon ( Laon Codex 239) and Brittany (Codex Chartres 47). The neumes contained therein - they are now called St. Gall neumes, Lorraine neumes and Breton neumes - do have similarities, but differed in essential respects, and probably in their goal towards establishing the melody shape and expression of the text bound tunes as well as to the practice of singing, learning and memorization. However, learning the pieces was despite notation viva voce initially continue through pre-and Singing along. The neumes were able to be used for control, as suggested by the report of the St. Gallen historian Ekkehard IV on the fabled Antiphonary of Romanus, which had come directly in the 8th century from Rome to St. Gallen.
These three Neumenfamilien already show the two main practical concerns of Neumierung the Roman Catholic liturgy, namely the rise and fall of the melodic line to capture and ensure the text-related expression. The St. Gallen neumic notation is considered perfect in terms of the intended expression. She is best explored. Especially with their decryption and interpretation is concerned the Gregorian Semiology.
Scriptoria as local centers of distribution
The written collection and dissemination of Gregorian chant was done out of scriptoria, developed often own neumes for detecting the melodies. About 100 European locations are known. Some of them gave the well-kept with them and in their vicinity Neumenfamilien their name, such as St. Gallen, Benevento and Bologna. For some Neumenfamilien not the names of individual scriptoria, but the surrounding landscapes were chosen as for example in the Aquitaine, Lorraine and Breton neumes.
Similarities and differences in the design of the neumes
In musicology, the neumes are classified depending on the angle from various viewpoints. It frequently happens that a Neumenfamilie is classified into a plurality of these groups.
Adiastematische and diastematic neumes
The rough classification in diastematic (pitch -indicating ) and adiastematische (pitch not indicative ) neumes recorded their reality only inadequate. In most Neumenfamilien and Neumendialekten namely both pitch and expression values as well as rhythmic and dynamic differences are shown. However, the two terms have generally accepted as an important distinction between neumes.
The adiastematic neumes you count the the oldest Neumenfamilien. They convey the melody first without exact interval specification. Only the direction of melodic movement within a Neume is expressed. In contrast, rhythm and articulation are often given quite precisely. These are mainly small letters ( Litterae significativae ) give the example more accurate indications of dynamics, tempo, and also to the tune direction. One of the most important collections of liturgical texts with neumes of this type include, for example, the St. Gallen Codex Sangallensis 359 and written in Lorraine neumes Codex Laon 239 ( See the figures in the synopsis right)
The diastematic neumes make the melodic movement intervallically visible. Interpretative issues to be clarified from the notation usually less or not at all. Tempo and rhythm are text- dependent and were just as the absolute pitch is not explicitly listed. This type, for all notations, which are based on color without scratched (a punta secca ) or black or colored solid lines. ( See the figures in the synopsis right)
Guido of Arezzo ( † 1050) Neumenzeichen sat on four lines in the third interval. The F line was initially red, the c- line yellow. He thus laid the foundation for the Hufnagel notation and the medieval square notation, which is similar in modern editions, such as in the Graduale Romanum, used. ( See the figures in the synopsis right)
In the Graduale Triplex 1979 diastematic the square notation was supplemented by adiastematische neumes from old manuscripts, whereby both the pitches, as well as the subtleties of dynamics, tempo and expression are detected simultaneously.
Accent or Linienneumen and Punktneumen
With the accent or Linienneumen the presentation of the melody is done largely through special, usually italic inclined curves ( ligatures ). Any such ligation is associated with a characteristic short sequence of notes. Especially mature shows this practice in the St. Gallen neumes. ( See the figures in the synopsis right)
The Punktneumen contrast, the representation of the melody course is done by point-like characters for single tones, so for example in the Aquitanian neumes, the Breton neumes and the Lorraine neumes. ( See the figures in the synopsis right)
Most regional Neumenfamilien combine point - and accent neumes.
Adiastematische neumes with letter notation
A special position is occupied by the Codex Montpellier H. 159 of the 11th century, as he linked for teaching purposes adiastematische neumes with letter notation.
Use of this manuscript, it was the Benedictine monks from the Abbey of Saint Peter at Solesmes in France possible to restitute the Gregorian chant in reference rather accurately and reliably to the relative pitches of the melody course. These findings led to the creation in 1883 of the Liber Gradualis, published by Dom Joseph Pothier.
Neumenbezeichnungen and names
A distinction is made between Einzeltonneumen, Gruppenneumen and Mehrgruppenneumen. All Einzeltonneumen and almost all Doppeltonneumen and Dreifachtonneumen have their own names. Longer Gruppenneumen and Mehrgruppenneumen be circumscribed.
The earliest mention of Neumennamen found in 1100 in John Affligemensis. First created for teaching purposes, lists of names of neumes date from the second half of the 12th century. Others followed until well into the 15th century. Some of today's common Neumennamen but were only coined in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Grundneumen
The names of the Grundneumen were usually chosen such that they describe the shape of the neumes.
The following table describes each one of several spellings of St. Gall neumes was taken for each Grundneume. The names in this table are from the oldest Neumenlisten. Not included in the presentation was the frequently occurring, but later named Tractulus. The punctum - sometimes also called Punctus - on the other hand is found in all old tables. In St. Gallen, it was very rare as Einzelneume, on the other hand often used in compound neumes such as the Climacus and the Scandicus.
By adding attributes alternative spellings or variants can be identified such as in porrectus flexus, and torculus resupinus.
Verzierungsneumen
As Verzierungsneumen neumes are referred to, detect the specific practices or vocal melody formulas. To be accounted for Bi and tristropha, Bi and Trivirga, Trigon, oriscus, virga strata, Pressus major, minor Pressus, pes stratus, Pes quassus, salicus and quilisma.
The execution of the Quilismas is uncertain. It often occurs in association with Pes or Virga, such as in Cantatorium of St. Gallen ( excerpt from the right figure above):
The word-initial waveform should probably call a glissando or a kind of tremolo. It is apparently the same as mentioned in ancient sources tremula singing practice. Aribo wrote in De musica ( 1069-1078 ): " Tremula est quam neuma gradatam vel quilisma dicimus [ ... ] " ( German: " Tremula is the neuma we stepped or quilisma call [ ... ]").
Liqueszierende neumes
The liquescent is used in certain sequences of letters of the text to be sung. You should ensure that the melody flow is not interrupted in consecutive consonants or diphthongs and yet the text is clearly articulated. In the Neumenhandschriften the brushwork is truncated at the end of the affected Gruppenneumen usually shown or curved. These include cephalicus, epiphonus and Ancus.
Additional signs and Neumentrennung
The episema indicates an elongation of the designated sound.
The Litterae significativae, also known as " Romanus letters " are additional letters for the interpretation of the neumes. Notker Balbulus († 912 ), she has held for the first time in a vocational certificate and explained. They usually refer to dynamics, tempo, vocal tone and melody direction. The St. Gallen examples in the figure on the right above and in the synopsis contain some commonly used Romanus letters, namely t for tenere, hold ', m for mediocriter, a little ', ' moderately ', c for celeriter, fast ',' quick ' and s for sursum, up '.
In addition to the episema and some Litterae significativae the Neumentrennung for rhythmic differentiation can provide. This one really expected polyphonic Neume is divided into smaller neumes, that it will help to write down a not detected by this Neume rhythmic component. A dreitöniger torculus example, by this method, in a monotonous Virga - separated and a two-tone Clivis, indicating an elongation of the first tone - often provided with a episema.
Neumes in polyphonic music
In the Abbey Winchester was born in 1050 a Tropar - Sequenziar ( Winchester Tropar ) after a written around 980 template. It contains two-part Organa, which were recorded with adiastematic neumes. The textless Organalstimmen and texted cantus voices were recorded separately. Not every Organalstimme there is a cantus voice.
In the presumably originating from the secular domain sequence Planctus Cigni, swan suit ' both voices are available. The writer was in the Organalstimme articulating the letters d and x for orientation for the singer a. This Organum could only be sung in two voices, when the singers both voices were already known. A reconstruction of the organum can not succeed therefore today.
The adiastematic neumes fell in polyphonic compositions to the limit of their practicality. The move toward diastematic notations and further linierter Modalnotation which affected the tone duration in addition to the pitch, was obvious.