Rhythm in Western Sacred Music Before the Mid-Twelfth Century
and the Historical Importance of Proportional-Rhythm Chant
The thesis of this work is that from around the fourth to the mid-twelfth centuries there were ten different
musical rhythms, and that sometimes several might be used within single pieces. The argument, drawn
from years of transcribing neumatic manuscripts and rhythmisizing eleventh- and early-twelfth-century
part-music, is illustrated by thirty examples of chant, liturgical dramas, and polyphony. Each is
accompanied by a commentary and translation. Eighteen of these examples, including two complete
Mass Propers and three liturgical dramas, are illustrated on CD with performances by the Schola
Antiqua. There are three tipped-in photographic illustrations. All the texts, music, and recordings are
done, but the assembling is taking time. I hope to be finished by the end of 2008. Please address any
inquiries to blackley@hughes.net. Here is the Table of Contents, with rhythms indicated in fine print...
Foreword
I. Sacred Music Performed in Secular Society
II.There Were Ten Rhythms in Use Back Then
III. Musical Examples, with Commentaries and Translations
1–2. Psalm-tones for verse Laudate dominum omnes gentes
(free syllabic)
3. 2-part Organum Rex coeli domine
(free syllabic)
4. Hymn Conditor alme siderum, first stanza
(binary regular syllabic)
5. Hymn Veni redemptor gentium, first stanza
(binary regular syllabic)
6. Hymn Veni creator spiritus, first stanza
(binary regular syllabic)
7. 2-part Sequence Victime paschali laudes
(binary regular syllabic)
8. Hymn O lux beata trinitas, first stanza
(ternary regular syllabic)
9. Hymn A solis ortus cardine, first stanza
(ternary regular syllabic)
10. Hymn Vexilla regis prodeunt, first stanza
(ternary regular syllabic)
11. Propers of the Mass for Easter Sunday, Resurrexi
(free proportional)
12. Propers of the Mass for the Dead, Requiem
(free proportional)
13. Offertory Ave maria
free proportional (free proportional)
14. Three Propers from the Mass for Pentecost, Spiritus domini (free proportional)
15. Walafrid Strabo: Responsorial Hymn, Omnipotentem semper adorent
(free proportional)
16. Chant Mass-Ordinary Gloria in excelsis deo
(free proportional)
17–18.Hildegard von Bingen: Spiritus sanctus and Cum vox sanguinis
(free late proportional, with opening hymn in binary regular syllabic)
19. Liturgical Music-Drama Sponsus
(free late proportional)
20. 2-part Conductus O maria virgo pia
(free late proportional)
21. 3-part Conductus Sponsa rectoris omnium; Excursus: on Conducting
(free late proportional)
22–23.Introit for Pentecost, Spiritus domini, in two different rhythms
(free late proportional; equalist)
24. Chant Sequence Victime paschali laudes (binary regular equalist)
25. Chant Responsory Hodie nobis celorum rex, with 3-part V/. Gloria
(free equalist, ternary regular equalist)
26. 2-Part Conductus Sancti spiritus asit nobis gratia
(free equalist, binary regular equalist, early modal)
27. Liturgical Music-Drama Visitatio sepulchri
(binary regular syllabic, ternary regular syllabic, free late pro-
portional, free equalist, binary regular equalist, early modal)
28. Liturgical Music-Drama Peregrinus
(binary regular syllabic, ternary regular syllabic, free late pro-
portional, free equalist, binary regular equalist, early modal)
29. 2-part Conductus O sponsa dei electa
(free equalist, binary regular equalist, modal)
30. 3-part Motet Non pepercit / Non pepercit / Mors (modal)
IV. The Historical Importance of Proportional-Rhythm Chant
V. Select, Annotated Chant Bibliography