Chant specialists and historians: help needed
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Hi everyone,

    I've been looking at the chants for the Assumption. In 1950, a new Mass was composed, but I don't know how old the propers themselves are -- nor do I know how I might go about finding out the age of these chants.

    Anyone help?



  • JulieCollJulieColl
    Posts: 2,465
    I don't know the answer, but I do love the Alleluia (Assumpta Est) for the Feast of the Assumption. Here is the Mass of the Assumption, rendered by the monks at Fontgambault. The Alleluia begins at 6:15:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=437&v=cMjNevd2gXs
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    The modern book Graduale Triplex has information on some of the chants assigned to the feast in 1950:

    The Introit Signum magnum takes its melody from two other introits: In virtute tua and Probasti, Domine. The Triplex provides manuscript references for both: Laon 29, Einsiedeln 77 for the first; Laon 139, Einsiedeln 293 for the other.

    The Gradual Audi, filia is in St. Gall 137.

    The Alleluia was retained from the older Mass of that day. Johner ("Chants of the Vatican Gradual", p. 428) says it is one of the oldest chant melodies we have, originally used on the feasts of St Bartholomew and St Matthew, with a different text (Laon 171, St. Gall 155). It was also adapted for the Dedication of a Church during Paschaltide.

    I have no information on the Offertory Inimicitias.

    Part of the Communion melody for Beatam me dicent is taken from the antiphon Ecce Dominus veniet (L14,E14).
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen eft94530
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Richard,

    This is very helpful, except that I don't know the sources (St. Gall, Laon, Einsiedeln and so on.) If I get my eyes on a Triplex, will this explain these sources, or will I need to consult these sources directly to get further details ?
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    I don't know a lot about them myself; the Triplex indicates their age, and gives library references for them:
    Laon: after 930, Bibliotheque municipale 239
    Saint-Gall: end of the IXth c., Stiftsbibliothek 359
    Einsiedeln: beginning of the XIth c., Stiftsbibliothek 121

    and there are several others.

    The St-Gall Cantatorium manuscript is on-line. For example, here's the Audi, filia.
    http://www.e-codices.unifr.ch/en/thumbs/csg/0359/Sequence-499
    The library web site does give a little info about the codex.

    If you are coming to the colloquium, you may be interested in Deacon Ed Schaefer's sessions on reading manuscript chant notation.
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    Richard,

    Thank you for your information! Very helpful.

    I can't make the colloquium this year, but perhaps at some point in the future.

    I'm doing a write-up about upcoming chants for the EF Mass locally, and wanted to be able to answer the question about whether these chants were composed for the Mass, and if not, when they were composed.

    God bless,
    Chris
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    I wouldn't be surprised if the Laon and Einsiedeln manuscripts are also on-line, so you may be able to see the sources there too, in case some graphics may be useful for your presentation.

    These are famous chant manuscripts written in monasteries; some are still in monastery hands, and some have ended up in civil libraries.
  • quilisma
    Posts: 136
    Here's the Laon 239 manuscript:
    http://manuscrit.ville-laon.fr/_app/ms/OEB/Ms239/index.html
    and the Einsiedeln 121
    http://www.e-codices.unifr.ch/en/list/one/sbe/0121

    Thanked by 2CHGiffen M. Jackson Osborn
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    God bless you, gentlemen.

  • JonathanKKJonathanKK
    Posts: 542
    The Offertory Inimicitias isn't included in the Triplex, which is usually an indicator that a chant is a relatively new composition.

    I have noticed that its melody up to "et sémen túum" seems to have been taken from the Offertory Exaltabo te, which appears on LU p. 528 for Ash Wednesday, and is also used for the 11th Sunday after Pentecost.

    Depending on the year, it can happen that the Assumption actually falls during the week of this 11th Sunday, which is an interesting connection to observe.

    The rest of the melody, "et sémen illíus", is very similar to the ending of the Offertory Dextera Domini, LU p. 677, which is sung on Holy Thursday, and is also used on the 3rd Sunday after Epiphany.

    Vale in Domino,
    Jonathan
    Thanked by 1chonak
  • Andris Amolins
    Posts: 152
    Alleluja chant with this text (Assumpta est) is found in some XII century manuscripts, and has been used all the time afterwards. The Gradual has the ancient refrain, but has (since 1950) a new verse which is not in the Triplex.
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    Laon 239 is also digitized on IMSLP:

    http://imslp.org/wiki/Gradual,_F-LA_Ms_239_(Gregorian_Chant)

    I believe Notker's Antiphonal also on e-codices, needed for the chants of the office.
    Thanked by 1Andris Amolins
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