What are these mysterious letters?
  • LauraKaz
    Posts: 73
    Does anyone know what these letters over the neumes are? I noticed that there is a "d" at the end of each phrase but am unsure of its significance, nor of any of the other letters. My best guess is they have something to do with the (unwritten) Gall notation, but I am not really sure.
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  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,726
    I *believe* some of them are to indicate whether or not you lengthen or stress certain notes. I cannot, for the life of me, remember what they stand for, although I've encountered them in the past.
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,159
    On p xvi -xvii of your source book (Laudes Festivae) it is explained. They are referred to Bl. Notker of St Gall.

    x Doubled in length
    x. Two doubled puncta
    p Slight push (pressio)

    i Slow
    g Get faster
    c fast
    t slow down

    All of which are very subtle...

    e quiet (not Notkerian, it says)
    s get louder
    f loud
    d get quieter

    l light
    a full (“amplius”)

    v very
    m a bit

    All interpreted rather subtly.
    Thanked by 6Chrism CHGiffen ServiamScores bhcordova tomjaw LauraKaz
  • tomjaw
    Posts: 2,704
    We sing this, I have been meaning to reset it with Solesmes markings instead of the cryptic letters. Just another incomplete job in the todo vault.
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